Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

Mai Tao

Hitachi to acquire robotic systems integrator JR Automation for $1.4 billion

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Hitachi has entered into a definitive contract for the acquisition of the robotic system integrator business mainly operated by an American headquartered company, JR Automation.

Hitachi will conduct the acquisition with Crestview Partners.

Subject to the terms and conditions of the contract, Hitachi will acquire JR Automation, which builds production lines and logistics systems using industrial robots. [Read more…] about Hitachi to acquire robotic systems integrator JR Automation for $1.4 billion

Toyota, Denso, and SoftBank pledge another $1 billion investment for Uber

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Taxi-sharing app maker Uber has been promised $1 billion in investment from companies including Toyota, Denso, and SoftBank Vision Fund.

The new funds will help accelerate the development and commercialization of its ridesharing services, says Uber in a statement.

Under the terms, Toyota and Denso will together invest $667 million and SVF will invest $333 million, valuing the new “Uber Advanced Technologies Group” entity at $7.25 billion on a post-money basis. [Read more…] about Toyota, Denso, and SoftBank pledge another $1 billion investment for Uber

Mitsubishi Electric hosts its first ‘e-F@ctory Alliance’ in Singapore

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Mitsubishi Electric Asia’s Factory Automation Division partners with emerging industrial internet of things innovators in first e-F@ctory Alliance in Singapore

Mitsubishi Electric Asia, a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, a manufacturer of electric and electronic equipment, is collaborating with partners and experts to form the first strategic partnership in Singapore, e-F@ctory Alliance.

The alliance is intended to help companies embark on a journey towards developing the internet of things and digital transformation.

Hosted by the Factory Automation division of Mitsubishi Electric Asia, the Alliance saw more than 20 companies present at the inaugural ceremony held at Shangri-La Hotel this afternoon, including Advantech, Hitachi Asia, Oracle and Sato Asia Pacific, among others. [Read more…] about Mitsubishi Electric hosts its first ‘e-F@ctory Alliance’ in Singapore

Nidec to buy Omron’s automotive business for $890 million

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Industrial components giant Nidec has agreed to acquire Omron’s automotive business, formally called “Omron Automotive Electronics”.

The two companies do not appear to have released the financial details of the agreement, but Nikkei is reporting that Nidec will pay $890 million for the company.

The share transfer will be executed after obtaining necessary approval and satisfying other conditions. It is projected to occur by the end of October.  [Read more…] about Nidec to buy Omron’s automotive business for $890 million

Foxconn boss Terry Gou considers automating the entire population of Taiwan

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Foxconn boss Terry Gou has confirmed that he is considering running for president in Taiwan’s general election next year, according to the South China Morning Post.

“I will decide in the next two days whether to run for president,” Gou told reporters at a seminar in Taipei earlier today. “I hardly slept last night thinking of the future of Taiwan and its security issues.”

He added that the 2020 presidential election will be “extremely critical in determining Taiwan’s future in the next 20 years in the political, defense and economic sectors”.  [Read more…] about Foxconn boss Terry Gou considers automating the entire population of Taiwan

Geek Plus Robotics looks set to expand into the multibillion-dollar forklift truck market

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Geek Plus Robotics says it is receiving high levels of interest from heavy industry for its supply chain automation technologies, which are currently being showcased at ProMAT, in Chicago. 

A spokesperson for the company says the specific products generating the interest are its autonomous forklift truck as well as its M1000, which, as the name suggests, is a warehouse mobile robot with a payload of 1,000 kg. The driverless forklift’s payload is 1.6 tons.

“We are getting a lot of inquiries about all our products, but the forklift and M1000 are of particular interest because there are not many companies that can supply these kinds of machines,” says the spokesperson.  [Read more…] about Geek Plus Robotics looks set to expand into the multibillion-dollar forklift truck market

Flexiv launches new industrial robot at Hannover Messe

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A startup company called Flexiv, founded in 2016 by a team from Stanford University,  has launched the third generation of its industrial robot at this year’s Hannover Messe event, in Germany. (See video below.)

Flexiv says that its new robot, called “Rizon”, is the “world’s first adaptive robot combining direct force control with advanced artificial intelligence”, although it’s not clear if it is a collaborative robot because the company itself has not used that word.

The company says Rizon “paves the way for greater performance and broader scope of robotic tasks across multiple industries including manufacturing, healthcare, retail and more”.  [Read more…] about Flexiv launches new industrial robot at Hannover Messe

JFE Steel starts production of new type of steel sheet for automobiles

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JFE Steel Corporation has begun producing its recently developed “GI JAZ” high-lubricity hot-dip galvanized steel sheet.

The company says the new type of steel sheet offers “dramatically improved press formability” for use in automobile bodies.

Commercial production for automobile manufacturers is now under way at JFE Steel’s West Japan Works.  [Read more…] about JFE Steel starts production of new type of steel sheet for automobiles

Mitsubishi develops autonomous firefighting robots

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Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has developed two firefighting robots: the “Water Cannon Robot” and the “Hose Extension Robot”. (See video below.)

As a team, they are expected to play an active role in situations too hazardous for firefighting crews, such as fires at petrochemical plants.

The Water Cannon Robot can extinguish and cool fires where human intervention is difficult, while the Hose Extension Robot automatically lays out up to 300 metres of fire hose to supply water to the Water Cannon Robot.  [Read more…] about Mitsubishi develops autonomous firefighting robots

Geek Plus Robotics to showcase driverless forklift and latest warehouse automation solutions at ProMat

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Geek Plus Robotics will be showcasing its latest and most advanced warehousing robotic solutions at ProMat 2019, the largest supply-chain trade show in the Americas, at Booth N6327, in Chicago, from April 8th to 11th.

New products include the C200 Bin-Carrying Robot Shuttle System, an Autonomous Forklift, and the OpenBox System, a platform to build and manage flexible moving lines in manufacturing and fully autonomous navigation in material handling.

Geek Plus will also demonstrate its M100 moving system and its wide range of cutting-edge technologies and AI-smart material handling robots for bins, pallets, boxes or single pieces – from goods receipt, unloading and storage, to picking, packing and order shipment.  [Read more…] about Geek Plus Robotics to showcase driverless forklift and latest warehouse automation solutions at ProMat