Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

Archives for July 20, 2018

Market briefing: Performance of engineering and machinery stocks

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In this commentary, Stock Trader Report provides insight into recent movements in share prices of some engineering and machinery companies 

On Thursday, July 19, 2018, US markets saw five out of nine sectors finishing the day in red and four in green.

Benchmark US indices were bearish at the end of the previous day’s session:

  • Nasdaq Composite down 0.37% closing at 7,825.30;
  • the Dow Jones Industrial Average 0.53% lower, finishing at 25,064.50;
  • and the S&P 500 ending at 2,804.49, down 0.40%.

Before the market opening today – July 20 – StockTraderReport.com scans the performance of the following four diversified engineering and machinery stocks:

  • ABB (NYSE: ABB);
  • Ametek (NYSE: AME);
  • Actuant (NYSE: ATU); and
  • Colfax (NYSE: CFX).

More detailed information about these and other companies can be found on the Stock Trader Report website, and the company is offering a free limited time offer.  [Read more…] about Market briefing: Performance of engineering and machinery stocks

Steel market: Automakers exploring new materials to make vehicles lighter

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Automotive manufacturers are exploring a variety of new methods and materials which will enable them to produce vehicles that are stronger, lighter, and more suited to what many believe will be an autonomous and electric driving culture of the future.

While many may have heard of carbon-fiber and similarly exotic-sounding and expensive materials, what is probably more likely is that heavier iron parts will be replaced with steel, and steel parts will be replaced with whatever is lighter than that – plastics, perhaps, or new, lighter types of steel.

One new type of steel that is currently being discussed widely is referred to as “advanced high-strength steel”, or AHSS.  [Read more…] about Steel market: Automakers exploring new materials to make vehicles lighter

Nidec-Shimpo launches new versions of its S-Cart automated guided vehicle

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Nidec-Shimpo has launched new versions of its automated guided vehicle, the S-Cart. (See video below.)

The company says it will begin shipping the new model of AGV – equipped with a “Follow-Me” function – as soon as possible.

Additionally, the company has also developed a separate new model equipped with a “Return-To-Home” function as well as a model designed to carry a maximum payload of 500 kg.  [Read more…] about Nidec-Shimpo launches new versions of its S-Cart automated guided vehicle

BMW Group and Baidu join forces on autonomous driving in China

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Baidu, Inc. and the BMW Group today announced they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), under which the BMW Group will join Apollo, the open autonomous driving platform by Baidu, as a board member.

The partnership was made official during Chinese Premier Li Keqiang’s visit to Germany on July 10th to meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The MoU marks the beginning of a new partnership on autonomous driving between the BMW Group and Baidu. The two companies seek to work together to bring safe, convenient and intelligent mobility experiences for consumers in China.

[Read more…] about BMW Group and Baidu join forces on autonomous driving in China

Motors giant Nidec enters into $260 million joint venture with automaker PSA

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Nidec, one of the world’s largest suppliers of motors and other industrial components, has entered into a joint venture with global automaker PSA Group.

The “Nidec-PSA emotors” joint venture has been created by Groupe PSA and Nidec to initiate the design of “future electric motors”.

Shigenobu Nagamori, CEO of Nidec, and Carlos Tavares, CEO of Groupe PSA, endorsed the establishment of Nidec-PSA emotors, saying the new business will be “dedicated to the design, development, manufacture and sale of electric traction motors”.  [Read more…] about Motors giant Nidec enters into $260 million joint venture with automaker PSA

BASF’s coatings used on Nio smart electric cars in China

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With its coatings solutions, BASF has helped to create an unforgettable look and unparalleled performance for the ES8 – the high performance electric Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) from Nio, a multinational electric vehicle company headquartered in China.

The seven-seater electric SUV uses BASF’s coatings solutions for the surface pre-treatment and all coatings layers. The ES8 includes BASF’s waterborne coatings technologies, as well as Oxsilan from BASF’s Chemetall brand, an advanced thin-film technology for metal protection and waterborne coatings.

“Visually, the coating creates the first impression of a vehicle – it is the essence of a vehicle’s intrinsic style. But at the same time, the coating must protect and enhance the vehicle’s performance,” said Nils Lessmann, Vice President and General Manager of BASF Shanghai Coatings Co., Ltd.

[Read more…] about BASF’s coatings used on Nio smart electric cars in China

Collaborative robotics evolving into billion-dollar market

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Cognitive systems are fueling the future of the robotics industry, while the collaborative robotics sector is “morphing into a billion-dollar market”, according to ABI Research.

There is a growing interest within the robotics industry as to the benefits of cognitive systems and how they can improve robotic solutions, both in the incremental sense of improving productivity and the strategic sense of adding entirely new capabilities that broaden the use-cases for robotics in the traditional parameters of the industry and beyond.

The innate value of cognitive systems run concomitant to the development of collaborative robotics, says ABI, which provides strategic guidance on transformative technologies.  [Read more…] about Collaborative robotics evolving into billion-dollar market