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Robotics: The Bay Area and beyond

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san francisco golden gate bridge

By Thomas R. Cutler

While Silicon Valley is renowned for software and design prowess. The Bay Area’s four largest cities – San Francisco, San Jose, Fremont and Oakland – are teaming up to foster today’s manufacturing revival and create more entry-level and middle-class jobs.

Together, these Bay Area cities boast a robust manufacturing sector, sustaining nearly 108,500 jobs across 3,200 manufacturing companies – outpacing both the U.S. and California – and driving more than $55 billion into California’s economy.

In collaboration with nonprofit SFMade, these cities surveyed local manufacturing companies to find out what is most important for the industry; they created the first-ever Bay Area State of Urban Manufacturing Report.  [Read more…] about Robotics: The Bay Area and beyond

Manufacturing: Benefits of universal peripherals

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Benefits of using peripherals
Even drives with onboard brake choppers are not rated sufficiently for the braking demand of the application

John Mitchell, global business development manager of maintenance and repair specialist CP Automation, discusses the benefits of using a universal brake chopper that works with any inverter

There is a real danger in the specification of inverters for use in heavy-duty applications. Fresh from the manufacturer, most drives – even ones with onboard brake choppers – are not rated sufficiently for the braking demand of the application.

Non-specialist engineers face an extremely complex task when asked to choose the correct inverter, resistor and brake-chopper combination for a project.

To help counteract this problem, CP Automation recommends using an external brake chopper unit that simplifies the process of inverter selection. Where an inverter doesn’t feature a built-in brake chopper, the new CP Automation unit, manufactured to the highest standards, supplies that functionality. It’s a universal model that works with any inverter, from any manufacturer.  [Read more…] about Manufacturing: Benefits of universal peripherals

Industrial robotics market forecast to reach $41 billion globally by 2020

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business-chart

The global industrial robotics market is expected to grow at a rate of 5.4 per cent over the next three years to reach $41 billion annually, according to Allied Market Research.

AMR valued the market to be at $26.78 billion in 2012. Rapid growth in automation demands, coupled with reduction of duties on refurbished goods in Asia Pacific region has fuelled the growth of this market, the research company says.

Industrial robotics is expected to be used in alternative application areas in growing markets. The key area such as electronics, which is still growing at an increasing rate, has witnessed penetration of industrial robotics in a significant manner.  [Read more…] about Industrial robotics market forecast to reach $41 billion globally by 2020

Interview with Universal Robots boss: ‘I don’t see any limits’

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Jürgen von Hollen, the new president of Universal Robots
Jürgen von Hollen, the new president of Universal Robots

In October 2016, Jürgen von Hollen joined Universal Robots as new president. After almost two months full of work, he felt that time has come to draw an initial summary. 

Here, von Hollen shares some insights on his personal impressions, his vision and the Universal robots strategy.  [Read more…] about Interview with Universal Robots boss: ‘I don’t see any limits’

Connected asparagus: Bosch outlines vision of a future with connected factories and robotic farmers

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Bosch Apas workstation, which includes a cobot the company claims is “the first collaborative robot to be certified as an assistance system”

One of the world’s largest engineering companies, Bosch, has outlined its vision of the future, which includes a world full of smart factories, robotic farmers and connected asparagus. 

Bosch made its views available to Robotics and Automation News in a series of documents sent to us this week.

The company believes two main areas of technological development stand out from the rest: connectivity and sensors.  [Read more…] about Connected asparagus: Bosch outlines vision of a future with connected factories and robotic farmers

Industrial internet: Hannover Messe increases activity in industrial automation markets around the world

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Get your complementary ticket to Hannover Messe 2017

Whether it is referred to as the Industrial Internet or Industrie 4.0, digitalization is currently on the agenda in every major economy.

The approaches taken and the expectations raised are very different, as two new studies demonstrate.

“Around the world, digitalization of the economy is being approached from different angles,” explains Acatech president Henning Kagermann in the preface to the new Huawei survey, An International Comparison of Industrie 4.0.  [Read more…] about Industrial internet: Hannover Messe increases activity in industrial automation markets around the world

Manufacturing: Apple considers making in India

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lockIndia’s significant presence at Hannover Messe in 2015 signalled the country’s renewed determination to reinvigorate its manufacturing base. And in the last couple of years, it has made significant progress with its ambitions. 

The government has been pouring money into the manufacturing sector, and encouraging foreign direct investment through a range of incentives, not least of which is more attention and action to facilitate the sector’s development through the upgrading of infrastructure and business practices.

One example of the country’s technological ambition is the KEF Industrial Park, which is shown in the video above. As one observer put it: “It is a mind-blowing set-up and only believable if you see it. They make everything at the factory. Even the bathrooms and rooms, and then transport it by road to the site. The interiors and wirings are done at the site.  [Read more…] about Manufacturing: Apple considers making in India

China to publish standards to regulate industrial robot industry

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china robot conference 2016

The Chinese government is to publish technical standards to regulate its growing industrial robot manufacturing sector, according to a report on China.org.cn. 

Speaking at the 2016 China Robot Industry Conference on Wednesday, the deputy director of the Ministry of Industry’s Equipment Industry Department, Sun Feng, says the standards will cover aspects such as product quality, research and development capabilities, staff qualifications, sales practices and social responsibility.

The website also reports that Sun said the ministry will also launch pilot projects for service robots and set standards for those as well.  [Read more…] about China to publish standards to regulate industrial robot industry

Industry 4.0: 
Airgate develops connectivity solution for Universal industrial robots

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airgate for universal robots

If you are one of the many companies and people who have recently bought a cobot from Universal Robots, you may be asking yourself, “What if we could always get in touch with our UR robots, anywhere, anytime – from any device?”

That was the question Airgate, a Danish developer of customized IoT solutions, often encountered when talking to distributors and end users of UR robots.

Airgate had developed a GSM modem solution, ARCS basic, that provides a simple remote monitoring of the UR robots by sending text messages to the robot operator when the robot exceeded defined limits such as running out of material or stopping work unexpectedly.  [Read more…] about Industry 4.0: 
Airgate develops connectivity solution for Universal industrial robots

OR Laser claims its 3D printing method will innovate jewellery industry

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3d printed jewellery
3D printing can produce complex shapes but the finishing when it comes to metal has not so far matched traditional manufacturing methods

OR Laser believes the jewellery industry will be the main beneficiary of Orlas Creator

OR Laser believes it is on the cusp of further innovate the jewellery industry with the introduction of its new and accessible metal additive manufacturing system, the Orlas Creator. 

OR says its Orlas Creator offers an “economically profitable” metal system with “superior speed and productivity gains by way of its unique” circular build-platform design in combination with a proprietary, rotation-led precision coater blade that will bring new value creation opportunities for jewellery brands.

During its 30-year history, 3D printing has already caused some serious disruption within the jewellery industry by facilitating new approaches to jewellery design and manufacturing.  [Read more…] about OR Laser claims its 3D printing method will innovate jewellery industry