Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

David Edwards

UPS invests in and already making deliveries with autonomous trucking company TuSimple

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Logistics giant UPS has invested in autonomous trucking startup TuSimple, and has already made some deliveries with driverless vehicles.

UPS says its venture capital arm, UPS Ventures, has made a minority investment in autonomous driving company TuSimple.

Together, both companies are testing self-driving tractor-trailers on a route in Arizona to determine whether the vehicles can improve service and efficiency in the UPS network. [Read more…] about UPS invests in and already making deliveries with autonomous trucking company TuSimple

Pack Expo to showcase robots in packaging industry

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Robot use in the packaging industry has grown nearly 48 percent among consumer packaged goods companies and 30 percent in the life sciences and pharma sector.

Pack Expo Las Vegas and co-located Healthcare Packaging Expo – scheduled for September 23-25, 2019 at the Las Vegas Convention Center – is primed to introduce the “Robotics Zone”, a new show floor destination that spotlights new robotic technology, human and robot interaction and collaborative robot displays.

The new destination area is an ideal place for attendees to get ideas and inspiration, meet leading robot providers and interact with cutting edge robotic technologies first-hand. [Read more…] about Pack Expo to showcase robots in packaging industry

ProCom to launch new controller at EMO event

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ProCom is planning to officially launch its new CNC machine controller at the forthcoming EMO event, scheduled to be held from September 16th to 21st, 2019, in Hannover, Germany.

ProCom says the CNC300PRO is its most powerful controller in the CNC300 product range, an is designed for maximum speed and precise laser cutting.

The new, ultra-modern IPC can be scaled as needed in terms of memory and processor performance, offering the best possible configuration for any application. [Read more…] about ProCom to launch new controller at EMO event

Volume Graphics partners with industry consortium to improve rapid-prototyping of plastic mold inserts

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Volume Graphics, a provider of industrial computed tomography software, is partnering in a second joint project on “rapid tooling” with companies from a wide range of industries.

The company’s partnership is with the Kunststoff-Institut, in Germany.

As a project partner, Volume Graphics brings expertise in quality assurance and process optimization to the team via its advanced industrial computed tomography (CT) data-analysis software.

Christof Reinhart, CEO of Volume Graphics, says: “Working on this project with Kunststoff-Institut and partners is very important to us because we are convinced that industrial computed tomography can advance the future of rapid tooling. [Read more…] about Volume Graphics partners with industry consortium to improve rapid-prototyping of plastic mold inserts

Volkswagen has already built 200 pre-production vehicles of its new electric car ID.3

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Volkswagen has already built 200 pre-production vehicles of the new electric car ID.3, although none are for sale yet.

The initiative involved the conversion of VW’s vehicle factory in Zwickau, which the company says will eventually be “the largest facility for electric mobility in Europe”.

The members of Volkswagen’s group and brand boards of management, as well as the group works council, were able to see that for themselves at today’s site symposium for all three locations in Saxony held at Zwickau. [Read more…] about Volkswagen has already built 200 pre-production vehicles of its new electric car ID.3

Sportamore opts for Swisslog to expand automated warehouse

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Sportamore, one of the largest and fastest-growing online vendors of sports clothing and equipment in the Nordic countries, has expanded its automated central warehouse in Eskilstuna in cooperation with Swisslog.

The expansion began in February 2018 and was finished according to plan in February 2019.

Sema Söderhäll, chief logistics officer at Sportamore, says: “Together with Swisslog, we were able to complete the expansion without disrupting our regular production, something we’re very grateful for.” [Read more…] about Sportamore opts for Swisslog to expand automated warehouse

Mercedes-Benz plant ships 750,000th truck assembly kit

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The Mercedes-Benz plant at Wörth has shipped its 750,000th truck assembly kit.

Called the CKD Centre, for “Completely Knocked Down”, the Wörth facility in Germany sent the 750,000th truck kit to South Africa.

The item was packed in a 40-foot sea container for its journey overseas. It will be shipped to Rotterdam before it embarks to Port Elizabeth, in South Africa, its destination country. [Read more…] about Mercedes-Benz plant ships 750,000th truck assembly kit

ThyssenKrupp invests €80 million in ‘world’s most advanced forging line’

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ThyssenKrupp is investing €80 million into building what the company describes as “the world’s most advanced forging line” in Homburg, in Germany.

The investment is to expand a front axle production facility for trucks, for which long-term customer contracts have been signed, says the industrial giant.

ThyssenKrupp says its decision to build the new forging line represents “the biggest single investment ever made at its Homburg site. [Read more…] about ThyssenKrupp invests €80 million in ‘world’s most advanced forging line’

SEAT invests €57 million in its factory in Barcelona

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SEAT has invested €57 million in a new metal press and two new hot stamping lines for its factory in Barcelona.

The new PXL press installed in SEAT Barcelona involved an investment of just over €31 million and it will boost the productivity of this metal press compared to the previous ones thanks to greater automation and manufacturing speed, as well as an advanced robot system.

A little over €25 million was also invested in two new hot stamping lines that will also help increase efficiency, speed and precision in the production process. [Read more…] about SEAT invests €57 million in its factory in Barcelona

ABB and Fastned open their 100th electric vehicle charging location

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ABB, the industrial giant with a massive business in power generation equipment, and electric vehicle network operator Fastned Charging have opened their 100th electric vehicle charging location in the Netherlands.

The companies say Europe is introducing stricter emission targets from 2020, so their partnership Fastned and ABB is “facilitating the electric revolution set to transform European highways”.

Since the launch of the pilot Fastned project in The Netherlands in 2013, the close working relationship between Fastned and ABB has facilitated the successful launch of charging sites across the Netherlands and Germany, with the UK’s first high power station launching in Sunderland just a couple of months ago. [Read more…] about ABB and Fastned open their 100th electric vehicle charging location