Market trends and business perspectives
Engineering giant ABB is to invest another $90 million into a research and development centre in Canada.
The Swiss company, which also is one of the world’s biggest industrial robot manufacturers, is to establish its new North American research and development facility in Montréal.
As a result of the investment, Canadians will develop next-generation solutions for electric vehicles, says the government in a statement. [Read more…] about ABB to invest $90 million in new research centre in Canada
Yanfeng Automotive Interiors is utilising collaborative industrial robots from Rethink Robotics to “improve accuracy, and output”
Yanfeng has put two of Rethink Robotics’ Sawyer robots to work in its Monroe, Michigan-based facility.
By introducing Sawyer, Yanfeng Frenchtown says it is improving two production processes, while freeing up employees to be used at positions where they can add more value.
Both Sawyer robots are being utilized to perform packaging tasks. One robot is removing trapped labor by packing parts from a conveyor onto a rack, handling 180 parts every 54 minutes. The second robot is counting parts from a conveyor as it places them into a tote, precisely packaging each tote with 80 parts. [Read more…] about Auto interiors company hires Rethink’s collaborative industrial robots
In an interesting article on The Diplomat website, the question is asked, “How does industrial espionage affect economic growth?”
The article is based on a study by Erik Meyersson, an assistant professor at Stockholm School of Economics, who teamed up with Albrecht Glitz, an associate professor at Pompeu Fabra University.
The two academics analysed almost 200,000 informant reports in the old East German Ministry for State Security, otherwise known as the Stasi. [Read more…] about The effect of industrial espionage on economic growth
North East England based automotive cleantech firm Avid Technology has launched a new system for the fleet maintenance industry to help bus operators solve the ongoing quest for efficiency.
Avid says its three new fleet service products – Smart Speed, Smart Shield and Smart Spanner – are designed to reduce costs, boost productivity and improve service delivery and safety.
The entire system is based on the principles of what the company calls “Total Preventative Maintenance”, which it says is used widely to improve the effectiveness of manufacturing operations across the world. [Read more…] about Avid Technology launches new predictive maintenance system for vehicle fleet operators
Industrial robots are in high demand in the automotive sector, and a research company is saying the market will grow to beyond $8 billion by 2021.
In the report published by MarketsandMarkets, the market was estimated to be $5.07 billion in 2016, and is projected to grow to $8.44 billion by 2021, at a growth rate of 10.74 per cent. [Read more…] about Automotive industrial robot market forecast to reach $8 billion within four years
In his farewell address to the nation, US President Barack Obama warned of the dangers of automation technology.
Obama said: “The next wave of economic dislocations won’t come from overseas. It will come from the relentless pace of automation that makes a lot of good, middle-class jobs obsolete.”
The Obama administration has been looking the whole issue of robotics, automation and artificial intelligence, and consulting on the possible impact of those technologies on the US economy. [Read more…] about Obama warns of divisiveness of automation technology
