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Trump policy on China: Playing hardball

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By Edward Tse, Gao Feng Advisory

Donald Trump’s recent appointment of Peter Navarro to head his newly formed White House National Trade Council has sparked controversy.

Navarro is known for his hawkish views on China and many believe that, by appointing him, the US president-elect is signalling that he will play hardball with China on trade when he takes office.

Navarro has written a number of books and filmed a documentary in which he criticised China for unfair trade practices, especially with the US. He has called China “a cheat”, “brutal” and “amoral”.

Instead of launching a trade war, collaboration is the way to go.  [Read more…] about Trump policy on China: Playing hardball

Rethink Robotics launches ‘first-of-its-kind’ software platform

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Rethink-robotics

Rethink Robotics has launched what it describes as a first-of-its-kind software platform that connects everything in a smart factory.

The collaborative industrial robot maker says the extensible software is “redefining automation deployments and providing a gateway to the factory of the future”.

Rethink Robotics calls its software platform Intera 5, and says it “connects everything from a single robot controller, extending the smart, flexible power of Rethink Robotics’ Sawyer to the entire work cell and simplifying automation with unparalleled ease of deployment”.

Built on the backbone of the Rethink robots’ train-by-demonstration software, Intera 5 is designed to pave the way for connected manufacturing environments and helping companies build factories of the future.  [Read more…] about Rethink Robotics launches ‘first-of-its-kind’ software platform

Heard the one about the robot barista?

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Man walks into a coffee bar and says, “Waiter, coffee, black, no sugar.”

How anyone can drink coffee without milk, cream or sugar is beyond our understanding of human taste buds, but anyway…

A robot barista would not be making such judgments, and would serve up the coffee just as the man who walked into the bar had ordered it.

It might take a few years, but sooner or later, you will be served some drink or food somewhere by a robot.  [Read more…] about Heard the one about the robot barista?

Mecademic showcases ‘world’s smallest, most accurate’ 6-axis robot

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mecademic Meca500

A company called Mecademic is showcasing what it claims is the world’s smallest and most accurate six-axis robot. 

The Meca500 is small enough to fit into a briefcase and its makers claim that the tiny robotic arm has a repeatability of just 5 microns, or 5 millionths of a metre.

The Montreal, Canada-based Mecademic was founded by Jonathan Coulombe, who is the CEO. His co-founder was Ilian Bonev (pictured, with one of the company’s tiny robots).  [Read more…] about Mecademic showcases ‘world’s smallest, most accurate’ 6-axis robot

Kuka’s new lightweight collaborative robot for medical applications goes into series production

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Kuka’s new, lightweight collaborative robot has gone into series production, says the company. 

The Kuka LBR Med – short for medical – is designed to be operated in the “immediate vicinity” of the human operator.

The robot maker sees the new cobot as having applications in the health sector, as “an assistant for tasks rehabilitation or in the operating room”.  [Read more…] about Kuka’s new lightweight collaborative robot for medical applications goes into series production

Woodside Energy to train Nasa’s Robonaut to work in oil and gas industry

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nasa robonaut

Woodside Energy and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration have launched a new collaboration program under which the Australian independent oil and gas company will develop applications for Nasa’s Robonaut in its own operations. 

Under the partnership Nasa will loan Woodside an Anthropomorphic Robonaut System for a 60-month deployment in Perth. Together the two organisations will explore how the robotic technology could be used to improve safety, reliability and efficiency in the high-risk and remote environments where Woodside operates.

Woodside will contribute its advanced cognitive science technology, being developed in its Western Australian operations, and Nasa will share its expertise in Robonauts that are already being used for simple, repetitive, or especially dangerous tasks in places such as the International Space Station.  [Read more…] about Woodside Energy to train Nasa’s Robonaut to work in oil and gas industry

Slovenia backs Yaskawa with €6 million

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yaskawa slovenia

The government of Slovenia has decided to back Yaskawa’s investment in the country with €5.6 million of public money. 

Yaskawa is building a factory in the country and plans to invest a total of €25 million in the European nation of just over 2 million people.

Prime Minister Miro Cerar said at the time: ““I am very pleased that our efforts paid off and that the renowned Japanese company of Yaskawa Electric decided to invest in Slovenia.”

The Yaskawa investment is forecast to create more than 170 new jobs and the industrial giant is regarded as the “most important Japanese company” with assets in the country by the Slovenian government.

Renishaw 3D printing technology increases Land Rover BAR’s performance

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land rover bar

Like many other cutting edge technologies – artificial intelligence, big data analytics – additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, has been incorporated into daily use at Land Rover Ben Ainslie Racing with the help of the team’s Technical Innovation Group.

In this case, TIG partner Renishaw, a global metrology firm which manufactures metal additive manufacturing machines, as well as working with the more familiar 3D printing in plastics for its own prototyping.

TIG project manager, George Sykes of PA Consulting, says: “We use 3D printing at three different levels within the team. The simplest level is as a prototyping and visualisation tool. We manufacture a large number of custom parts and 3D printing allows us to make full size prototypes in-house before we commit to a design.”  [Read more…] about Renishaw 3D printing technology increases Land Rover BAR’s performance

Braking resistors that will not break

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cressall braking resistors

David Atkins, projects director at Cressall Resistors, explains why design is essential not only in art, but also in industry, especially when designing equipment such as power resistors for demanding environments like oil and gas

One of the most popular works of Renaissance sculpture is Michelangelo’s David, a piece that has become synonymous with human strength and beauty.

Despite its seemingly perfect proportions, a basic design flaw of the statue has recently been brought to light.

Recurring micro-fractures in the ankles might cause the statue to collapse under its own weight.  [Read more…] about Braking resistors that will not break