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Hanwha partners with PBA Group to open collaborative robot production facility in Singapore

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Hanwha Robotics, part of the South Korean industrial giant Hanwha Group, is partnering with engineering company PBA Group to open a collaborative robot production facility in Singapore. 

The facility will be located at Yishun Industrial Park on the tiny island city-state, according to ChannelNewsAsia.com.

PBA is a Singaporean company and has also reached an agreement with local engineering giant ST Kinetics – part of the group which recently bought Aethon – covering a wide range of activities relating to robotics and automation projects.  [Read more…] about Hanwha partners with PBA Group to open collaborative robot production facility in Singapore

Thailand’s SSI Steel looking to increase investment in robotics and automation technologies

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Thailand’s largest steelmaker, Sahaviriya Steel Industries, is looking to increase its investment in robotics and automation technologies. 

In exclusive comments to Robotics and Automation News, the company’s vice president, Ratchata Jirachotekamjorn, said SSI Steel is looking to gain efficiencies and increase productivity through the use of robotics and automation as well as the latest machine-to-machine technologies.

“The predictive maintenance capabilities are of special interest,” said Jirachotekamjorn.  [Read more…] about Thailand’s SSI Steel looking to increase investment in robotics and automation technologies

Mecademic sells ‘almost 200’ of its tiny industrial robots

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Mecademic has sold “almost 200” units of its tiny industrial robot, according to a source close to the company. 

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source claims he spoke to someone at the company and that they told him that business was going “well”.

The startup company, which currently has fewer than 10 employees, is hiring more people to cope with increasing demand.  [Read more…] about Mecademic sells ‘almost 200’ of its tiny industrial robots

Record growth in US robotics, vision and motion control industries

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According to the Association for Advancing Automation’s (A3) annual report on automation and robotics market statistics, 2017 was a milestone year for the North American robotics market.

It surpassed previous high water marks in all four statistical categories: order units, order revenue, shipment units, and shipment revenue. The amount of robots sold in North America last year also surpassed all previous records.

Customers purchased 34,904 total units representing $1.896 billion in total sales. These numbers show growth of 0.9% in units and 0.1% in dollars from 2016.

[Read more…] about Record growth in US robotics, vision and motion control industries

Flexible ‘robot hands’ pack delicate herbs

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It takes great finesse to cultivate and deliver tasteful, fresh herbs. It requires intelligent automation to ensure that production is efficient, competitive, and creates a good work environment.

That is why Denmark’s largest producer of herbs and mini plants, Rosborg Food Holding, chose to invest in sensitive, flexible robot grippers from On Robot to handle the plants.

The use of herbs dates back to Babylon 4000 years ago. The ancient Egyptians and Greeks developed and refined the cultivation of herbs for the emerging medical sciences and culinary delights.

[Read more…] about Flexible ‘robot hands’ pack delicate herbs

Hannover Messe: Software and additive manufacturing for the factories of the future

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Software and IT solutions will be high on the agenda at Hannover Messe 2018, which is no wonder in view of their pivotal role in connecting the individual links in the industrial value chain.

Integration and networking are central to the digital transformation of industrial production. For this reason, the exhibit categories “Automation” and “Digital Factory” will be a magnet for visiting professionals in April.

In halls 6, 7 and 8 the spotlight will be on IT solutions and integrated processes – in particular, additive manufacturing, CAD/CAM, CAE, MES, ERP and PLM.  [Read more…] about Hannover Messe: Software and additive manufacturing for the factories of the future

Foxconn to invest $4 billion in new robotics and automation technology

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Hon Hai Precision, better known as Foxconn, is planning to invest $4 billion into increasing the amount of robotics and automation technology used in its factories, according to a report on Nikkei. 

The business news website says Foxconn’s profits are coming under pressure because of rising labour costs.

Foxconn, a Taiwan-headquartered company with extensive operations in China and around the world, is the main contract manufacturing partner for Apple, and makes the US tech giant’s iPhones and other devices.  [Read more…] about Foxconn to invest $4 billion in new robotics and automation technology

Cognex launches mobile barcode reading range

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Cognex Corporation , the machine vision and industrial barcode reading company, has launched what it claims is the only end-to-end family of mobile scanning solutions in the market.

The latest additions to the product line, designed to solve logistics and manufacturing applications, include the MX-1502 Series vision-enabled mobile terminal, the MX-100 Series mobile barcode reader, and the Cognex Mobile Barcode Software Development Kit (SDK).

Equipped with smart barcode reading algorithms and optics, the MX-1502 quickly adjusts between standard-, long-, and extended-range scanning to reliably decode 1-D, 2-D, and direct part mark (DPM) codes from as near as 15 centimeters to as far away as 10 meters.

[Read more…] about Cognex launches mobile barcode reading range

Rockwell launches new software for human machine interfaces

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Rockwell Automation has updated its HMI software to “equip industrial workers with better information to run and maintain their systems”, according to the company.

New features in the FactoryTalk View software version 10.0 include greater access to information, new mobile device support and better cross-software integration to improve productivity.

Operators can now use the TrendPro tool in FactoryTalk View Site Edition (SE) software to overlay alarm information on trend data.  [Read more…] about Rockwell launches new software for human machine interfaces

Arburg to show digital transformation in plastics processing at Hannover Messe

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Arburg will present the multiple-variant injection moulding of elastic tension straps ‘on demand’ as well as current Industry 4 components for the ‘smart factory’ at the Digital Factory, on stand J10 in hall 6, at Hannover Messe.

“We regard ourselves not only as a supplier of machines, but also as a technology partner, efficiency promoter and pioneer in the plastics industry with regard to the topic of digital transformation,” explains Heinz Gaub, Managing Director Technology & Engineering at Arburg.

From the smart machine and host computer system to the smart factory and smart services, Arburg has a large range of offerings for ‘smart’ injection moulding companies in order to enhance added value, production efficiency and process reliability in networked and flexibly automated production.

[Read more…] about Arburg to show digital transformation in plastics processing at Hannover Messe