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Alchemy IoT launches with $4 million funding to integrate AI into IIoT without need for coding

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A new company called Alchemy IoT says it has $4 million seed funding to “simplify the industrial internet of thing using artificial intelligence”.

The company says it addresses the high costs and complexities of AI-based IoT for small- to mid-sized industrial customers with “no-code” cloud-based application, which enables its customers to be up “and running in 48 hours”.

Alchemy IoT describes itself as “a provider of IoT asset intelligence for industrial applications”.  [Read more…] about Alchemy IoT launches with $4 million funding to integrate AI into IIoT without need for coding

Apple awards $390 million from its advanced manufacturing fund to Finisar for its optical components

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Apple has awarded $390 million from its $1 billion advanced manufacturing fund to a US company called Finisar. 

The computing devices giant says the award is part of its long-term aim to support innovation and job creation by American manufacturers.

The award will enable Finisar to exponentially increase its R&D spending and high-volume production of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs).  [Read more…] about Apple awards $390 million from its advanced manufacturing fund to Finisar for its optical components

Bend it like Comeco: Nord helps Swedish company to improve rebar bending process

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Looking for ways to improve their machines’ usability and to economize on manufacturing costs, the Swedish company Comeco decided to launch a new line of rebar benders with electric drives instead of hydraulics.

Nord DriveSystems supported the company from the early planning phase through to production, configuring an AC vector drive with an integrated programmable logic controller that controls all machine functions.

The current solution is simpler, more robust, and easier to maintain, says Comeco. In addition to substantial savings for procured parts, the assembly time was halved.  [Read more…] about Bend it like Comeco: Nord helps Swedish company to improve rebar bending process

Chinese robot makers produced more than 100,000 industrial robots in first 10 months of 2017

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Chinese robot makers manufactured more than 100,000 industrial robots in the first 10 months of this year, according to the Communist Chinese government’s propaganda mouthpiece Xinhua. 

The unstoppable growth indicates a massive increase in output of 70 per cent compared with the previous year, says Xinhua.

And if the output of the two months of 2017 not yet counted – November and December – were to be included, the total production is likely to surpass 120,000.  [Read more…] about Chinese robot makers produced more than 100,000 industrial robots in first 10 months of 2017

Kuka opens arc welding technology centre in Michigan

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Industrial robotics company Kuka has opened a new metal fabrication technology centre in Shelby Township, Michigan, in the US. 

The Kuka Metal & Arc TechCenter is designed to provide the company’s customers an opportunity to see the robots close up and see them work on customised welding solutions.

The facility currently features one Kuka’s KRY Cybertech arc welding robot, as well as the company’s mobile platforms, called Kuka Carts.  [Read more…] about Kuka opens arc welding technology centre in Michigan

ABB opens first-ever robotics training centre in Romania

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Industrial robotics giant ABB has opened what is said to be the “first-ever” robotics centre in Romania, according to local media.

BusinessReview.eu, an English-language Romanian website, says the new robotics facility is a public-private partnership between ABB and the Polytechnic University in Bucharest.

The centre will offer advanced training in robotics and industrial automation to future engineers and provide support to ABB customers in the future.  [Read more…] about ABB opens first-ever robotics training centre in Romania

Emerson withdraws bid to buy Rockwell

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It probably would have been a good merger or takeover, but it didn’t happen. 

Emerson Electric’s initial $27 billion bid to buy Rockwell Automation was rejected by the latter company’s board, as was the former’s subsequent, raised bid of $29 billion.

Some business analysts said combining strengths would be a good move for both companies, but Rockwell seems to have plans of its own which do not include a takeover or merger.  [Read more…] about Emerson withdraws bid to buy Rockwell

General Electric to shed 12,000 jobs as electric future opens up

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General Electric’s recent decision to reduce its employee numbers by 12,000 globally indicate how important it thinks the trend of electric power will become, or perhaps has already become. 

The significant job losses will come from the GE Power division. GE says the decision is part of its overall restructuring.

The company acknowledges that the growth in renewables is part of the reason for the cost-cutting measures.  [Read more…] about General Electric to shed 12,000 jobs as electric future opens up

How to choose the most appropriate programmable logic controller for your industrial automation requirements

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By Joseph Zulick, MRO Electric

As many machine automation professionals know, deciding on which programmable logic controller to work with can be one of the most difficult decisions you have to make when organizing your control system.

There is no one size fits all equation, so are here are some guidelines I use.  [Read more…] about How to choose the most appropriate programmable logic controller for your industrial automation requirements

Delta Electronics launches new range of drives

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Delta Electronics, the second largest drive provider in the world in terms of quantity, manufacturing several million drives per year, has released the new M300 range of drives (main picture).

The company says the new drives are suitable for “the simplest to the most advanced applications”, including:

  • machine tools;
  • textile machines;
  • woodworking machines;
  • packaging machines;
  • electronics manufacturing;
  • fans;
  • pumps;
  • air compressors; and
  • more.

The M300 range is made of 3 Series: the MH range is dedicated to advanced automation needs; the MS300 covers main applications while the ME300 has been designed to be “a very affordable solution” for many automation systems, says Delta.  [Read more…] about Delta Electronics launches new range of drives