Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

Archives for March 12, 2019

General Motors to invest $20 million in Michigan plant

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General Motors is investing $20 million at its Romulus, Michigan propulsion plant to increase the facility’s capacity for future 10-speed transmission production.

Romulus currently builds V6 engines and 10-speed transmissions used in several GM cars, trucks and crossovers.

The new investment will be used to purchase additional machining equipment that will enable the transmission capacity expansion. GM is not disclosing specifics or timing related to the plant’s future products at this time.  [Read more…] about General Motors to invest $20 million in Michigan plant

ZF expands its R&D capacities in Friedrichshafen

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ZF Friedrichshafen AG has opened the doors of its new testing centre for drive technologies. This centre provides extended capacities for testing electric, hybrid and combustion engine drives in Friedrichshafen.

The company also took the opportunity to announce its future plans for the R&D Centre site with the construction of a new office building next to the testing centre, designed to create additional working space for the developers who work there.

“The new testing centre for drive technologies is the fitness centre for mobility of the future. This is where all of ZF’s vehicle drives are technologically fine-tuned to get them in peak condition,” said Chief Executive Officer of ZF, Wolf-Henning Scheider.

[Read more…] about ZF expands its R&D capacities in Friedrichshafen

NXP develops new platform to ‘speed up electric vehicle development’

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NXP Semiconductors, one of the world’s largest suppliers of automotive semiconductors, has launched a new automotive power control reference platform for an electric vehicle traction motor inverter.

NXP’s new power inverter reference design platform combines its portfolio of automotive microcontrollers, robust power management system basis chips, and new isolated high-voltage IGBT gate drivers with application-specific system enablement software.

The company says this will help carmakers deliver the next generation of hybrid and electric vehicles with “greater speed and less development risk”.  [Read more…] about NXP develops new platform to ‘speed up electric vehicle development’

Vecna Robotics launches fifth generation Pallet Jack

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Vecna Robotics (Vecna) has unveiled its latest product in fifth generation autonomous pallet handling. The new Pallet Jack will be the first self-driving vehicle to include autonomous pallet identification, lifting, and pickup.

The model also features an OEM agnostic base. The enhanced software delivers faster, smoother pickups across a broader variety of pallets and goods, including pallets with bottom boards and partial pallets.

This new technology is a further extension of Vecna’s Autonomy Stack, which is said to instil independence in all its vehicles with dynamic obstacle avoidance, topological reasoning, local decision making, high-confidence navigation, and self-learning capabilities.

[Read more…] about Vecna Robotics launches fifth generation Pallet Jack

Groupe PSA Poissy plant to produce an additional vehicle

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Groupe PSA’s Poissy plant is to produce an additional vehicle.

The allocation of a new Opel/Vauxhall B-SUV was made possible by the initiatives taken to enhance performance at the plant, says the company.

Investments since 2016 have made the Poissy plant the first one of Groupe PSA to assemble on the company’s multi-energy common modular platform.  [Read more…] about Groupe PSA Poissy plant to produce an additional vehicle

Genuine Parts Company purchases industrial automation and robotics company

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Genuine Parts Company has agreed to acquire motion control solutions provider Axis New York in a deal done on behalf of its Industrial Parts Group and Motion Industries.

The effective close date is March 1, 2019, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

Axis New England, founded in 1994 and based in Danvers, Massachusetts, is a leading automation and robotics company with expertise in advanced machine automation.  [Read more…] about Genuine Parts Company purchases industrial automation and robotics company

Credit Suisse employs virtual robot to help staff with day-to-day issues

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Credit Suisse has recruited a virtual robot to help its employees with day-to-day issues.

The investment bank partnered with IPsoft, the developer of the artificially intelligent robot, to customize it to advise on a wide range of issues.

After purchasing access to the “Amelia” platform from IPsoft, Credit Suisse set about teaching the robot how to understand common words the staff might use.  [Read more…] about Credit Suisse employs virtual robot to help staff with day-to-day issues

Toyota and Carmera partner on HD maps for automated vehicles

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Toyota Research Institute-Advanced Development, Inc. TRI-AD and Carmera, Inc. are joining forces to conduct a proof of concept on developing camera-based automation of high definition (HD) maps for urban and surface roads.

This is the first step towards making TRI-AD’s open software platform concept, known as Automated Mapping Platform, to support the scalability of highly automated driving, by combining data gathered from vehicles of participating companies to generate HD maps.

Automated driving requires highly reliable road information based on HD map data. While the creation of highway HD maps is under way, this coverage represents less than 1% of the worldwide road network.

[Read more…] about Toyota and Carmera partner on HD maps for automated vehicles