Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

Mark Allinson

Nonwoven materials event INDEX opens after 18-month wait

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INDEX20 opened its doors this week, after an 18-month wait, delighted to welcome the nonwoven industry back to Geneva with open arms. The exhibition floor was bustling with activity and anticipation at the prospect of new business.  

Over 500 exhibitors from 44 countries were present at the event, premiering their latest innovations. Organisers say the resounding message from the event was one of “a positive outcome and an inspiring vision” of the industry’s future across the spectrum of applications sectors.

The industry continued to evolve dramatically during the pandemic, and expectations were high as players from across the industry worldwide came together for the first time since 2017. Exhibitors said their expectations were exceeded, citing the high quality of the visitors present, converging on INDEX to conclude new business projects. [Read more…] about Nonwoven materials event INDEX opens after 18-month wait

Symbio Robotics unveils software update to ‘further modernize manufacturing assembly’

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Symbio Robotics, the provider of a platform that enables AI-powered automation solutions, launched SymbioDCS 2.0, which the company describes as “a major update” to the company’s flagship middleware and python programming framework.

With a streamlined automation solution development and deployment process, the updated platform contains a series of breakthrough features to support accelerated electric vehicle timelines and emissions-reduction goals by automakers through real-time robot-controlled apps such as insertion, fastening, and moving lines.

Max Reynolds, Symbio CEO and co-founder, says: “The demand for Symbio’s technology continues to increase as mounting pressure on automotive companies to change their factory footprint and increase production of EVs grows. The recent Ford and GM announcements to put billions into EV-focused factories is hard evidence of this. [Read more…] about Symbio Robotics unveils software update to ‘further modernize manufacturing assembly’

Tompkins Robotics says its automation is delivering ‘big benefits’ for Kmart Australia

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Tompkins Robotics, a provider of robotic automation for distribution operations, says it is delivering “big benefits” to Kmart Australia.

Kmart Australia, which owns more than 300 stores in Australia and New Zealand, selected Tompkins Robotics’ tSort automation solution to optimize its Auckland fulfillment operations.

Implemented in less than five months, Tompkins Robotics’ tSort System immediately improved the scalability of Kmart’s distributed logistics network, requiring a lower investment and utilizing 60 percent less operational space. [Read more…] about Tompkins Robotics says its automation is delivering ‘big benefits’ for Kmart Australia

Flytrex expands drone food delivery service to Holly Springs, North Carolina

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Flytrex, an on-demand drone delivery for food and retail, has expanded its drone delivery service to Holly Springs, North Carolina.

In partnership with Causey Aviation Unmanned, the Federal Aviation Administration, the North Carolina Department of Transportation, The Town of Holly Springs, and Kite Realty Group Trust, Flytrex has begun delivering food orders via drone in partnership with Brinker International – owner of Chili’s Grill & Bar, It’s Just Wings and Maggiano’s Little Italy – at the Holly Springs Towne Center to front and backyards in the neighborhood of Forest Springs.

Flytrex’s newest service caters to dozens of households in the area who have opted into the service. Flytrex will conduct all flights under Part 107, within visual line of sight, maintaining the highest safety standards. [Read more…] about Flytrex expands drone food delivery service to Holly Springs, North Carolina

Einride and GE Appliances to launch ‘first US fleet of autonomous and electric trucks’

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Swedish freight technology company Einride and GE Appliances are partnering for the implementation of electric and autonomous transport at scale.

The companies say this will be the first time in history an autonomous and electric truck is live and operating on US soil.

The partnership will represent Einride’s first installation with its renowned Pods in the US, which will operate on GE Appliances’ 750-acre Appliance Park campus in Louisville, Kentucky. [Read more…] about Einride and GE Appliances to launch ‘first US fleet of autonomous and electric trucks’

Boston Dynamics and IBM partner to bring mobile edge analytics to industrial operations

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By Skip Snyder, senior partner, IBM Consulting and Mike Pollitt, chief sales officer, Boston Dynamics

The demand for AI-driven robotics is increasing in operations like those in manufacturing and warehouse settings to help organizations with data and analytics that identify problems in real time, improve decision making, and perform tasks more efficiently. But to experience the true benefits, these operations need AI as close to the origin of the data as possible.

According to an IBM Institute for Business Value survey, 56 percent of manufacturers have implemented AI-driven robotics to make autonomous decisions, while 83 percent agree intelligent automation will help their organization meet strategic challenges and improve business results. However, businesses point out that most edge and IoT devices today are stationary, inflexible and often incapable of responding to rapidly changing environments.

To address this challenge, IBM and Boston Dynamics have announced a new alliance focused on delivering data analysis at the edge to help industrial companies improve worker safety, optimize field operations, and boost maintenance productivity in environments like manufacturing facilities, power plants, warehouses and more. Enabled by AI and hybrid cloud innovations from IBM Research, IBM Consulting will develop edge payloads that integrate with Spot, the agile, mobile robot from Boston Dynamics. [Read more…] about Boston Dynamics and IBM partner to bring mobile edge analytics to industrial operations

Badger Technologies launches retail automation pilot program

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Badger Technologies, a product division of Jabil and leader in retail automation, has launched a pilot program with Busy Beaver Building Centers, operator of 24 full-line home improvement centers in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia.

As part of the pilot, which is taking place at Busy Beaver’s store in Irwin, Pennsylvania, Badger Technologies multipurpose autonomous robots will monitor on-shelf product availability and verify prices for more than 30,000 stock keeping units (SKUs) while freeing highly knowledgeable sales associates to spend more time with customers.

Adam Gunnett, director of IT for Busy Beaver Building Centers, says: “Technology is a key imperative in our mission to be the favorite neighborhood home improvement center in the communities we serve. [Read more…] about Badger Technologies launches retail automation pilot program

Ideal Working Environments for Robots with item

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Networking, researching, and training – the Mehnert Lab in Erfurt sees itself as a platform for industrial cooperation in the age of Industry 4.0.

Mehnert GmbH provides skilled workers and specialists for various projects in the fields of electronics, mechanics, digital control, 3D measurement technology, and robotics. The company employs 55 permanent staff members, headquartered in Mülsen but also represented in Erfurt.

The globally-deployed team is focused on the construction, maintenance, and servicing of modern industrial plants. A few years ago, Managing Director René Mehnert founded the Mehnert Lab in Erfurt. It facilitates a new form of industrial collaboration and creates the perfect working environment to provide specialists with the best possible qualifications. [Read more…] about Ideal Working Environments for Robots with item

Sole Source Capital raises $555 million for second fund

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Sole Source Capital, an industrial-focused private equity firm, has closed its second fund, SSC Partners II or “Fund II”, with aggregate total commitments of $555 million.

Fund II was significantly oversubscribed with an initial target of $400 million and reached its hard cap. With the closing of Fund II, Sole Source Capital now manages in excess of $1 billion just three years after the launch of Fund I.

Since 2016, Sole Source has completed 24 transactions focusing on driving rapid value creation in lower middle market companies. [Read more…] about Sole Source Capital raises $555 million for second fund

Florida Automated Vehicles summit to be held in Orlando for first time

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From November 29th through December 1st, 2021, the Central Florida Expressway (CFX) will host the 9th Annual Florida Automated Vehicles (FAV) Summit in Orlando, Florida.

In recent years, this event has been a sellout. The 2021 FAV Summit will focus on ACES mobility. ACES is an acronym for the four rising stars of mobility – Automated, Connected, Electric and Shared.

CFX is this year’s host agency. The Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA), TEAMFL, the Jacksonville Transportation Authority, and the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority (MDX) have worked throughout the year to bring this summit to Orlando. [Read more…] about Florida Automated Vehicles summit to be held in Orlando for first time