Archives for July 18, 2017

Hirotec on long journey towards lights-out manufacturing with robots from Otto and Yaskawa

July 18, 2017 by David Edwards

“Lights-out manufacturing” is a term to mean the method of making things in a way that’s entirely automated and does not need humans to be involved in the process.

Of course, humans initially set up the process, build the factory and so on, but the factory which outputs the final product only requires robotics and automation technology.

It’s an idea that has probably been explored in science fiction many times, but in reality, a fully automated factory that needs no human intervention at all is still a distant dream. [Read more…] about Hirotec on long journey towards lights-out manufacturing with robots from Otto and Yaskawa

Yaskawa launches direct drive servo motor for ‘backlash-free’ automation applications

July 18, 2017 by Sam Francis

Yaskawa has introduced a direct drive servo motor that the company says packs a new level of performance into a more compact size than anything offered before.

The new Yaskawa SGM7F line of direct drive servo motors delivers from 4 to 35 Nm of torque in a device as small as 2.1” high and 5.3” in diameter (53x135mm).

This size advantage makes it possible to apply the mechanical benefits of a direct coupling between a servo motor and a load in tighter spaces than ever before. [Read more…] about Yaskawa launches direct drive servo motor for ‘backlash-free’ automation applications

Gardening robot raises more than $300,000 on Kickstarter

July 18, 2017 by David Edwards

A gardening robot has raised more than $312,000 on Kickstarter despite its owners setting a goal of $120,000.

Led by the inventor of the Roomba, the Boston-based Franklin Robotics is currently raising funds for their first release – a solar-powered, robotic weed-killer for home gardens.

Named Tertill, the 2.5-pound, disk-shaped robot patrols the garden and intelligently identifies – and whacks – unwanted plants. [Read more…] about Gardening robot raises more than $300,000 on Kickstarter

American workers sleepwalking into automated obscurity, says new report

July 18, 2017 by David Edwards

robot replaces human — Picture courtesy of Challenge Magazine

Despite an endless stream of stories in the media warning of humanity’s impending irrelevance in an automated future, it seems American workers remain rather blasé about the prospect of being automated out of existence in the workplace.

New research by Randstad US contradicts many reports that American workers fear losing their job due to automation.

The 2017 Randstad Employer Brand Research found that only 14 percent of US employees worry that automation will take their job away, and nearly one-third (30 per cent) say they think automation will make their job better. [Read more…] about American workers sleepwalking into automated obscurity, says new report

Government incentives driving growth of Malaysian automation and control systems market, says report

July 18, 2017 by Mai Tao

Government incentives and adoption of new technologies are driving the growth of the Malaysian automation and control systems market, according to a new report.

The Malaysian automation and control systems market, one of the biggest for suppliers, is stable and growing, says the study by Frost & Sullivan, which projects the market to be worth more than $409 million in the next four years.

Government incentives to aid manufacturing and infrastructure spend, as well as an established end-user base of sophisticated automation systems, are driving growth in the region. [Read more…] about Government incentives driving growth of Malaysian automation and control systems market, says report