Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

Archives for November 6, 2018

Engineer-to-Order Manufacturing Experiencing Visual Sales Revolution

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By Thomas R. Cutler

The most immediate and critical impact on the bottom-line can be found in the sales process. Over the past decade more manufacturers have become understandably enamored with the margins which exists in the ETO (engineer-to-order) space. Sadly, until now poor job quoting processes have consumed the competitive margins, even generating an unprofitable manufacturing project.

Nearly two-thirds of global manufacturers are now ETO. Due to customer demand for customization there has been a significant increase in demand for custom manufacturing versus repetitive manufacturing.

New best practice technologies have finally allowed the quoting process to capture every permutation and cost consideration prior to submitting a proposal or request for quote (RFQ).  [Read more…] about Engineer-to-Order Manufacturing Experiencing Visual Sales Revolution

Horizons ETFs launches new investment vehicle for Industry 4.0

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Canada-based Horizons ETFs Management has launched the Horizons Industry 4.0 Index ETF, which it calls “FOUR”. 

Horizons says FOUR is a new-technology-focused exchange-traded fund that seeks to invest in sectors that are crucial to the development of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, or “Industry 4.0”.

Units of the ETF will begin trading today on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol FOUR. 
[Read more…] about Horizons ETFs launches new investment vehicle for Industry 4.0

Analysis: Universal Robots continues to dominate cobot market but faces many challengers

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By Ash Sharma, research director, Interact Analysis

Universal Robots continued to dominate the collaborative robot industry in the first half of 2018, although Interact Analysis estimates its market share dipped a little this year.

Despite the exit of cobot pioneer, Rethink Robotics, UR faces an increasing number of challengers and the fledgling industry remains fragmented.

Universal Robots still maintains an incredibly strong hold over the collaborative robot market. However, its market share has gradually decreased from more than 55 percent in 2016 to 46 percent in 2017 – which was inevitable given how quickly the industry is growing and the increasing number of suppliers now competing.  [Read more…] about Analysis: Universal Robots continues to dominate cobot market but faces many challengers

Hyundai plans solar charging system for cars

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Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors have announced plans to introduce solar charging technology on selected Hyundai Motor Group vehicles.

Electricity-generating solar panels will be incorporated into the roof or the hood of vehicles, and will support internal combustion, hybrid and battery electric vehicles with additional electrical power, increasing fuel efficiency and range.

The solar charging technology is being developed to support the vehicle’s main power source, improving mileage and reducing CO2 emissions.

[Read more…] about Hyundai plans solar charging system for cars

ZF acquires stake in ASAP to boost autonomous driving resources

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ZF Friedrichshafen AG is taking over 35 percent of the shares of the engineering services provider ASAP Holding GmbH, located in Gaimersheim, Bavaria, Germany.

The move is in line with the company’s strategy of securing additional resources for autonomous driving and e-mobility in order to better meet the ever growing demands from customers in these areas.

“As an established development partner, ASAP Group has extensive expertise in the areas of autonomous driving, e-mobility, connected cars and vehicle software,” says Torsten Gollewski, general manager of Zukunft Ventures GmbH and head of ZF’s Advanced Development department.

[Read more…] about ZF acquires stake in ASAP to boost autonomous driving resources

Festo unveils video tutorials for its automation technology

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Festo have unveiled a series of video tutorials for its automation technology on its “Festo Service” YouTube channel. Practical video tutorials explain how users can commission Festo products or carry out simple maintenance work themselves.

Users of electric and pneumatic automation technology from Festo can learn in just a few steps how to, for example, change a toothed belt on a linear axis or how to replace a set of wearing parts on a pneumatic drive, how to commission a valve terminal with bus system or how to assign functions for the Eplan project “Schematic Solution”.

These tutorials also include information on the degree of difficulty, the time involved, and the tools required along with illustrated comparisons that explain typical fault sources.

[Read more…] about Festo unveils video tutorials for its automation technology