Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

Archives for October 12, 2017

Systems design: Teradyne standardizes simulation tasks using Cadence technology

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Teradyne, the industrial giant which owns Universal Robots, has standardized its simulation tasks using technology from Cadence Design Systems.

Teradyne’s standardization uses Cadence’s Xcelium Parallel Logic Simulator, which is claimed will accelerate the development of application-specific integrated circuits.

Teradyne uses ASICs for delivery of its automation equipment for test and industrial applications.  [Read more…] about Systems design: Teradyne standardizes simulation tasks using Cadence technology

B&R to present condition monitoring solution at Agritechnica

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Automation company B&R is planning to showcase its condition monitoring solution for mobile automation, designed specifically for the agricultural sector.

B&R will be presenting the solution at this year’s Agritechnica exhibition – scheduled for November 12-18 in Hanover. B&R will be in hall A05, at booth 15.

Visitors will be able to see how advanced automation solutions can be implemented based on a comprehensive hardware portfolio, ready-made software components and a powerful engineering tool, says B&R.  [Read more…] about B&R to present condition monitoring solution at Agritechnica

iRobot buys Robopolis to expand in Europe

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iRobot, the US company which makes consumer robots such as the Roomba robotic vacuum cleaner range, has closed the previously announced acquisition of Robopolis, a French company.

The preliminary purchase price of $141 million is subject to normal purchase price adjustments and is expected to be finalized no later than the first quarter of 2018.

Europe is a key strategic region for iRobot and provides “an excellent opportunity for further growth”, says the company.  [Read more…] about iRobot buys Robopolis to expand in Europe

Chinese companies planning to bid for German industrial giant FFT, says Reuters

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Chinese firms including the Jiangsu Hagong Intelligent Robot Company are planning to make a bid to buy German industrial giant FFT, according to a report on Reuters.com. 

Other companies said to be interested include state-owned Shanghai Electric and equity firm AGIC Capital, says Reuters.

FFT, which builds manufacturing facilities for automakers and other industrial companies, is said to be valued at around $712 million.

FFT is owned by an equity investment company called Aton, and any deal is not likely to cause any political controversies, according to people Reuters quotes.  [Read more…] about Chinese companies planning to bid for German industrial giant FFT, says Reuters

IAS uses Visual Components to speed up robotics and automation systems design process

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Robotics and automation integrator IAS says it has accelerated its proposal and design process using Visual Components, a 3D manufacturing simulation application. 

The company says it had been considering using 3D simulation software as a way of communicating its ideas to clients for quite some years.

And, after a demonstration of the software at its facility, the company chose Visual Components.  [Read more…] about IAS uses Visual Components to speed up robotics and automation systems design process

P4Q ‘increases productivity, improves part quality’ with Rethink’s Sawyer industrial robot

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Rethink Robotics’ collaborative robot Sawyer is being utilised by Spanish electronics manufacturer to achieve higher levels of consistency

P4Q, a Spanish manufacturer of electronic products and systems, says it has increased production throughput by 25 percent by deploying smart, adaptable automation on the factory floor.

Rethink Robotics’ Sawyer is testing printed circuit boards and driving improvements in process consistency that are resulting in better part quality and overall production output, says the company.

P4Q has been looking to automate more of its factory for many years to improve efficiency and consistency, but traditional caged robots were unappealing due to high costs and employee safety concerns.  [Read more…] about P4Q ‘increases productivity, improves part quality’ with Rethink’s Sawyer industrial robot

The growing importance of software in the manufacturing sector

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It’s not just manufacturing – it applies to all industries. But manufacturing is the sector that outside observers might expect to be the least affected by the digital world. 

Nothing could be further from the truth of course, especially now.

Some people might think that everything in a factory is entirely mechanical, and maybe just has some electrical components – with a chip or two for the industrial robots.

But increasingly, factories are becoming a hive of hi-tech activity, and the new buzz is almost entirely about the software.  [Read more…] about The growing importance of software in the manufacturing sector

Moxa releases IIoT gateway starter kit with Amazon Web Services support built in

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Industrial automation technology supplier Moxa has launched an industrial internet of things starter kit which it says has built-in support for Amazon Web Services.

The company says the IIoT Gateway Starter Kit is aimed at the needs of system integrators and engineers developing applications for IIoT.

Moxa says the kit is data-acquisition ready, and provides a “reliable ready-to-use platform that simplifies development of IIoT solutions by providing all the essentials needed to get data from edge devices to cloud services, and with little to no programming required”.  [Read more…] about Moxa releases IIoT gateway starter kit with Amazon Web Services support built in