Where Innovation Meets Imagination
SAE, the international engineers’ association, has released a revised set of definitions for autonomous driving.
The new version keeps SAE’s original six levels of automation, from 0 to 5, but provides more clarification.
The organization explains some aspects of it in its new document, available free on its website. [Read more…] about SAE releases new autonomous car definitions
Safety specialist Pilz has launched a new robot measurement system.
The company says the new force and pressure measurement system, PROBms, “guarantees the standard-compliant safety of human-robot collaboration”.
With the launch of this new rental-based force and pressure measurement system, PROBms, Pilz says it now offers “a complete package for validation of human-robot collaborations in accordance with ISO/TS 15066”. [Read more…] about Pilz launches robot measurement system
ABB claims to have connected 7,000 of its industrial robots to its industrial internet of things platform, which the company calls “Ability”.
ABB Ability was launched only last year, but has grown quickly because of the vast number of machines and devices the industrial giant already has in operation out in the world.
The company appears to consider the industrial internet a central part of its business and has been developing a variety of services for application on it. [Read more…] about ABB claims to have connected 7,000 of its industrial robots to its IIoT platform
Koki Transmission has connected all 60 of its industrial robots to the ABB Ability internet platform.
The company is said to have connected its robots for the purposes of condition monitoring and diagnostics.
This is designed to address previous problems which were leading to unplanned downtime in material handling. [Read more…] about Koki connects all 60 of its industrial robots to ABB’s Ability internet platform
After years of rebranding itself as a “digital” company, General Electric is returning to being a plain old $100-billion industrial giant that builds aircraft engines and equipment for the energy industry.
According to the New York Times, GE spent “several billion dollars” building its digital business, with former CEO Geoff Immelt telling the Harvard Business Review that the company “put about $4 billion into developing analytics software and machine learning capabilities”.
The idea seemed to have been, and still may be, to provide the equivalent of an operating system for machinery and equipment which are connected to the industrial internet of things, and, in the process, become one of the top 10 software companies in the world. [Read more…] about General Electric: An industrial giant learning to live in a small world
SSI Schaefer says it is expanding its development activity in the area of automated guided vehicles through an investment in DS Automation.
The company says it is doing this “in order to meet the increasing demand for AGVs”.
Schaefer is expanding its product portfolio through co-operation with, and investment in, the Austrian AGV specialist DS Automation. [Read more…] about Schaefer invests in DS Automation and expands AGV development
Deere has signed a definitive agreement to acquire PLA, a privately-held manufacturer of sprayers, planters, and specialty products for agriculture.
PLA is based in Argentina, with manufacturing facilities in Las Rosas, Argentina, and Canoas, Brazil.
John May, president, agricultural solutions and chief information officer at Deere, says: “The PLA acquisition enhances John Deere’s commitment to customers as we continue to provide innovative, cost-effective equipment, technology, and services to improve their productivity.” [Read more…] about Deere to acquire sprayer and planter manufacturer PLA
“Imagine a world with no car crashes,” says General Motors in a statement outlining the company’s vision of the driverless automotive culture of the future.
“Our self-driving vehicles aim to eliminate human driver error – the primary cause of 94 percent of crashes — leading to fewer injuries and fatalities.
“Imagine widespread use of electric-only vehicles, reducing vehicle emissions. Our self-driving vehicles will all be electric, contributing to a better environment. [Read more…] about General Motors outlines vision of self-driving vehicles of the future
Components and systems supplier Magna us to acquire Olsa in order to expand its automotive lighting business.
The company says that automakers will soon have a familiar name to source lighting products “on a global scale” – Magna International.
Magna’s acquisition of Olsa will enable it to grow the company’s lighting capabilities and allow it to design, engineer and manufacture headlamps, tail lamps and other lighting products in every key region of the world. [Read more…] about Magna to acquire Olsa for $280 million to expand automotive lighting business
The industrial sector is going through a time of rapid digitalization, with everything in the real world being recreated in the digital realm.
Everything from a component to a complete, complex system – even an entire factory with all the machinery inside – can now be designed, prototyped and built through a computer.
What’s more, you don’t even need the design software to be installed on your machine as there are cloud-based applications available on a pay-as-you-go basis.
Vention is an example of a relatively new online design-to-build service where users can design industrial equipment and have the company ship the parts to them – all within a day or two.
