Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

Archives for February 2022

IFR predicts ‘Top 5 Robot Trends of 2022’ as total industrial robots sales reach a new record

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The International Federation of Robotics has published what it predicts will be the top five industry trends of 2022.

The main theme underlying the trends will be that robots with new features and functions will capture new areas and create new markets.

The operational stock of industrial robots hit a new record of about 3 million units worldwide – increasing by 13 percent on average each year (2015-2020). [Read more…] about IFR predicts ‘Top 5 Robot Trends of 2022’ as total industrial robots sales reach a new record

Global industrial robot density in manufacturing sector doubles over 2021

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The use of industrial robots in factories around the world is accelerating at a high rate: 126 robots per 10,000 employees is the new average of global robot density in the manufacturing industries.

That is nearly double the number five years ago. In 2015, the figure was 66 units.

This is according to the 2021 World Robot Report, published by the International Federation of Robotics.

By regions, the average robot density in Asia/Australia is 134 units, in Europe 123 units and in the Americas 111 units. The top 5 most automated countries in the world are: South Korea, Singapore, Japan, Germany, and Sweden. [Read more…] about Global industrial robot density in manufacturing sector doubles over 2021

Bosch acquires Atlatec to boost its autonomous vehicle offerings

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Bosch is expanding its expertise in automated driving and strengthening its market position with the acquisition of Atlatec, a developer of high-definition maps for autonomous driving and simulation.

Atlatec will become part of the Bosch Cross-Domain Computing Solutions division as an independently operated company. Bosch and Atlatec have now signed agreements to this effect.

Bosch says Atlatec is “one of the world’s most innovative providers of high-resolution digital maps for driver assistance and automated driving”. [Read more…] about Bosch acquires Atlatec to boost its autonomous vehicle offerings

Sonatus unveils platform for building software-defined vehicles

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Sonatus, a developer of software defined vehicle technology, has released the next generation of its Sonatus Digital Dynamics Vehicle Platform, which “lives both in-vehicle and in the cloud”, says the company.

Following a successful debut in the Genesis GV60, Sonatus has further enhanced the cloud-side of its platform to bolster automakers’ ability to build software-defined vehicles that can be updated with new features and functionality throughout their entire lifetimes – without requiring new software development.

Given the time and resources required to develop new software, removing this barrier significantly accelerates innovation and bolsters agility, claims Sonatus. [Read more…] about Sonatus unveils platform for building software-defined vehicles

Software-defined vehicles: Apple developing self-driving car chips with South Korean company

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Tech giant Apple is developing chips for self-driving cars in partnership with a South Korean company, according to various media reports.

A website called The Elec, which seems to be a South Korean electronics industry association website, is believed to have broken the story.

In the article, Apple is reported to be “developing the chip modules and packages to be used in its so-called Apple Car with a South Korean outsourced semiconductor assembly and test company”. [Read more…] about Software-defined vehicles: Apple developing self-driving car chips with South Korean company

New cart from Roeq ‘doubles payload’ of autonomous mobile robots

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A new cart solution developed by Roeq will double the payload of autonomous mobile robots from Mobile Industrial Robots.

Roeq says it followed the principle of “Doing more with less” because this is what users of the MiR250 mobile robot will realize with its new Roeq TMS-C500 Ext and S-Cart500 Ext.

As the product name indicates, the new top module/cart combo enables the robot to carry up to 500 kg payload (1102 lbs), effectively doubling the payload of MiR’s best-selling AMR. [Read more…] about New cart from Roeq ‘doubles payload’ of autonomous mobile robots

ABB to deliver ‘multiple’ robotic systems to large vehicle maker Scania’s highly automated battery assembly plant

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ABB has entered into an agreement with Scania, one of world’s largest truck and bus manufacturers, to provide “a comprehensive range of robotic solutions” for Scania’s new highly automated battery assembly plant in Sweden.

The new facility will be a key milestone on Scania’s journey towards the electrification of heavy vehicles. Scania will invest more than SEK 1 billion ($108 million) in the facility over several years and the new Södertälje plant is expected to be fully operational by 2023.

Joerg Reger, managing director of ABB Robotics’ automotive business line, says: “We are delighted to work with one of our longest-standing clients to help deliver their electrification roadmap. [Read more…] about ABB to deliver ‘multiple’ robotic systems to large vehicle maker Scania’s highly automated battery assembly plant

The big AMR fleet computing debate: Distributed vs centralized

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By Limor Schweitzer, CTO and founder, MOV.AI

A shift in mobile robot computing needs

Over the past year, we have seen the growing adoption of centralized computing in Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) fleets. In this article, we ask if this trend is the best approach, especially in advanced deployments with a large number of AMRs and dynamic, non-sterile environments.

Past generations of AMRs, or more accurately Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs), operated in sterile environments, with physically marked fixed routes and simple, predefined tasks. The computing requirements were almost nonexistent. [Read more…] about The big AMR fleet computing debate: Distributed vs centralized

Fuzzy Logic makes robotics agile at MBDA

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MBDA is a leading European manufacturer in the aerospace and armaments sector, specializing in the design of missiles and missile systems for the operational needs of the three branches of the military (army, navy and air force).

MBDA France’s Bourges site specializes in the manufacture of tactical missile equipment utilising several key technologies: mechanical manufacturing (metal and composite materials) and electromechanical assembly.

The company wanted to robotise certain processes in small series or even single unit production, by allowing an operator with no programming skills to teach the robotic system, in just a few seconds, the process to be carried out, and then to execute the cycle with complete confidence without human supervision. [Read more…] about Fuzzy Logic makes robotics agile at MBDA

Tompkins Robotics launches tSort3D autonomous mobile robot for warehouses

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Tompkins Robotics has launched its new tSort3D mobile robot, designed to increase the number of sort destinations while reducing the footprint of a system.

tSort3D allows 6 to 8 times the sort destinations in the same space as other traditional automated sortation solutions, provides for thousands of sort destinations, volumes up to 20,000 an hour, and facilitates a single, very large batch pick.

The system is ideal for fulfillment of items for customer e-commerce orders and other fulfillment flows such as store replenishment and reverse logistics. [Read more…] about Tompkins Robotics launches tSort3D autonomous mobile robot for warehouses