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Manufacturing

US Steel to invest $1 billion in new facility

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United States Steel Corporation says it will make an additional investment of more than $1 billion into its Pennsylvania operations.

The investment will be used to construct a new sustainable endless casting and rolling facility at its Edgar Thomson Plant in Braddock, Pennsylvania, and a cogeneration facility at its Clairton Plant in Clairton, Pennsylvania, both part of the company’s Mon Valley Works.

The “cutting-edge” endless casting and rolling technology combines thin slab casting and hot rolled band production into one continuous process and will make Mon Valley Works “the first facility of this type” in the US and one of only a handful in the world, says the company.

[Read more…] about US Steel to invest $1 billion in new facility

Firestone unit opens first facility in Germany

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Firestone Building Products, a subsidiary of Bridgestone Americas, has opened its first greenfield plant in Heinsberg, Germany.

The facility, which broke ground in March 2017, employs a workforce of approximately twenty and is located in the Dremmen District of Heinsberg, Germany.

The new facility represents an opportunity to supplement Firestone insulation production in North America in order to meet the growing demand for complete roofing solutions in a global market.

[Read more…] about Firestone unit opens first facility in Germany

Formlabs launches new generation of 3D printers

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Formlabs, the designer and manufacturer of 3D printing systems, has launched two new advanced professional Low Force Stereolithography 3D printers to its hardware lineup: Form 3 and Form 3L.

LFS 3D printing is an advanced form of stereolithography (SLA) that delivers consistently flawless parts.

The LFS process uses a flexible tank to drastically reduce the forces of the peel process, providing incredible surface finish and detail, and linear illumination to deliver accurate, repeatable parts.

[Read more…] about Formlabs launches new generation of 3D printers

Super Micro to avoid Chinese components amid US-China trade war

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Super Micro Computer, one of the world’s largest server manufacturers, has decided to avoid using components manufactured in China, according to a report on Nikkei.

Nikkei reports that Super Micro has instructed its suppliers to move production out of China.

Super Micro says the move is a consequence of the trade dispute between the US and China, in which security concerns raised by the US have also affected other Chinese companies such as Huawei.

[Read more…] about Super Micro to avoid Chinese components amid US-China trade war

Food manufacturers are turning to robots to meet customers’ needs, says ING report

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The importance of technology for food manufacturers continues to grow, according to a new ING report, Food tech: technology in the food industry.

The research report revealed the use of robots in the European food industry is becoming more commonplace, with a 50 per cent increase in the sale of robots to the food industry over the last five years.

The research also uncovered the growing demands from retailers and consumers is having an impact on the uptake of technologies like robotics in the industry. [Read more…] about Food manufacturers are turning to robots to meet customers’ needs, says ING report

Samsung shows off robot that tests Galaxy Fold smartphone

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Samsung has been showing off the robot the company uses to test the new Galaxy Fold smartphone. (See video below.)

The Galaxy Fold is a new type of smartphone – the main feature being the foldable screen.

The Galaxy Fold was scheduled for release a few days ago, but early reviews suggested that the foldable screen broke after a day’s use.

[Read more…] about Samsung shows off robot that tests Galaxy Fold smartphone

Festo looks to AI to make automation more profitable

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Festo is looking to implement artificial intelligence systems to make automation even more productive and efficient.

The company says it currently offers intelligent component and process monitoring. But Festo intends to further increase the productivity of its customers by means of self-learning machines.

The company is relying here on AI at three network levels:

  • on edge;
  • on premises; and
  • in the cloud.

In addition to the complex services that can be offered in a cloud, Festo sees great potential in simple real-time data analysis by means of AI – either directly on the field component (AI on edge) or in the control of either the system or a production plant (AI on premises).

[Read more…] about Festo looks to AI to make automation more profitable

Panasonic says it has sold 100 million household refrigerators

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Panasonic says its production of household refrigerators reached a grand total of 100 million in 2018, 65 years since the company first began to manufacture them in 1953.

Panasonic began working on refrigerators as well as televisions and washing machines in anticipation of the approaching electrical age after the Second World War.

In 1952 an alliance was formed with Nakagawa Kikai Company, a specialist machine tool manufacturer that had made refrigerators. [Read more…] about Panasonic says it has sold 100 million household refrigerators

Samsung launches ‘highest-capacity’ mobile dynamic random access memory

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Samsung Electronics has begun mass producing what it says is “the highest-capacity mobile DRAM” – dynamic random access memory.

The company claims this is the industry’s first 12-gigabyte low-power double data rate 4X (LPDDR4X) package – optimized for tomorrow’s premium smartphones.

Featuring higher capacity than most ultra-thin notebooks, the new mobile DRAM will enable smartphone users to take full advantage of all the features in next-generation smartphones.

[Read more…] about Samsung launches ‘highest-capacity’ mobile dynamic random access memory

Yara and IBM join forces to transform the future of farming

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Yara International, a crop nutrition company, and IBM, have signed an agreement to build the world’s leading digital farming platform, providing holistic digital services and instant agronomic advice.

Yara and IBM Services will jointly innovate and commercialize digital agricultural solutions that will help increase global food production by drawing on the two companies’ complementary capabilities.

Yara’s agronomic knowledge, backed by more than 800 agronomists and a century of experience, and IBM’s digital platforms, services, and expertise in artificial intelligence and data analytics. [Read more…] about Yara and IBM join forces to transform the future of farming