Robotics & Automation News

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Innovation in Times of Crisis: What Does the Future Hold for Automation?

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The Covid-19 pandemic isn’t letting up any time soon. Countries which have relaxed their lockdown measures following a decrease in the number of positive cases are now experiencing a resurgence in numbers of confirmed infections.

Governments are already planning to reintroduce restrictions to stop the spread of the deadly coronavirus, which has claimed the lives of over 800,000 people worldwide.

As this global crisis continues to challenge economic sustainability, the business landscape has to adapt to new methods and tools in order to stay afloat. Sure enough, this crisis has opened up new spaces for discussing genuine innovation. [Read more…] about Innovation in Times of Crisis: What Does the Future Hold for Automation?

Omron expands safety offering with visual lockout/tagout and arc flash labeling services

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Industry-leading automation solutions and safety services provider Omron Automation Americas has partnered with Brady Corporation to add dedicated service offerings for lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedures and arc flash risk mitigation to further help manufacturers maintain compliance and protect their employees.

These new services are part of Omron’s commitment to providing holistic management for safe manufacturing facilities in various industries.

Lockout/tagout problems are consistently among the top five violations for regulatory agencies in the Americas. When a company’s employees need to perform maintenance, repairs or adjustments (including line changeovers), it’s essential to have measures in place to keep them safe from hazardous machine motion by isolating and dissipating the machines’ energy sources. [Read more…] about Omron expands safety offering with visual lockout/tagout and arc flash labeling services

Ensenso 3D stereo camera system imitates human vision to make robotic inspection cells faster and more accurate

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The new Ensenso 3D stereo industrial camera system “imitates human vision” to make robotic inspection cells “faster and more accurate”, according to Imaging Development Systems (IDS).

Each Ensenso camera system contains two 2D IDS cameras to view the scene from different positions, similar to the way human eyes work, with artificial intelligence processing the data, rather like the human brain does.

“Special matching algorithms compare the two images, search for corresponding points and visualize all point displacements in a disparity map,” explains IDS. “This is then used to calculate depth information for the resulting point cloud.” [Read more…] about Ensenso 3D stereo camera system imitates human vision to make robotic inspection cells faster and more accurate

Cincoze embedded system helps new development of smart vehicle

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In recent years, developments in data science and artificial intelligence have greatly improved innovation at every level of intelligent transportation, especially for in-vehicle applications.

Amongst these are smart buses, public safety vehicles (police cars, fire trucks, ambulances, etc.), and fleet management, that are increasing in popularity every day.

Embedded systems vendors have to adapt quickly. Smart bus transport now has public information systems, driver monitoring, and in-vehicle safety monitoring. [Read more…] about Cincoze embedded system helps new development of smart vehicle

Hexagon unveils autonomous tractor

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Hexagon’s Autonomy and Positioning division has launched its first autonomy positioning and sensing kits for the agriculture market and validated these solutions in its new autonomous research and development tractor.

Through collaboration between its leading brands NovAtel and AutonomouStuff, both part of Hexagon, their autonomous positioning and sensing kits were developed as part of Hexagon’s Smart Autonomous Mobility solutions portfolio launched at CES in early 2020.

With decades of expertise in GNSS positioning, autonomy and safety-critical applications, NovAtel and AutonomouStuff created these solutions with agriculture machinery OEMs and robotic machinery manufacturers in mind. [Read more…] about Hexagon unveils autonomous tractor

Demonstration project begins for commercialization of vessels with high-power fuel cells

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NYK Line, Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation, Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd., Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK), and ENEOS Corporation are pleased to announce that the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) has approved the companies’ participation in a demonstration project for the commercialization of high-power Fuel Cell (FC) vessels.

The project, which will begin in September 2020, is Japan’s first effort to develop a commercially available FC vessel and carry out a demonstration operation involving the supply of hydrogen fuel.

By using FCs as a power source, it will be possible to completely eliminate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions during navigation. [Read more…] about Demonstration project begins for commercialization of vessels with high-power fuel cells

Solving the talent component of the automation equation

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Automation is key to the US competing on a global manufacturing stage, but we have work to do to train our workforce to be fluent in advanced manufacturing skills such as robot programming.

To enable more broad deployment of the automation that will power the future of manufacturing, it is imperative that we make automation easier to deploy. However, user-friendly automation technology isn’t enough on its own because we need a way to rapidly train more workers in the skills necessary to implement automation.

The future of US manufacturing requires that we democratize automation with a combination of technology and worker training/upskilling. One example of where success is being had is in Paintsville, Kentucky. [Read more…] about Solving the talent component of the automation equation

Mercedes showcases new manufacturing tech at Factory 56

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Flexible, digital, efficient and sustainable: Factory 56 embodies the future of production at Mercedes-Benz and sets new standards for the automotive industry.

With an investment of approximately 730 million Euros, the factory at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Sindelfingen is a clear commitment to Germany as a business location. In total, Mercedes-Benz is investing about 2.1 billion euros at the Sindelfingen site.

At the same time, the company is increasing efficiency in Factory 56 by 25 percent compared to the previous S-Class assembly. Production in Factory 56 is characterized by maximum flexibility; this applies to the number of models produced and the production volume as well as to material flows. [Read more…] about Mercedes showcases new manufacturing tech at Factory 56

IBM launches new industrial chemistry robot to enable lab automation

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IBM has launched a new industrial chemistry lab robot called RoboRXN, describing it as “the first remotely accessible, autonomous chemical laboratory”. (See video below.)

The computing giant says the RXN machine is “revolutionizing industrial chemistry, by transforming it into a high tech business”.

RXN uses a combination of artificial intelligence, automation and cloud computing to relieve the chemist from tedious repetitive tasks, allowing more time and space for design and innovation. [Read more…] about IBM launches new industrial chemistry robot to enable lab automation

Dover acquires industrial automation company XanTec

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Dover Corporation, diversified global manufacturer and solutions provider with annual revenue of approximately $7 billion, has completed the acquisition of XanTec.

XanTec Steuerungs und EDV-Technik is a developer and supplier of automation and control solutions for industrial machinery of all types with particular focus on plastic and polymer processing machines across the globe.

XanTec now becomes part of the Maag Group, a global provider of integrated and customizable process technology solutions for the polymer, chemical, petrochemical, pharmaceutical and food industries within Dover’s Pumps & Process Solutions segment. [Read more…] about Dover acquires industrial automation company XanTec

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