SICK’s newest multiScan100 family uses time of flight (TOF) measurement to create a 3D perception of its surroundings. To begin, SICK is launching the multiScan136, with a planned launch in the future for more products in the multiScan product family. [Read more…] about Improving industrial mobile robots with multiScan 3D LiDAR
Industry
Teledyne FLIR adds new functions to its thermal camera system
Teledyne FLIR, part of Teledyne Technologies, has expanded the Boson+ thermal camera module product line with 24 compact models featuring 320 x 256 resolution.
Radiometry, the ability to take the temperature of every pixel, as well as both MIPI and CMOS interfaces are now also available on all resolutions.
With these updates and a thermal sensitivity of 20 millikelvin (mK) or less, Boson+ is the most sensitive longwave infrared (LWIR) camera line in the market and is ideal for integration in unmanned ground vehicles (UGV), unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), automotive, wearables, security applications, handhelds, and thermal sights. [Read more…] about Teledyne FLIR adds new functions to its thermal camera system
Czech retailer’s robots clean 20 million square metres
Albert, said to be one of the Czech Republic’s largest retail brands, says its fleet of autonomous mobile robots have officially cleaned over 20 million square metres (215 million square feet), completing over 92,000 cleaning routes.
The industrial cleaning robots were implemented across Albert’s Czech Republic hypermarkets and two distribution centres. During 2023, Albert says it will “almost double” the number of stores with robot deployments for the robots.
Albert, an Ahold Delhaize local brand, released the figure in partnership with Brain Corp and Tennant Co, who supply and develop the robots and software. [Read more…] about Czech retailer’s robots clean 20 million square metres
ExRobotics develops ‘new and improved’ version of its inspection robot
ExRobotics has developed a “new and improved” version of its ATEX-certified inspection robot, together with the help of Shell Pernis and DOW Terneuzen.
ExRobotics says “many companies” have adopted this way of working, and as a result, there are now 30 of its robots operating worldwide on a daily basis.
Why do industrial companies send employees into potentially hazardous environments (ATEX Zone 1 environments) when robots could do some of the work? Several studies have shown that inspection of hazardous environments by robots is the solution to preventing human injury during inspection. Robots perform inspections more accurately, more productively and more cost-effectively than humans. [Read more…] about ExRobotics develops ‘new and improved’ version of its inspection robot
ANYbotics to provide steelmaker Outokumpu with its canine inspection robot
Outokumpu, one of Europe’s largest producers of stainless steel, has signed a deal with ANYbotics, a supplier of four-legged robots.
ANYbotics will provide its autonomous robotic inspection solution ANYmal to automate routine inspection at Outokumpu sites in Europe.
Outokumpu and ANYbotics formally announced the partnership ahead of the Green Steel World Conference. [Read more…] about ANYbotics to provide steelmaker Outokumpu with its canine inspection robot
Will a robot take my job? Notre Dame researcher says this view is overly pessimistic
With the impact of industrial robots on the US labor markets in the past two decades, and an ever-increasing presence of machine-driven technology (such as artificial intelligence and ChatGPT), many employees have feared that one day robots will take their jobs.
Not necessarily so, according to research recently published by Yong Suk Lee, an assistant professor in the University of Notre Dame’s Keough School of Global Affairs.
He and his co-author, Auburn University’s John Chung, found that industrial robots, particularly those used within the automotive industry, complemented human workers rather than replaced them – some even working collaboratively, side-by-side. [Read more…] about Will a robot take my job? Notre Dame researcher says this view is overly pessimistic
Switzerland’s IAR Group establishes new subsidiary in Germany
The IAR Group from Switzerland, which specializes in industrial automation systems, is expanding and founding a subsidiary in the greater Stuttgart area.
The main objective is to sell its self-developed automation modules for loading and unloading processes as well as automated special machines and robot cells on the German market. To this end, a sales and service team is to be established.
Sébastien Perroud, chairman and CEO of the Zofingen-based IAR Group, says: “I am very pleased about the newly founded subsidiary in the greater Stuttgart area – a milestone in the history of the IAR Group. IAR Deutschland will serve as an important base for us to sell our products and services in the German market.” [Read more…] about Switzerland’s IAR Group establishes new subsidiary in Germany
Thermal imaging cameras in the food industry
In the food industry, it’s essential to carefully control the temperature of perishable goods throughout production, transportation, storage, and sales.
Repeated warnings about illnesses due to tainted and improperly cooked foods highlight the need for tighter process control. Because this almost always involves a human factor, food processors need tools that automate crucial operations in a way that helps minimize human error while holding down costs.
Thermal imaging cameras are such a tool. Using FLIR thermal imaging cameras, you can make automated non-contact temperature measurements in many food processing applications. Analog video outputs can be viewed on video monitors, and digital temperature data, including MPEG4 video outputs, can be routed to a computer via Ethernet. [Read more…] about Thermal imaging cameras in the food industry
IDS offers its industrial camera users free update to its new deep learning method
IDS Imaging Development Systems is offering an update for the AI system IDS NXT: Cameras can now also detect anomalies
In quality assurance, it is often necessary to reliably detect deviations from the norm. Industrial cameras have a key role in this, capturing images of products and analysing them for defects.
If the error cases are not known in advance or are too diverse, however, rule-based image processing reaches its limits. By contrast, this challenge can be reliably solved with the AI method Anomaly Detection.
The new, free IDS NXT 3.0 software update from IDS Imaging Development Systems makes the method available to all users of the AI vision system with immediate effect. [Read more…] about IDS offers its industrial camera users free update to its new deep learning method
Hannover Messe: Connectivity and climate neutrality
The list of challenges facing industry is long: climate change, energy shortages, disrupted supply chains and a shortage of skilled labor. The solution to these challenges lies in the targeted use of technology.
At the same time, governments need to get their economic policy right. Hannover Messe 2023 covers not only technologies for connected, climate-neutral industry, but also provides a forum for a global policy discussion among industry, government, science and social representatives.
Dr Jochen Köckler, chairman of the Deutsche Messe group of companies, says: “Carbon-neutral production, artificial intelligence, hydrogen technologies, energy management and Industrie 4.0 – those are the overarching themes of Hannover Messe 2023. [Read more…] about Hannover Messe: Connectivity and climate neutrality