Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

David Edwards

SICK’s Industry 4.0 training gets you started with IO-Link on the PLC

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SICK is holding a series of hands-on training days to help machine builders and end-users progress on their Industry 4.0 journey by unlocking valuable data from IO-Link sensors via a PLC.

During the one-day course, delegates will learn, step-by-step, how to set up an IO-Link Master to enable sensors to communicate data with a PLC.

By the end of the course, “Getting Started with IO-Link on Your PLC”, delegates will be able to control and monitor sensors from the PLC and collect data which can be used to increase plant efficiency and productivity. [Read more…] about SICK’s Industry 4.0 training gets you started with IO-Link on the PLC

Outrider launches with $53 million in funding to automate distribution yards

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Emerging from two years of stealth-mode operation, Outrider has announced it has raised $53 million in funding and deployed initial pilots of its Outrider System, the first-to-market solution focused on autonomous yard operations for logistics hubs.

The seed and series A funding rounds were led by NEA and 8VC, respectively.

The goal of distribution yards is to keep semi-trailers full of freight moving quickly in the space between the warehouse doors and public roads. [Read more…] about Outrider launches with $53 million in funding to automate distribution yards

Mercedes expands development of autonomous commercial vehicle systems

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From project to product: With AXYARD, Lab1886 and Daimler Trucks automate the operation of commercial vehicles

The automated snow removal by two self-driving Mercedes-Benz Arocs in Immendingen shows a successful application for automated commercial vehicles in closed areas.

The joint project of Lab1886, the innovation unit for new business models within Mercedes-Benz AG, and Daimler Trucks, the inventor of the truck, has now become a product that can be used as a solution for various customer requirements in sectors such as on-site logistics and agriculture.

Lab1886 and Daimler Trucks, together with Fraport, demonstrated the operation of self-driving snow-clearing vehicles in non-public closed areas for the first time in October 2017 as part of a pilot project on the site of the former Pferdsfeld air base. [Read more…] about Mercedes expands development of autonomous commercial vehicle systems

SICK launches SIG200 ProfiNet sensor integration gateway

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SICK has unveiled its SIG200 ProfiNet Sensor Integration Gateway, the first in a family of intelligent Industry 4.0 gateways designed to work as both IO-Link Masters and small, distributed control systems in one.

The sensor specialist says it makes light work of configuring localised sensor applications and, at the same time, opens up high-speed transfer of sensor status, parameter and diagnostics data with enterprise-level or cloud-based systems.

SICK’s SIG200 Sensor Integration Gateway is an IO-Link Master with an on-board web server that collects, combines, evaluates and transmits signals from IO-Link devices from any manufacturer. [Read more…] about SICK launches SIG200 ProfiNet sensor integration gateway

GM investing $40 million in Spring Hill plant

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General Motors is to invest $40 million in its Spring Hill Global Propulsion Systems plant to increase capacity of the 5.3L V8 engines for GM’s full-size truck and SUV programs.

The 5.3 V8 engine with Dynamic Fuel Management is paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission.

This engine variant is available for select full-size trucks and SUVs, including Chevrolet’s Silverado, Tahoe and Suburban as well as the GMC Sierra. [Read more…] about GM investing $40 million in Spring Hill plant

BMW unveils ‘novel aerodynamic wheels’ for the purely electric cars

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BMW has unveiled a new wheel design which it says is more aerodynamic and provides “all-round efficiency”.

The “Aerodynamic Wheel” will feature on the BMW iX3 as well the iNext and i4 models.

In tests, BMW found that the new aerodynamic wheel reduced drag for the iX3 by “about 5 per cent” compared with the conventionally powered BMW X3. [Read more…] about BMW unveils ‘novel aerodynamic wheels’ for the purely electric cars

Comau’s brief history of exoskeletons

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Since 1965, when the first exoskeleton was produced for military use, exoskeletons have been increasingly popular in the manufacturing world, supporting workers and improving the quality of their working hours. (See video below.)

In 2018 more than 7,000 units were sold in manufacturing, according to ABI Research data.

However, the potential market need would be 60,000 units for all types of exoskeleton, with an estimated growth rate of more than 50 percent from 2019 to 2024. [Read more…] about Comau’s brief history of exoskeletons

LiDAR in mapping market predicted to surpass $4 billion by 2026

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The global market for LiDAR in mapping is expected to exceed $4 billion by 2026, according to research by Global Market Insights.

The rising demand to reduce the risks associated with natural disasters such as floods, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes is supporting the demand for LiDAR in mapping solutions, says the company.

The LiDAR in mapping market growth is also attributed to the increase in government efforts to identify new sources of energy. [Read more…] about LiDAR in mapping market predicted to surpass $4 billion by 2026

Webinar: Latest trends in LiDAR

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Webinar: Latest trends in LiDAR
March 10, 2020 10:00 am Central Time (US and Canada)

RoboticsAndAutomationNews.com is proud to present what will almost certainly be one of most important webinars of this year.

Entitled “Latest trends in LiDAR”, and presented by SICK sensors expert Aaron Rothmeyer, the webinar will take a deep dive into a technology that is constantly evolving and provides a number of benefits for industrial automation.

In recent years, LiDAR has been more heavily used on autonomous mobile robots. But from robotics to the factory floor, LiDAR technology is now commonplace in industrial automation of many types. [Read more…] about Webinar: Latest trends in LiDAR

Showcasing the future of nonwoven materials

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Visitors and exhibitors will gather at Index 20, the world’s leading nonwovens exhibition, in Geneva from 31st March to 3rd April 2020, to participate in the industry’s largest platform for cutting-edge nonwoven technologies.

Non-woven fabric is a fabric-like material made from staple fibre and long fibres, bonded together by chemical, mechanical, heat or solvent treatment. The term is used in the textile manufacturing industry to denote fabrics, such as felt, which are neither woven nor knitted. The applications of nonwovens are many and varied, and include many in the automotive industry.

Over the course of four days of the Index event, more than 13,500 visitors and over 750 exhibitors representing around 100 countries will gather to meet like-minded professionals as well as take part in industry workshops, seminars, and networking events. [Read more…] about Showcasing the future of nonwoven materials