Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

David Edwards

Siemens provides electric charging points for bus depot in Hamburg

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Siemens Smart Infrastructure won a major contract from Hamburger Hochbahn, the largest local transport provider in the Hanseatic city.

Siemens will equip two of the six carports at the Alsterdorf bus depot with a total of 96 charging points as well as medium and low-voltage technology. Operations are scheduled to start in summer 2021.

With a total of 240 parking spaces, it is one of the largest and most modern bus depots for electric buses in Europe. [Read more…] about Siemens provides electric charging points for bus depot in Hamburg

PTC to acquire product lifecycle management provider Arena Solutions

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Computer-aided design specialist PTC has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Arena Solutions, a software as a service (SaaS) product lifecycle management (PLM) platform provider.

The acquisition will further PTC’s strategy to be the leader in the rapidly-growing market for SaaS-based product development software, enabling the company to deliver a complete CAD + PLM SaaS solution.

Under the terms of the agreement, PTC will acquire Arena Solutions for $715 million in cash. Subject to customary closing conditions and completion of regulatory review, the acquisition is expected to be completed in PTC’s fiscal Q2 2021. [Read more…] about PTC to acquire product lifecycle management provider Arena Solutions

Realtime Robotics partners with Dematic to develop ‘new capabilities’ for mixed-case palletizing

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Realtime Robotics, a developer of autonomous motion planning systems for industrial robots, has agreed a partnership with Dematic, a global intralogistics company.

The use of Realtime’s advanced multi-robot coordination and spatial perception technology paired with Dematic’s automated palletizing software will vastly improve the accuracy, cycle time and stability of mixed case palletizing cells.

In the hyper-competitive logistics space, solution providers are being challenged to reduce cost and time to deploy all while continuing to increase key productivity metrics. [Read more…] about Realtime Robotics partners with Dematic to develop ‘new capabilities’ for mixed-case palletizing

MassRobotics chooses Festo as winner of its GM Gripper Challenge

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MassRobotics has chosen Festo, a MassRobotics partner, in collaboration with Magswitch, is the winner of the 2020 GM Gripper Challenge.

Festo’s design concept was selected for its ability to handle a variety of parts, in addition to avoiding occluding a part when gripped.

Joseph Cyrek, Magswitch CEO, says: “The technology challenge hosted by MassRobotics provided an excellent platform for collaboration and rapid development of innovative solutions.” [Read more…] about MassRobotics chooses Festo as winner of its GM Gripper Challenge

Magna partners with Fisker to expand ADAS business

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Automotive parts and systems company Magna is collaborating with Fisker to develop an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS), which will be applied to the Fisker Ocean sports utility vehicle that is expected to launch in late 2022.

This new business win demonstrates Magna’s ability to bring scale and efficiency to the mobility landscape and represents an important expansion of the EV platform sharing, vehicle engineering and manufacturing cooperation the two companies announced last October.

Magna and Fisker will work together to develop industry-unique ADAS features and a suite of software packages powered by a scalable domain controller architecture. [Read more…] about Magna partners with Fisker to expand ADAS business

Vecna Robotics launches new autonomous forklift truck

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Vecna Robotics, the autonomous mobile robot and workflow orchestration company, has launched its autonomous counterbalanced fork truck, which it describes as “a highly versatile, safe, intelligent and integrated pallet-handling solution”.

The first in the company’s Silverback Series of counterbalanced fork trucks, this next-generation autonomous mobile robot offers vertical lift of up to 72” to help distribution, warehousing, and manufacturing organizations move a wider range of payloads and pallet types, lift inventory to and from equipment, and seamlessly work alongside other materials handling vehicles and human workers to improve efficiency and throughput.

The autonomous mobile robot (AMR) segment is expected to reach $6.8 billion by 2025, according to Frost & Sullivan. [Read more…] about Vecna Robotics launches new autonomous forklift truck

EasyMile and Kalray expand autonomous mobility partnership

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Autonomous technology provider EasyMile and intelligent processors supplier Kalray have deepened their relationship with the signature of a deal formalizing their relationship to develop intelligent systems.

The partnership follows their work together in the 10-partner-strong ES3CAP collaborative project, led by Kalray and announced in 2019.

The ES3CAP program, with a budget of €22.2 million over three years, aims to build a hardware and software platform intended for manufacturers developing critical applications requiring high computing capacity in the fields of aeronautics (aviation, flying cabs, UAVs), defense and, autonomous vehicles. [Read more…] about EasyMile and Kalray expand autonomous mobility partnership

SICK microScan safety scanners now offer Fail Safe over EtherCAT

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SICK’s microScan3 family of safety laser scanners is now offering Fail Safe over EtherCAT (FSoE) integration.

SICK says this is the world’s first safety laser scanner with this capability.

Originally launching in 2016, the microScan3 is an extremely intelligent and durable safety laser scanner that enhances machine availability and productivity due to its safeHDDM scanning technology. [Read more…] about SICK microScan safety scanners now offer Fail Safe over EtherCAT

Wikifactory raises $4.5 million to expand its new design collaboration software

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Wikifactory, an online collaboration platform for physical product design and development, has completed a “total upgrade” that it says will enable users the ability to make anything with nothing but a laptop and an internet connection.

Wikifactory says its new Collaborative CAD Tool with in-built chat will “transform the way products are made”, enabling designers, engineers, manufacturers and enterprise to collaborate remotely on virtually any CAD model, from concept through to finished prototype.

The new Collaborative CAD Tool allows product developers of all skill levels in virtually any industry to explore, review and discuss 3D models in over 30 file formats in real-time. [Read more…] about Wikifactory raises $4.5 million to expand its new design collaboration software

GreyOrange implements robots in Active Ants’ warehouse

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GreyOrange has implemented its GreyMatter operating system and Ranger MoveSmart robots in Active Ants’ new e-fulfillment center in Roosendaal, the Netherlands.

The 20,000 square meter warehouse features the GreyMatter Smart Zone Transfer application, utilizing Ranger MoveSmart robots to autonomously move and sort inventory in flexible process flows not possible with fixed conveyors or sorters.

“The GreyOrange robots team with our employees to fulfill customer orders with greater efficiency while also creating a high quality, pleasant work environment. The setup is unique in the world,” said Jeroen Dekker, managing partner at Active Ants. [Read more…] about GreyOrange implements robots in Active Ants’ warehouse