Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

David Edwards

Volkswagen orders staggering 800 ABB robots to build its new electric vehicles

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ABB has received a massive order for 800 industrial robots from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles to support production of a new generation of electric vehicles at its plant in Hannover, Germany.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is modernizing its Hannover factory and is installing state-of-the-art facilities to build the all-electric ID.

Buzz van, which will begin production in 2022. ABB’s robots will be installed in the body shop to undertake a range of body construction tasks. [Read more…] about Volkswagen orders staggering 800 ABB robots to build its new electric vehicles

EasyMile launches autonomous tow tractor

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Autonomous shuttle manufacturer EasyMile has launched what it claims is the first autonomous tow tractor dedicated to material handling within a private site.

TractEasy is designed for use at a factory or a logistics center, and is able to operate both inside and outside in a complex urban-like environment.

EasyMile says it is building on its “successful experience in autonomous public transport”, and the applications for autonomous technology for industrial logistics are “numerous”. [Read more…] about EasyMile launches autonomous tow tractor

US government awards Fanuc and Rockwell apprenticeship programs

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Fanuc, the world’s largest manufacturer of industrial robots, has been named a Standards Recognition Entity (SRE) by the US government’s Department of Labor.

Fanuc shares this achievement in collaboration with industry partners including Rockwell Automation, APT Manufacturing Solutions and the National Occupational Competency Testing Institute (NOCTI).

An official signing ceremony hosted by US DOL Secretary Eugene Scalia named 18 SRE organizations. [Read more…] about US government awards Fanuc and Rockwell apprenticeship programs

Swisslog partners with retail chain H-E-B to build automated micro-fulfillment centers

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Swisslog, a warehouse automation company, has partnered with H-E-B in San Antonio, Texas to support the company’s growing demand for online fulfillment.

H-E-B says demand for its online grocery services is continuing to accelerate.

Swisslog is working with H-E-B to build a number of automated micro-fulfillment centers to support the chain’s curbside pick-up and delivery business. [Read more…] about Swisslog partners with retail chain H-E-B to build automated micro-fulfillment centers

Kuka launches new SCARA robots

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Kuka has launched a new range of SCARA robots. The company says the new KR SCARA jointed-arm robots are “reliable assistants” for industrial production that that excel in applications like in small parts assembly, materials handling and inspection tasks.

In the payload category up to 6 kg, it is hard to find a match for the Kuka SCARA robots, claims the company.

The new KR SCARA horizontal jointed-arm robots from Kuka are ultra-compact and at the same time deliver “maximum cost-effectiveness”. [Read more…] about Kuka launches new SCARA robots

Avnet poised to play key role in next-generation automotive technology

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The automotive industry is undergoing an historic transformation which will fundamentally shift the way vehicles are manufactured as well as change the way we look at and use cars, and possibly all road-going automobiles.

In-keeping with the widespread trend, Avnet, one of the world’s leading distributors of electronic components, is taking a leading position in developing the technologies required to make the future a reality.

A number of predictions are being made for the automotive industry, and many of them may have sounded outlandish in the past, but now that the public at large has accepted driverless cars as a realistic concept, anything is possible – even flying cars. [Read more…] about Avnet poised to play key role in next-generation automotive technology

SICK guide book: 6 Steps to a Safe Machine

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SICK Sensor Intelligence, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of sensor systems for industrial applications, is making available a comprehensive guide of machine safety.

Weighing in at almost 200 pages, 6 Steps to a Safe Machine goes through all the details of providing a safe working environment for employees.

Starting with laws and standards, the guide goes through risk assessment and safe design, and ends with subjects such as machine validation and deployment. [Read more…] about SICK guide book: 6 Steps to a Safe Machine

Motional expands nuScenes datasets for autonomous driving

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Motional, a startup developing driverless vehicle technology, has expanded nuScenes, the dataset that teaches autonomous vehicles how to safely engage with ever-changing road environments – nuScenes now includes nuScenes-lidarseg and nuImages.

nuScenes, created in March 2019, was the first publicly available dataset of its kind, and pioneered an industry-wide culture of safety-focused data-sharing and collaboration.

It launched as a collection of 1,000 urban “street-scenes” in Boston and Singapore. The scenes, composed of millions of photos and data-points collected from the vehicles’ full sensor suites, were then meticulously hand-annotated, and used to inform and advance machine learning models to build the safest possible self-driving vehicles. [Read more…] about Motional expands nuScenes datasets for autonomous driving

SICK launches sensor-based people-counting system

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In reaction to new developments to slow the spread of the Covid-19 virus, SICK has launched its new PeopleCounter (PeCo) SensorApp. Using 3D LiDAR sensors, the system enables facility managers to maintain recommended occupancy levels in public spaces and in manufacturing settings.

Unlike the use of camera technology, the PeCo LiDAR sensor solution does not process personal information. This ensures companies can maintain any health and safety recommendations, but also respect private individuals’ data privacy concerns.

Operators of institutions of public life as well as those that deal in tourism, cruise ships, restaurants, retail, and various other industries can profit from a simple solution that makes it easy to safely maximize utilization of space and still maintain the required occupancy levels. [Read more…] about SICK launches sensor-based people-counting system

IDS launches new ‘extremely high-resolution’ camera sensor

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IDS has launched its 20.35 MP IMX541 sensor from the Pregius S series.

IDS says the high-performance, extremely high-resolution sensor IMX541 from the Pregius S series is integrated into the versatile uEye SE camera family. Its compact 1.1″ format means the 20.35 MP CMOS sensor is compatible with C-mount lenses.

The industrial cameras feature a practical USB3 Vision interface, deliver 20 fps and will be available from September either as board-level models or with a robust metal housing. [Read more…] about IDS launches new ‘extremely high-resolution’ camera sensor