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Daifuku North America tops materials handling systems supplier list

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Daifuku North America Holding Company – the leading provider of material handling solutions – has, together with its parent company and affiliated entities, been recognised as the Number One Worldwide Systems Supplier in Modern Materials Handling’s annual “Top 20 Systems Suppliers” list.

“We are honored and gratefully acknowledge our dedicated employees who continually strive to provide the innovative products and level of service that keep us at the top of the material handling industry year after year,” said Aki Nishimura, President of Daifuku North America Holding Company.

According to Stuart Oliphant in Daifuku’s corporate communications department in Japan, business was good across the globe. He says growth in revenue is partially linked to an increase in orders for materials handling systems from the flat panel display and semiconductor sectors in East Asia.

[Read more…] about Daifuku North America tops materials handling systems supplier list

Steel market: Automakers exploring new materials to make vehicles lighter

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Automotive manufacturers are exploring a variety of new methods and materials which will enable them to produce vehicles that are stronger, lighter, and more suited to what many believe will be an autonomous and electric driving culture of the future.

While many may have heard of carbon-fiber and similarly exotic-sounding and expensive materials, what is probably more likely is that heavier iron parts will be replaced with steel, and steel parts will be replaced with whatever is lighter than that – plastics, perhaps, or new, lighter types of steel.

One new type of steel that is currently being discussed widely is referred to as “advanced high-strength steel”, or AHSS.  [Read more…] about Steel market: Automakers exploring new materials to make vehicles lighter

Motors giant Nidec enters into $260 million joint venture with automaker PSA

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Nidec, one of the world’s largest suppliers of motors and other industrial components, has entered into a joint venture with global automaker PSA Group.

The “Nidec-PSA emotors” joint venture has been created by Groupe PSA and Nidec to initiate the design of “future electric motors”.

Shigenobu Nagamori, CEO of Nidec, and Carlos Tavares, CEO of Groupe PSA, endorsed the establishment of Nidec-PSA emotors, saying the new business will be “dedicated to the design, development, manufacture and sale of electric traction motors”.  [Read more…] about Motors giant Nidec enters into $260 million joint venture with automaker PSA

Collaborative robotics evolving into billion-dollar market

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Cognitive systems are fueling the future of the robotics industry, while the collaborative robotics sector is “morphing into a billion-dollar market”, according to ABI Research.

There is a growing interest within the robotics industry as to the benefits of cognitive systems and how they can improve robotic solutions, both in the incremental sense of improving productivity and the strategic sense of adding entirely new capabilities that broaden the use-cases for robotics in the traditional parameters of the industry and beyond.

The innate value of cognitive systems run concomitant to the development of collaborative robotics, says ABI, which provides strategic guidance on transformative technologies.  [Read more…] about Collaborative robotics evolving into billion-dollar market

HRG takes initiative in recruiting talent for robotics development

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It might sound strange to some people but some Chinese companies have difficulties finding enough skilled workers for certain jobs.

You might expect that would not affect manufacturing because many jobs in the sector may require minimal training.

But, in fact, many jobs in manufacturing involve complex tasks which often require learning new skills and thorough training.  [Read more…] about HRG takes initiative in recruiting talent for robotics development

GE and Microsoft extend partnership to accelerate industrial IoT adoption

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GE and Microsoft Corp. have announced an expanded partnership, bringing together operational technology and information technology to eliminate hurdles industrial companies face in advancing digital transformation projects.

As part of the union, GE Digital plans to standardise its Predix solutions on Microsoft Azure and will deeply integrate the Predix portfolio with Azure’s native cloud capabilities, including Azure IoT and Azure Data and Analytics.

The parties will also co-sell and go to market together, offering end customers premier Industrial IoT (IIoT) solutions across verticals.

[Read more…] about GE and Microsoft extend partnership to accelerate industrial IoT adoption

Lightweighting: How GM and Autodesk are using generative design for vehicles of the future

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Autodesk and General Motors have been working together to develop new technologies for engineering design, as Bill Danon reports (see video below)

General Motors’ auto engineers have been heavyweights in vehicle lightweighting for years.

Just since 2016, GM has launched 14 new vehicle models with a total mass reduction of over 5000 pounds or more than 350 pounds per vehicle.

The lighter the car, the less fuel it uses, the less carbon it emits and the more money the driver saves. Pretty important stuff.  [Read more…] about Lightweighting: How GM and Autodesk are using generative design for vehicles of the future

Fraunhofer developing ‘next generation of industrial robots’

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The Fraunhofer Institute in Germany is developing what it says will be the “next generation of industrial robots”, which integrate new kinematics for milling, customized, high-precision manufacturing

Manufacturers generally must offer high-quality products at low prices in order to remain competitive.

In a bid to provide the production technologies they will require, three Fraunhofer Institute teams are working together on what they say is “the next generation of industrial robots which will facilitate cost-effective production processes”.

The researchers are focusing on developing a new kinematics for milling lightweight materials, metals, and steels. The aim: achieving a production tolerance of just 0.1 millimeters all over the robot workspace starting with the very first component.  [Read more…] about Fraunhofer developing ‘next generation of industrial robots’

Automation integrator JMP Solutions awarded by Fanuc

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JMP Solutions, an independent robotic systems integrator, has received three prestigious awards at the Fanuc America Authorized Systems Integrator Conference and Awards Gala in Clearwater, Florida.

JMP’s automation and robotics division received three awards:

  • the Growth Award was presented for outstanding growth of robot sales;
  • the Sales Leadership Award recognized JMP’s exemplary level of sales; and
  • the Excellence in Intelligent Robotics Award recognizes sales leadership of intelligent products.

Ken McLaughlin, general manager of JMP’s automation and robotics division, says: “Since JMP entered the Fanuc Authorized System Integrator program in 2009, we’ve enjoyed a strong relationship built on trust and collaboration.  [Read more…] about Automation integrator JMP Solutions awarded by Fanuc

Exechon finds new customer for XMini industrial robot

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Exechon Enterprises – a joint venture comprising of Lockheed Martin, Injaz National, and Tecgrant AB – has sold an XMini industrial robotic manufacturing tool to Refco Metals, a UAE-based manufacturer of aluminum assemblies for luxury automobiles.

Shafik Nasser, chairman of Exechon Enterprises, says: “Today’s automotive industry moves fast and requires parts made to the most exacting specifications.

“The XMini creates complex, high-precision parts while streamlining production and lowering costs, making it the perfect partner in a modern manufacturing environment.”  [Read more…] about Exechon finds new customer for XMini industrial robot