Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

David Edwards

Daimler and Volvo launch €1.2 billion venture to develop hydrogen fuel-cell technology for trucks

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Volvo Group and Daimler Trucks have entered into a joint venture to develop, produce and commercialize hydrogen fuel-cell systems for use in heavy-duty trucks as the primary focus, as well as other applications.

The ambition of both partners is to make the new company a leading global manufacturer of fuel cells, and thus help the world take a major step towards climate-neutral and sustainable transportation by 2050.

Volvo will acquire 50 percent of the partnership interests in Daimler Truck Fuel Cell for approximately €600 million on a cash and debt-free basis. Closing of the transaction is expected during the first half of 2021. [Read more…] about Daimler and Volvo launch €1.2 billion venture to develop hydrogen fuel-cell technology for trucks

Autonomous local public transport introduced in southern Germany

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Autonomous local public transport is being introduced in southern Germany through a research project funded with €7 million.

The RABus project is one of the implemented measures of the strategic goals for automated and networked mobility in the southern German federal state of Baden-Wuerttemberg.

Winfried Hermann, Minister of Transport of Baden-Wuerttemberg, handed over the notice of funding in the amount of €7 million to the RABus consortium. [Read more…] about Autonomous local public transport introduced in southern Germany

SSI Schaffer provides Coop with ‘one of the largest automation solutions in the world’

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Coop, one of the leading food retailers in Sweden, has chosen SSI Schaefer as its general contractor for intralogistics to provide a highly automated logistics solution for the company’s new 77,000 sqm distribution center in Eskilstuna, Sweden.

Coop’s new distribution center, strategically positioned in the heart of Sweden, will handle the distribution of goods to Coop’s 800+ stores around the country.

The majority of the material flow will be processed by two highly automated robotic case picking systems for chilled and ambient products. The result will be a sustainable warehouse that will handle more than 600,000 units per day. [Read more…] about SSI Schaffer provides Coop with ‘one of the largest automation solutions in the world’

FBI installs AutoStore for centralized automated record filing and retrieval solution

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The General Service Administration (GSA) has installed an automated record filing and retrieval system from robotics technology company AutoStore inside a recently completed Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) central records complex in Winchester, Virginia.

The facility includes the country’s first robotic filing and retrieval warehouse in a GSA project.

Certified by the National Archives and Records Administration, this secure, “state-of-the-art”, 250,000-square-foot facility was built to consolidate and contain records previously housed within 256 field offices around the world. [Read more…] about FBI installs AutoStore for centralized automated record filing and retrieval solution

Companies ‘determined to improve warehouse automation’, says Honeywell survey

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Companies are “determined to improve warehouse automation”, according to new research by Honeywell Intelligrated.

The survey reveals “improving automation processes” is the most common near-term goal for e-commerce, logistics and food and beverage companies.

Despite the current pandemic, businesses have a positive outlook on growth and will be relying on warehouse automation processes to maintain that optimism, according to a recent Honeywell. [Read more…] about Companies ‘determined to improve warehouse automation’, says Honeywell survey

Fetch Robotics integrates AMRs into Vargo’s warehouse execution system

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Fetch Robotics, a warehouse robotics company, has agreed a partnership with Vargo, a provider of warehouse execution software, and a plan to launch an integrated fulfillment solution.

The new solution will combine Fetch’s autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) with Continuous Order Fulfillment Engine (Cofe), Vargo’s industry-leading warehouse execution system (WES), to enable distribution centers to optimize order fulfillment with the latest technology in real time.

The growth of e-commerce and omnichannel fulfillment has pushed companies to optimize their order fulfillment processes to gain efficiencies and to do so with more speed and accuracy. [Read more…] about Fetch Robotics integrates AMRs into Vargo’s warehouse execution system

Mitsubishi launches Assista collaborative robot in North and South America

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Mitsubishi Electric has launched its Assista collaborative robot in North and South America.

The Assista Collaborative Robot is built to be an industrial-grade collaborative robot for a cooperative environment.

Mitsubishi Electric Automation has announced the launch of its Assista collaborative robot in the Americas. As a collaborative robot, or “cobot”, Assista is designed to share its workplace with humans in a safe and efficient manner. [Read more…] about Mitsubishi launches Assista collaborative robot in North and South America

Kuka receives ‘major order’ from VW for production of ID.Buzz

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Kuka has received what it describes as a “major order” for body-in-white production robots and systems of the ID.Buzz from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.

VW is focusing on electromobility and with the ID.Buzz brings its classic, the Bulli, to the road as a fully electric version.

Kuka is responsible for the planning, delivery, assembly and commissioning of a fully automated body shop system for the underbody of the all-electric ID.Buzz. [Read more…] about Kuka receives ‘major order’ from VW for production of ID.Buzz

Fanuc and Plus One Robotics develop automation solutions for e-commerce fulfillment

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Fanuc America, the world’s largest industrial robotics company, is partnering with Plus One Robotics, a machine vision specialist, to combine their technologies to meet the needs of their mutual customers in e-commerce.

The new flexible fulfillment solution incorporates a Fanuc robot and Plus One’s artificial intelligence-powered PickOne perception system to identify, singulate, and sort a wide range of conveyable items without the need for traditional vision training.

Powered by AI, the system can adapt to variations in product material, size and shape, as well as intermixed, random delivery. [Read more…] about Fanuc and Plus One Robotics develop automation solutions for e-commerce fulfillment

Comau robots ‘proud’ to have built new Fiat 500

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Comau Robotics says it is “proud” to have participated in the production of the New 500, the latest version of the Fiat 500, first unveiled in 1957 and today one of the most popular cars ever to have been released.

Comau says it has provided its parent company Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and the Fiat brand with advanced automation solutions and its know-how in the development of “innovative industrial processes” to produce FCA’s first fully electric vehicle, a “Made in Turin” product.

The path started symbolically in July 2019 with the installation of the first Comau robot, which initiated the production line of the new full-electric model inside FCA’s historic Mirafiori plant. [Read more…] about Comau robots ‘proud’ to have built new Fiat 500