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Formlabs raises $35 million in funding round led by Foundry Group and Autodesk

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Formlabs, the designer and manufacturer of 3D printing systems, has raised $35 million in Series B funding from Foundry Group and Autodesk, and says it plans to collaborate strategically with Autodesk.

The latest investment round, led by Foundry Group, includes participation from existing investors DFJ Growth, Pitango Venture Capital, and Cagni Ventures, bringing Formlabs’ total investment to date to $55 million.

The new investment will enable Formlabs to scale its operations to meet growing customer demand worldwide, grow research and development efforts, and to extend Formlabs’ reach in the market and ecosystem.  [Read more…] about Formlabs raises $35 million in funding round led by Foundry Group and Autodesk

ABB and Microsoft partner to offer industrial cloud solution

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ABB and Microsoft have formed a strategic partnership to help industrial customers create new value with digital solutions.

The companies say the new ABB Ability service will “enable customers to benefit from the unique combination of Microsoft’s intelligent cloud and ABB’s deep domain knowledge and extensive portfolio of industrial solutions”.

The two partners say they are “committed to empowering digital transformation” in customer segments such as robotics, marine and ports, electric vehicles and renewable energy.  [Read more…] about ABB and Microsoft partner to offer industrial cloud solution

Manufacturing: A different type of industrial cloud

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Not so long ago, computers were almost always in a business location – an accountant’s office, or something like that. But gradually, partly thanks to Apple iMac, the machines started making their way into homes in large numbers. 

But there are still categories of computers which don’t really belong in the home, or at least weren’t designed for domestic bliss. If you can comfortably fit a supercomputer or a mainframe into your house, that’s probably enough domestic bliss for you anyway.

For most of us, desktop computers – or increasingly laptop computers – are just about all the space we can share, and the largest manufacturers of such poor-man’s systems were recently listed by Gartner.

Worldwide computer shipments in second quarter of 2016

  1. Lenovo – 13.2 million units
  2. HP – 12.3 million units
  3. Dell – 10 million units
  4. Asus – 4.7 million units
  5. Apple – 4.6 million units
  6. Acer – 4.4 million units
  7. Others – 15.4 million units

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Source: Gartner

[Read more…] about Manufacturing: A different type of industrial cloud

Bright Box launches self-driving car platform trained with extreme driving in computer games

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Bright Box, a specialist provider of connected car solutions, says its new self-driving car system has been trained using a neural network, deep learning and extreme racing computer games, in particular GTA 5. 

Bright Box, a European company, says its software is the basis for connected-vehicle applications used by the Nissan Smart Car app in Middle East, and KIA Remoto app.

Bright Box says its autonomous car solution also uses data from real-life examples.  [Read more…] about Bright Box launches self-driving car platform trained with extreme driving in computer games

Robotic process automation and artificial intelligence will ‘drastically transform modern workplace’, says IQPC

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Special offer for Robotics and Automation News readers: Use discount code VIP_RANEWS to get 20 per cent off

Forget the hype, robotic process automation and artificial intelligence are both a reality, says event organiser

Robotic process automation and artificial intelligence will drastically transform the modern workplace, according to IQPC, the organiser of the Robotic Process Automation and Artificial Intelligence Summit.

Will you embrace this technological change to make cost reductions, improve performance and enhance real-time decision making? When you think about it, this all adds up to massive competitive advantage, says IQPC.  [Read more…] about Robotic process automation and artificial intelligence will ‘drastically transform modern workplace’, says IQPC

Kuka selects Apttus digital commerce solution

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Companies say the new customer relations management system will lead to greater efficiencies in complex product ordering 

Software company Apttus has been selected by Kuka as its digital commerce provider.

Kuka is a German manufacturer of industrial robots and solutions for factory automation and has been a leader in its industry since its inception in 1898.

Kuka’s business is dedicated to providing its customers with specific, often customized, factory automation tools.  [Read more…] about Kuka selects Apttus digital commerce solution

Boulting claims to be one of the ‘guardians of industrial networks galaxy’

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Boulting Technology has launched what it says is a comprehensive and dedicated industrial network service, which includes consultancy, feasibility testing, network design, implementation, commissioning and ongoing maintenance.

Boulting Technology specialises in performance-driven, secure, customised industrial network solutions in the operation technology space that facilitate migration from legacy systems and seamless integration into the IT space.

Boulting claims to be one of the guardians of industrial networks galaxy, adding that it has a strong portfolio of industrial network solutions projects in the utilities, transport and manufacturing sectors, which has delivered innovative, customer-led, business enabling solutions for over 10 years.  [Read more…] about Boulting claims to be one of the ‘guardians of industrial networks galaxy’

nuTonomy and Grab partner to expand public trials of self-driving cars

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Uber rival Grab signs deal with driverless car developer nuTonomy

nuTonomy, a developer of software for self-driving cars, and Grab, which claims to be Southeast Asia’s leading ride-hailing app, have entered a partnership to expand nuTonomy’s ongoing public trial of self-driving cars in Singapore, believed to be the first such public trial anywhere in the world.

The trial will give select Grab users a chance to experience the full end-to-end experience of e-hailing and riding in a nuTonomy self-driving vehicle.

Combining nuTonomy’s autonomous vehicle software and technology system with Grab’s fleet routing technology and mapping in its app will enable both companies to study the end-to-end user experience of on-demand hailing of driverless vehicles.  [Read more…] about nuTonomy and Grab partner to expand public trials of self-driving cars

Data in demand: Pressure Design flying high with automated hydraulics partnership

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The aerospace industry is hungry for tons and tons of data on everything that happens, and Pressure Design has the systems to feed it 

Traceability, data logging and graphical displays are in high demand in the modern hydraulics environment.

As customers’ requirements become more complex, the hydraulic control experts at machine builder Pressure Design focus on increasing their automated solutions offering, with the support of Copa-Data’s HMI/SCADA software, zenon.

Pressure Design offer a bespoke, fully inclusive service, satisfying all fluid power requirements, from the factory floor to the HMI. The company serves the hydraulic requirements of a wide range of primary and secondary manufacturing facilities.  [Read more…] about Data in demand: Pressure Design flying high with automated hydraulics partnership

iRed launches new drone aerial inspection system

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Thermographic imaging specialist iRed has launched new aerial inspection services.

The company says it has been testing and developing the system for years and it’s capable of providing entirely new points of view.

“Since early 2012, we’ve been testing and developing aerial technologies in order to produce a comprehensive and efficient inspection solution that not only complements our existing remote sensing capabilities but would also allow us to perform surveys from new perspectives,” says the company in a statement.  [Read more…] about iRed launches new drone aerial inspection system