Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

Archives for September 2018

Micro-Measurements releases miniature strain gage sensor for robots and drones

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Micro-Measurements has launched a miniature strain gage sensor which it says is suitable a number of automation applications, including in autonomous vehicles, robotics, smart manufacturing, and the wearables markets.

The new strain gage sensor is “advantageous in applications that benefit from small size and higher resistance”, says the company.

The Micro-Measurements brand is part of the Vishay Precision Group, which designs, develops and manufactures resistive-foil sensors for high-precision strain, high-stress and force mechanism measurements.  [Read more…] about Micro-Measurements releases miniature strain gage sensor for robots and drones

Beyond prototyping: Scaling up to additive manufacturing for production

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By Charlie Wood, manager of computational engineering at Fast Radius

Most readers are likely well-acquainted with additive manufacturing – as a rapid prototyping tool, at least. And while many companies believe and perpetuate the myth that AM is only a prototyping tool, innovators in a range of markets (for example, aerospace, healthcare, consumer goods and more) are already using AM for production-grade manufacturing when design, performance and cost factors align.

Exploring AM as a means of production opens up design and performance possibilities simply not possible with CNC machining, urethane casting or injection molding. This article will cover how organizations can:

  • Identify if there’s a strong business case for switching to AM for your part or product.
  • Leverage design for additive manufacturing (DFAM) principles for a seamless transition from rapid prototyping to rapid production.

[Read more…] about Beyond prototyping: Scaling up to additive manufacturing for production

Komatsu to build new headquarters 
in Milwaukee’s Harbor District

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Mining vehicles and technology supplier Komatsu is planning to build its new headquarters 
in Milwaukee’s Harbor District.

Just shy of its 135th anniversary in the Milwaukee area, Komatsu Mining says it intends to build a new, state-of-the-art headquarters and manufacturing campus near the location of the company’s original machine shop off South First Street.

The company’s 2.5 million-square-foot South Harbor Campus is planned for Milwaukee’s Harbor District, off Greenfield Avenue.  [Read more…] about Komatsu to build new headquarters 
in Milwaukee’s Harbor District

Renault unveils EZ-Pro robo-vehicle

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Renault has demonstrated its vision of autonomous logistics of the future. The company has unveiled “EZ-Pro”, which it describes as a “a robo-vehicle concept for last mile urban delivery that includes a concierge, in a robo-vehicle scenario with human touch”.

In a world where fast-paced urbanisation means that more than 60% or 70% of the population, depending on the region, will live in towns and cities by 2030, moving people is not the only task that needs to be rethought.

A new era is also beginning for transporting goods: rapidity, flexibility and reliability are the watchwords of the new requirements for consumers at a time that is also seeing a rapid rise in online purchasing.

[Read more…] about Renault unveils EZ-Pro robo-vehicle

ABB completes acquisition of intrion

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ABB announced it has completed its acquisition of intrion, a privately owned company headquartered in Huizingen, close to Brussels, with approximately 120 employees and over a decade of experience in logistics automation solutions and services for the logistics, food and beverage and pharmaceutical industries.

Distribution and fulfilment centres are increasingly turning to robotic automation solutions to improve their efficiency, workplace safety and scalability to meet soaring demand.

According to the International Federation of Robotics, the market for professional service robots is expected to grow at an annual rate of 20 – 25 percent between 2018 and 2020.

[Read more…] about ABB completes acquisition of intrion

Toyota looking to give $2 million to robotics startups

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Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm Toyota AI Ventures is participating in a series of events across the United States to meet promising entrepreneurs that are looking for funding.

As part of the “call for innovation” initiative that it unveiled this summer in partnership with the robotics group at the Toyota Research Institute (TRI), the Toyota AI Ventures team will go on the road beginning this week to take part in several startup events.

The series kicked off at RoboBusiness 2018 in Silicon Valley where the firm’s managing director Jim Adler gave a presentation on the main stage on 26 September.

[Read more…] about Toyota looking to give $2 million to robotics startups

ABB launches its ‘most compact and lightweight 6-axis robot ever’

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ABB has launched what it describes as its “most compact and lightweight 6-axis robot ever”.

The new IRB 1100 “enhances the industry’s most comprehensive offering for fast, accurate small parts assembly solutions”, claims ABB.

ABB introduced the IRB 1100 at the China International Industry Fair 2018 in Shanghai – its smallest, lightest robot to date as part of its growing offering of solutions for small parts assembly.  [Read more…] about ABB launches its ‘most compact and lightweight 6-axis robot ever’

Synopsys launches embedded vision and AI development kit

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Synopsys has launched its DesignWare High-Performance Core Design Kit for EV6x Processors to help designers meet the performance, power, and area requirements of their systems-on-chips for embedded vision and artificial intelligence applications.

The DesignWare HPC Design Kit, a suite of high-speed and high-density memories and specialized logic libraries, allows SoC designers to optimize the EV6x processor’s vector DSPs and convolutional neural network engines for maximum speed, smallest area, lowest power, or an optimum balance of the three.

Depending on the requirements of the target application, designers using the HPC Design Kit for EV6x can optimize their implementation to achieve a 39 percent power reduction, a 10 percent reduction in area, or a 7 percent performance boost for their SoCs.  [Read more…] about Synopsys launches embedded vision and AI development kit

Comau launches ‘lightweight, wearable’ exoskeleton for workers

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Industrial automation company Comau has launched its first “innovative wearable exoskeleton” for industrial workers.

The exoskeleton, called “Mate”, has been designed to improve work quality in an efficient and highly ergonomic manner by providing consistent and advanced movement assistance during repetitive as well as daily tasks, says Comau.

The “Mate Fit for Workers” exoskeleton, to give the device its full name, uses an advanced spring-based passive structure.  [Read more…] about Comau launches ‘lightweight, wearable’ exoskeleton for workers

HRG Robotics to develop logistics robots with Ground Inc

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HIT Robot Group one of China’s leading robot manufacturers, has been showcasing more than 20 industrial robots at the 20th China International Industry Fair in Shanghai, a major event for industrial equipment manufacturers in China.

Among the systems on show were “logistics robots”, says HRG.

According to the 2018 Analysis Report On the Robotics Industry In China which analyzed the latest trends and challenges of the robotics industry, China has a booming industrial robot industry with a growing demand for automated logistics solutions.

In 2017, the total volume of logistics robots sold was about 12,900 units, representing 103 percent year-on-year growth. E-commerce giants such as JD.com, Alibaba, and Suning have adopted logistics robots to meet their needs of warehousing and distribution.  [Read more…] about HRG Robotics to develop logistics robots with Ground Inc