Where Innovation Meets Imagination
Martyn Williams, managing director of industrial software expert Copa-Data UK, examines three of the most prominent automation trends of 2017 and discusses how these trends are changing manufacturing operations
As manufacturing facilities incorporate greater levels of automation, the demand for new technologies continues to grow.
Recent years have seen several trends create a shift in the way the industry operates. [Read more…] about Predictions for the future of manufacturing
Hannover Messe, the world’s largest trade show for the industrial sector, has chosen Robotics and Automation News as a media partner.
The decision follows on from last year’s collaboration between RoboticsAndAutomationNews.com and CeMAT, the logistics industry exhibition organised by the same events company.
This year, both CeMAT and Hannover Messe will be combined into one gigantic event, and Robotics and Automation News will be there to cover all the major developments. [Read more…] about Hannover Messe chooses Robotics and Automation News as media partner
Software giant SAP has launched its new Manufacturing Execution application on its Hana Enterprise Cloud, which the company says is a “fully scalable and secure private cloud service”.
SAP says the new software helps manufacturers “embrace Industry 4.0 automation” and process high volumes of data from sensors and devices from the Internet of Things in a real-time cloud delivery environment that can simplify implementation and improve time to value at lower cost.
SAP Manufacturing Execution in the cloud helps manufacturers connect, monitor and tightly control operations, says the company, adding that it facilitates Industry 4.0 strategies by “integrating with business and manufacturing processes to enable efficient, high-quality production on the shop floor”. [Read more…] about SAP launches new cloud-based manufacturing solution
The IoT Tech Expo Global conference has announced keynote speakers for the upcoming global event in London 2017.
Taking place on January 23-24th at the Olympia venue, the event will feature keynote speakers from the likes of Shell, Rolls-Royce, SSE, Maersk, Thyssenkrupp, Sky, Nest, Ford, Heathrow Airport and more.
The two-day event will cover a range of industries from manufacturing to healthcare, transportation to government, logistics to retail, with a total of 7 conference tracks covering the entire Internet of Things ecosystem. [Read more…] about IoT Tech Expo Global 2017 lines up keynote speakers
Companies plan to jointly develop hardware and software solutions for the proactive maintenance of machines
Engineering Ingegneria Informatica and robot-maker Comau have signed a global cooperation agreement to develop and market solutions for predictive maintenance based on modular hardware and software and designed to acquire and analyze field data – through the internet of things, and big data analytics.
The companies say these solutions are targeted at the manufacturing industry and in particular, and companies operating in the automotive, industrial manufacturing, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals and white goods sectors, and conform to the Industry 4.0 paradigm.
From a technical point of view, the solutions developed by the two partner companies seek to predict the potential occurrence of malfunctions or a full stop of the machines, and to intercept negative trends in production process quality, or predictive maintenance system. [Read more…] about Industry 4.0: Comau signs deal with EII to develop predictive maintenance solutions
Kuka is selling at least part of its aerospace division to Advanced Integration Technology.
Kuka, which is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of industrial robotics and automation technology, says the aerospace division it is selling to AIT is called “Systems Aerospace North America”.
However, the Kuka website which relates to its aerospace business is called KukaAero.com, and that says “Kuka Systems Aerospace Group is the largest division of Kuka”– no mention of “North America”. [Read more…] about Kuka sells its ‘North American’ aviation division to Advanced Integration Technology
Saving energy has been a serious preoccupation of many industrial companies for many years, but especially in recent years with prices of fuel fluctuating and public concern about the environment growing.
In the auto manufacturing sector, which buys the most number of industrial robots and uses vast amounts of energy, companies such as Kuka have been looking to make their automation systems more energy efficient.
Now, in the European Union, a project called Automation and Robotics for European Sustainable Manufacturing, or Areus, says it has developed the components of an energy-efficient automobile production system of the future. [Read more…] about Daimler develops ways for industrial robots and factories to save energy under Areus project
Sales of industrial robots in China have grown 20 per cent this year, according to research by two industry associations in the country. The automotive and electronics sectors were the two biggest buyers.
As reported in the South China Morning Post, the GG Robotics Research Institute and the China Artificial Intelligence Robot Industry Alliance expects approximately 80,000 industrial robots to be sold on the mainland this year.
But Zhang Xiaofei, founder of the GG Robotics Research Institute, says growth is slowing. [Read more…] about Industrial robot sales in China increase 20 per cent
Delta Electronics has launched a new series of programmable logic controllers which it claims enables “easy and advanced programming” for sectors such as electronics manufacturing, labeling, food packaging and textile machines.
The AS300 PLC series covers most automation applications at a very attractive price, says Delta.
Delta adds that the AS300 series Compact Non-backplane Mid-range PLC is a “high performance multi-purpose controller designed for all kinds of automated equipment”. [Read more…] about Delta launches new PLC series enabling ‘easy and advanced programming’
Tony Young, owner and director of supply and repair specialist CP Automation, explains how easy it can be to make industrial applications more energy efficient by using regenerative braking
Did you know the invention of robots dates back to XVth century?
When Leonardo da Vinci explored the idea of the human body as a machine, he came up with a robotic knight – medieval armour designed with gears, wheels, pulleys and cables that allowed it to move its arms and legs.
Premature inventions like this one populate the engineering landscape to this day, often when it comes to energy-saving technologies such as regenerative braking. [Read more…] about Industrial power: The road to energy efficiency starts here
