Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

David Edwards

How to make the most of robotics and automation in your manufacturing business

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Barry Crackett is a product designer at Brushtec, a brushware manufacturer which has benefitted greatly from embracing robotics and automation. In this article, he explains how your business could also benefit from automation.

The UK is falling far behind much of the industrialised world when it comes to embracing robotics and automation, according to The Telegraph.

There are reportedly 500 robots for every 10,000 manufacturing employees in South Korea, 300 in Germany and 200 in Denmark and Sweden.

In stark contrast the UK has just 71 for every 10,000 workers, which means that our manufacturing industry might struggle to catch up if companies don’t start taking stock of the situation and putting more effort into adapting to survive.  [Read more…] about How to make the most of robotics and automation in your manufacturing business

Huge reboot: What Trump’s aversion to trade blocs could mean for the US robotics, automation and manufacturing industries

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The US automotive manufacturing industry is probably going through some angsty times right now, what with president-elect Donald Trump reiterating his campaign pledge to repeal or at least renegotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the North American Free Trade Agreement, and any other free-trade deal previous administrations have signed up to. 

For a highly globalised industry like the automotive sector, which sources parts from all over the world and may assemble its vehicles in any number of countries simultaneously based on a common platform, this is perhaps one election promise which it would rather not be kept.

However, Trump has already produced a presidential address style video in which he says: “I am going to issue a notification of intent to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a potential disaster for our country.

“Instead, we will negotiate fair, bilateral trade deals that bring jobs and industry back onto American shores.”  [Read more…] about Huge reboot: What Trump’s aversion to trade blocs could mean for the US robotics, automation and manufacturing industries

‘Believe it or not, automation may bring jobs back to the US’

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One of the major concerns among blue collar workers is the fear that robotic automation will take jobs that are sorely needed by the average working Joe who simply wants to provide for his or her family.

While it is understandable to think this way since automation can do the work in less time and with more efficiency, it may not necessarily be true that automation is going to replace human jobs.

A study emanating from the UK’s prestigious Oxford University indicates that automation may actually be a very good thing in that it will not only bring factories back home, but it will stimulate the economy, creating more jobs in the process.  [Read more…] about ‘Believe it or not, automation may bring jobs back to the US’

Deco Lighting increases production speed ‘by 1,200 per cent’ using Rethink’s Sawyer industrial robot

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Smart lighting manufacturer claims collaborative robot makes assembly 1,200 percent faster

Deco Lighting, a lighting technology manufacturer, is planning to deploy Rethink Robotics’ Sawyer industrial robots to reduce production time with precision sub-assembly on each line.

By introducing Sawyer into this process, Deco Lighting hopes to reduce assembly time on its products from about an hour per unit to less than five minutes.

Based in Commerce, California, Deco Lighting marks a paradigm shift in the LED lighting industry through optimization in design and manufacturing.  [Read more…] about Deco Lighting increases production speed ‘by 1,200 per cent’ using Rethink’s Sawyer industrial robot

Honeywell connectivity solution ‘improves efficiency and productivity at PetroVietnam refinery’

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Honeywell says a subsidiary of PetroVietnam will use its new IIoT-based Connected Performance Services (CPS) offering to improve the performance of its manufacturing operations in Quang Ngai City, Vietnam.

Binh Son Refining and Petrochemical (BSR) will use Honeywell’s CPS technology which integrates Honeywell UOP’s deep process knowledge to improve refinery and plant performance at its naphtha complex.

CPS is part of Honeywell’s Connected Plant initiative, which leverages IIoT technologies, services and domain expertise to improve all aspects of industrial operations from supply chain efficiency to asset optimization. [Read more…] about Honeywell connectivity solution ‘improves efficiency and productivity at PetroVietnam refinery’

AImotive launches self-driving automotive technology powered by artificial intelligence

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AImotive – formerly known as AdasWorks – claims to be the first to enable an artificial intelligence ecosystem for autonomous driving regardless of location, driving style or driving conditions

AImotive has launched what it says is a “full stack technology solution and the most powerful artificial intelligence software” for the automotive industry, designed to provide self-driving vehicles better safety, improved comfort and increased productivity. 

AImotive used to be called AdasWorks, and the new name reflects the broader vision to “bring global accessibility to self-driving vehicles, faster and safer than any other company in the world”.

The AImotive product suite delivers the robust technology required to operate self-driving vehicles in all conditions, and adapts in real-time to different driving styles and cultures, says the company.  [Read more…] about AImotive launches self-driving automotive technology powered by artificial intelligence

Bank of America hires chatty virtual robot

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By David Henry, Reuters

Bank of America plans to provide customers with a chatty “virtual assistant” named Erica that will use artificial intelligence to make suggestions over mobile phones for improving their financial affairs.

Michelle Moore, head of digital banking for Bank of America, said in an interview on Monday that Erica will be smarter than a robot because she will bring up topics on her own, using predictive analytics as opposed to only answering questions customers ask.

For example, Erica may recommend taking steps to lift a sagging credit rating she noticed. Or, she may propose a customer make higher monthly payments on an outstanding credit card balance to reduce interest expenses.  [Read more…] about Bank of America hires chatty virtual robot

Qualcomm confirms it is buying NXP for $47 billion

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Qualcomm and NXP Semiconductors have announced a definitive agreement, unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies, under which Qualcomm will acquire NXP.

Qualcomm will pay $110 per share in cash, representing a total enterprise value of approximately $47 billion.

NXP is a specialist in high-performance, mixed-signal semiconductor electronics, with innovative products and solutions and leadership positions in automotive, broad-based microcontrollers, secure identification, network processing and RF power.  [Read more…] about Qualcomm confirms it is buying NXP for $47 billion

New flavour of Robot Operating System launched

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A new version of the Robot Operating System has been launched, and this is one for the machines. 

Officially called the Hardware Robot Operating System, the new solution is described as “a standardized software and hardware infrastructure to easily create reusable and reconfigurable robot hardware parts”.

Writing on Robohub.org, Victor Mayoral, CEO of Acutronic Robotics and a researcher at the Open Source Robotics Foundation, says H-ROS means “constructing robots will no longer be restricted to a small elite with high technical skills”.

H-ROS was initially funded by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency through the Robotics Fast Track program in 2016 and developed by Erle Robotics.

TheConstructSim launches beta of its IDE for ROS

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The Construct has launched a beta version of its integrated development environment. 

The company says users of the IDE don’t need to code, and can develop Robot Operating System programs “graphically”.

TheConstructSim.com is an online robot simulation environment in which users can develop and test their systems.