Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

Archives for October 2017

Toyota Research Institute partners with GoMentum to test autonomous vehicles in California

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Toyota Research Institute has signed an agreement with GoMentum Station to test autonomous vehicle technology at the 5,000 acre autonomous vehicle proving grounds located in Concord, California.

Managed by the Contra Costa Transportation Authority, this partnership enables TRI to expand closed course testing of its two-prong approach to vehicle automation – Guardian and Chauffeur.

Established in 2015, TRI has made rapid advancements in its research into automated driving and recently demonstrated Platform 2.1, its new advanced safety research vehicle that allows for testing of both Guardian and Chauffeur in a single vehicle.  [Read more…] about Toyota Research Institute partners with GoMentum to test autonomous vehicles in California

Camille Bauer Metrawatt launches new product which combines measurement device with programmable logic controller

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Camille Bauer Metrawatt says it has combined the functionality of a highly accurate measurement device for heavy current applications with the capabilities of an integrated programmable logic controller.

The company claims this is the first time such a device – the Centrax CU5000 – has been launched.

With this solution, closely coupled automation tasks can be carried out directly and flexibly by programmable logic, says CBM.  [Read more…] about Camille Bauer Metrawatt launches new product which combines measurement device with programmable logic controller

ROS celebrates 10 years as it looks forward to an expanding market

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The Robot Operating System is marking its 10th anniversary since launch, and with 10 million downloads a month, the market for ROS is set for “significant expansion”, according to a report by Transparency Research

The Robot Operating System is a collection of software tools and libraries used by robot programmers for developing applications.

ROS itself is not an operating system but uses an operating system’s user interface, file system, process management system, and programming utilities.  [Read more…] about ROS celebrates 10 years as it looks forward to an expanding market

Novarc Technologies to showcase ‘world’s first collaborative welding robot’ at FabTech

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Novarc Technologies, a Vancouver-based robotics company specializing in the design and commercialization of collaborative robots for industrial applications, says it will be introducing “the world’s first welding collaborative robot” at FabTech.

The company says this is a “groundbreaking step” because, for the pipe welding industry, it demonstrates that robots can enable companies to meet production requirements even where there isn’t a sufficient skilled workforce available.

Novarc says its collaborative robot will be initially available for exclusive demonstration at FabTech, booth #B25100. (A previous Novarc welding system is shown in the picture above.) [Read more…] about Novarc Technologies to showcase ‘world’s first collaborative welding robot’ at FabTech

Mitsubishi Electric and Bimba Manufacturing partner to provide motion solutions

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Mitsubishi Electric Automation and Bimba Manufacturing have agreed a collaboration that will combine Mitsubishi Electric’s industrial automation technology with Bimba’s motion control solutions.

The arrangement brings together Mitsubishi Electric’s servo motors and control products with Bimba’s electric mechanical actuators.

The relationship will allow both companies to benefit from each other’s presence in the industrial marketplace, providing customers with the opportunity to acquire electric motion solutions from a single source.  [Read more…] about Mitsubishi Electric and Bimba Manufacturing partner to provide motion solutions

Chinese companies bought 80 per cent more robots from Japan this year, says report

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Chinese companies bought 80 per cent more industrial robots in the period from July to September 2017 than they did in the same period last year. 

This is according to the Japan Robot Association, which released a range of statistics which suggest that Chinese manufacturers of smartphones and other electronics products are turning to Japanese companies for their automation requirements.

JRA has yet to release the full report for the period, but Nikkei reports that the association’s members shipped robots valued at a total of $1.72 billion.  [Read more…] about Chinese companies bought 80 per cent more robots from Japan this year, says report

Konica Minolta steps up its activities in robotics

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Konica Minolta, the Japanese tech giant best known for office equipment, looks to be increasing its activities in the robotics sector. 

Konica claims to be one of the first companies to commercialise automated solutions for business, and also says it’s been making “ground-breaking strides” within robotics through proprietary technology.

But it doesn’t seem to have launched a robot of its own. Rather, what it has done is partnered with a range of companies which are developing robotics solutions for a wide variety of settings.  [Read more…] about Konica Minolta steps up its activities in robotics

Graphene: A primer on the miracle material

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Graphene is sometimes described as being two-dimensional, or 2D, which is probably more a reflection of the enthusiasm people feel about the material rather than a statement of fact since graphene is actually one atom thick. 

It may only be one single atom, but it’s still there, which means that graphene is, in fact, three-dimensional.

Another interesting thing about graphene is that the naturally occurring composite mineral it’s extracted from – graphite – has been in use for thousands of years in such things as ceramic paints, and it’s been used in pencils for decades. But only now has graphene been extracted from it and suggested for a wide array of applications.  [Read more…] about Graphene: A primer on the miracle material

An introduction to product design and development for manufacturing

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Many people have ideas, but actually producing something – sketch, prototype, then final product – from those ideas, and having it mass-manufactured, is a hugely complex, time-consuming and expensive process.

If that product is an electronic and semiconductor technology-based hardware-and-software product, which is increasingly in demand these days, then that’s an even higher level of complexity and stress.

This article tries to provide a starting point, or introduction, for those interested in industrial design or product development, and maybe have ideas for products and want to know how to start the process of getting them manufactured.  [Read more…] about An introduction to product design and development for manufacturing

ABB to showcase ‘broad range’ of welding technologies at FabTech 2017

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ABB says it will feature “a broad range of advanced robotic welding technology designed to enhance safety, quality and productivity” at FabTech 2017

Metal Fabricators of all sizes are adopting robotic automation to maximize throughput, reduce costs and remove people from repetitive tasks and challenging environments.

The exhibit highlights the elevated level of collaboration, digitalization and simplification unique to ABB, which helps achieve these goals while providing fabricators the flexibility to efficiently adapt production as manufacturing continues to trend from mass production to mass customization.

Collaboration comes in the form of YuMi, ABB’s dual-arm collaborative robot that can operate very closely with humans due to its “inherently safe construction”, according to ABB, and is specifically designed to meet the flexible and agile production needs of small parts assembly and material handling applications.  [Read more…] about ABB to showcase ‘broad range’ of welding technologies at FabTech 2017