Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

Sam Francis

Cisco partners with Google to offer hybrid cloud solution

by

Cisco and Google Cloud are partnering to deliver a hybrid cloud solution that they say helps customers maximize their investments across cloud and on-premises environments. 

The companies will provide a unique and open hybrid cloud offering that enables applications and services to be deployed, managed and secured across on-premises environments and Google Cloud Platform.

The solution delivers cloud speed and scale, with enterprise-class security, claim the companies.  [Read more…] about Cisco partners with Google to offer hybrid cloud solution

Manufacturing in Silicon Valley: ASteelFlash develops its smart factory vision

by

When talking about Silicon Valley, most people usually think about Apple, Google, Facebook, startups and new technologies.

But Silicon Valley has also been the seedbed of innovation for the advanced electronic manufacturing industry.

That’s why electronics manufacturing company ASteelFlash says it is now implementing a pilot program at its Fremont, California facility targeted towards building the smart factory of the future.  [Read more…] about Manufacturing in Silicon Valley: ASteelFlash develops its smart factory vision

Emerson launches high density pneumatic valve island

by

Emerson has launched what it describes as “a major update” to the ASCO Numatics G3 Series electronic valve island platform.

The company says the new system will enable a reduction in installation costs.

The valve island has been expanded so that it can control up to 128 solenoid valves on a single valve island assembly.  [Read more…] about Emerson launches high density pneumatic valve island

MarkForged raises $30 million in new funding from Siemens and Porsche for 3D printing system

by

A company called MarkForged has raised $30 million in Series C funding to further develop its additive manufacturing – or 3D printing – technology. 

The company is said to use materials and methods which can produce components which are as strong as steel, and produce them 10 times faster.

The latest backers of MarkForged include Next47, which is the Siemens venture capital firm, Porsche, and Microsoft Ventures.  [Read more…] about MarkForged raises $30 million in new funding from Siemens and Porsche for 3D printing system

Industrial consolidation: Emerson Electric tries to buy Rockwell Automation for $27 billion

by

Emerson Electric, a company with a market capitalisation of more than $40 billion, is trying to buy Rockwell Automation, which has a market cap of about $26 billion. 

Emerson has reportedly offered more than $27 billion for Rockwell, but has been rejected.

Not apparently because of the money, but because Rockwell is said to be “fiercely independent” by CNBC, which says the acquisition bid was met with a “terse rejection”.  [Read more…] about Industrial consolidation: Emerson Electric tries to buy Rockwell Automation for $27 billion

ROS celebrates 10 years as it looks forward to an expanding market

by

The Robot Operating System is marking its 10th anniversary since launch, and with 10 million downloads a month, the market for ROS is set for “significant expansion”, according to a report by Transparency Research

The Robot Operating System is a collection of software tools and libraries used by robot programmers for developing applications.

ROS itself is not an operating system but uses an operating system’s user interface, file system, process management system, and programming utilities.  [Read more…] about ROS celebrates 10 years as it looks forward to an expanding market

Novarc Technologies to showcase ‘world’s first collaborative welding robot’ at FabTech

by

Novarc Technologies, a Vancouver-based robotics company specializing in the design and commercialization of collaborative robots for industrial applications, says it will be introducing “the world’s first welding collaborative robot” at FabTech.

The company says this is a “groundbreaking step” because, for the pipe welding industry, it demonstrates that robots can enable companies to meet production requirements even where there isn’t a sufficient skilled workforce available.

Novarc says its collaborative robot will be initially available for exclusive demonstration at FabTech, booth #B25100. (A previous Novarc welding system is shown in the picture above.) [Read more…] about Novarc Technologies to showcase ‘world’s first collaborative welding robot’ at FabTech

Mitsubishi Electric and Bimba Manufacturing partner to provide motion solutions

by

Mitsubishi Electric Automation and Bimba Manufacturing have agreed a collaboration that will combine Mitsubishi Electric’s industrial automation technology with Bimba’s motion control solutions.

The arrangement brings together Mitsubishi Electric’s servo motors and control products with Bimba’s electric mechanical actuators.

The relationship will allow both companies to benefit from each other’s presence in the industrial marketplace, providing customers with the opportunity to acquire electric motion solutions from a single source.  [Read more…] about Mitsubishi Electric and Bimba Manufacturing partner to provide motion solutions

Chinese companies bought 80 per cent more robots from Japan this year, says report

by

Chinese companies bought 80 per cent more industrial robots in the period from July to September 2017 than they did in the same period last year. 

This is according to the Japan Robot Association, which released a range of statistics which suggest that Chinese manufacturers of smartphones and other electronics products are turning to Japanese companies for their automation requirements.

JRA has yet to release the full report for the period, but Nikkei reports that the association’s members shipped robots valued at a total of $1.72 billion.  [Read more…] about Chinese companies bought 80 per cent more robots from Japan this year, says report

Konica Minolta steps up its activities in robotics

by

Konica Minolta, the Japanese tech giant best known for office equipment, looks to be increasing its activities in the robotics sector. 

Konica claims to be one of the first companies to commercialise automated solutions for business, and also says it’s been making “ground-breaking strides” within robotics through proprietary technology.

But it doesn’t seem to have launched a robot of its own. Rather, what it has done is partnered with a range of companies which are developing robotics solutions for a wide variety of settings.  [Read more…] about Konica Minolta steps up its activities in robotics