Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

Sam Francis

Portescap launches new high torque brushless direct current motor for surgical applications

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Company says the new high torque brushless DC motor offers improved thermal characteristics and reliability for orthopedic large bone applications

Portescap has launched its newest surgical motor solution for large bone orthopedic powered hand tools. 

The company says this new size 12 (31.5 mm diameter) mini motor is available in 9.6V, 12V and 14.4V versions with cannulated and non-cannulated options, these motors can deliver peak torques of up to 1,720 mNm in a compact envelope.  [Read more…] about Portescap launches new high torque brushless direct current motor for surgical applications

Continental unveils new human machine interface for automated driving

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Continental, a developer of advanced driver assistance systems, has developed a new human-machine interface which places the control of a vehicle at the user’s fingertips, says the company.

The HMI – which is designed to be integrated into a vehicle dashboard (as pictured above) – provides a central input device for maneuver control in the center console as an element of the holistic human-machine dialogue, says the company.

Continental says the input element increases the mode awareness when moving from manual to automated driving mode.  [Read more…] about Continental unveils new human machine interface for automated driving

Industrial Vision Systems launches IVS-NCGi camera range

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New machine vision cameras represent a breakthrough in performance and flexibility, says company

The next-generation IVS-NCGi range of digital cameras from Industrial Vision Systems provides a breakthrough in flexibility, performance and ease of use for machine vision, according to the company.

With heightened resolution options for more precision and faster frame rates, the cameras are designed for integration into modern production processes.

Its compact form factor also easily fits into space constrained manufacturing lines and cells.  [Read more…] about Industrial Vision Systems launches IVS-NCGi camera range

Paperful office: An overview of the global forestry, pulp and paper industry

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Back in the old days, everybody would buy newspapers and magazines. Some would buy dailies, others would buy weeklies, while millions more would buy monthlies. And no one would quibble about having to pay for them, probably because most people sense that a physical, tangible object has a greater intrinsic value than a digital one. 

That old print media reading culture has all but gone now, thanks largely to the internet and the worldwide web making all manner of information available largely free of charge. No one expects, or wants, to pay for news and content any more, probably because most people think digital media should be free because they know how easy it is to make copies of digital files.

There are still many printed publications doing very well and selling in large quantities, and a list of some of the top 10 is offered below, but even the Japanese daily Yomiuri Shimbun – which holds the world record at 13 million copies sold in one day – has lost huge numbers of readers.  [Read more…] about Paperful office: An overview of the global forestry, pulp and paper industry

Valmet goes digital with Dassault Systèmes to improve its engineering and sales for paper and pulp

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Valmet, a manufacturer of large-scale paper and pulp production machinery and automation systems, has selected Dassault Systèmes’ 3DExperience platform to digitalise its operations.

3DExperience is a digital platform which includes many features that can typically be found in product lifecycle management software suites.

Valmet says the implementation of 3DExperience is helping the company to provide more innovative customer-oriented experiences at each service and sales opportunity.  [Read more…] about Valmet goes digital with Dassault Systèmes to improve its engineering and sales for paper and pulp

Systems design: Teradyne standardizes simulation tasks using Cadence technology

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Teradyne, the industrial giant which owns Universal Robots, has standardized its simulation tasks using technology from Cadence Design Systems.

Teradyne’s standardization uses Cadence’s Xcelium Parallel Logic Simulator, which is claimed will accelerate the development of application-specific integrated circuits.

Teradyne uses ASICs for delivery of its automation equipment for test and industrial applications.  [Read more…] about Systems design: Teradyne standardizes simulation tasks using Cadence technology

B&R to present condition monitoring solution at Agritechnica

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Automation company B&R is planning to showcase its condition monitoring solution for mobile automation, designed specifically for the agricultural sector.

B&R will be presenting the solution at this year’s Agritechnica exhibition – scheduled for November 12-18 in Hanover. B&R will be in hall A05, at booth 15.

Visitors will be able to see how advanced automation solutions can be implemented based on a comprehensive hardware portfolio, ready-made software components and a powerful engineering tool, says B&R.  [Read more…] about B&R to present condition monitoring solution at Agritechnica

iRobot buys Robopolis to expand in Europe

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iRobot, the US company which makes consumer robots such as the Roomba robotic vacuum cleaner range, has closed the previously announced acquisition of Robopolis, a French company.

The preliminary purchase price of $141 million is subject to normal purchase price adjustments and is expected to be finalized no later than the first quarter of 2018.

Europe is a key strategic region for iRobot and provides “an excellent opportunity for further growth”, says the company.  [Read more…] about iRobot buys Robopolis to expand in Europe

Chinese companies planning to bid for German industrial giant FFT, says Reuters

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Chinese firms including the Jiangsu Hagong Intelligent Robot Company are planning to make a bid to buy German industrial giant FFT, according to a report on Reuters.com. 

Other companies said to be interested include state-owned Shanghai Electric and equity firm AGIC Capital, says Reuters.

FFT, which builds manufacturing facilities for automakers and other industrial companies, is said to be valued at around $712 million.

FFT is owned by an equity investment company called Aton, and any deal is not likely to cause any political controversies, according to people Reuters quotes.  [Read more…] about Chinese companies planning to bid for German industrial giant FFT, says Reuters

IAS uses Visual Components to speed up robotics and automation systems design process

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Robotics and automation integrator IAS says it has accelerated its proposal and design process using Visual Components, a 3D manufacturing simulation application. 

The company says it had been considering using 3D simulation software as a way of communicating its ideas to clients for quite some years.

And, after a demonstration of the software at its facility, the company chose Visual Components.  [Read more…] about IAS uses Visual Components to speed up robotics and automation systems design process