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Manufacturing

Valmet goes digital with Dassault Systèmes to improve its engineering and sales for paper and pulp

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Valmet, a manufacturer of large-scale paper and pulp production machinery and automation systems, has selected Dassault Systèmes’ 3DExperience platform to digitalise its operations.

3DExperience is a digital platform which includes many features that can typically be found in product lifecycle management software suites.

Valmet says the implementation of 3DExperience is helping the company to provide more innovative customer-oriented experiences at each service and sales opportunity.  [Read more…] about Valmet goes digital with Dassault Systèmes to improve its engineering and sales for paper and pulp

Chinese companies planning to bid for German industrial giant FFT, says Reuters

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Chinese firms including the Jiangsu Hagong Intelligent Robot Company are planning to make a bid to buy German industrial giant FFT, according to a report on Reuters.com. 

Other companies said to be interested include state-owned Shanghai Electric and equity firm AGIC Capital, says Reuters.

FFT, which builds manufacturing facilities for automakers and other industrial companies, is said to be valued at around $712 million.

FFT is owned by an equity investment company called Aton, and any deal is not likely to cause any political controversies, according to people Reuters quotes.  [Read more…] about Chinese companies planning to bid for German industrial giant FFT, says Reuters

The growing importance of software in the manufacturing sector

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It’s not just manufacturing – it applies to all industries. But manufacturing is the sector that outside observers might expect to be the least affected by the digital world. 

Nothing could be further from the truth of course, especially now.

Some people might think that everything in a factory is entirely mechanical, and maybe just has some electrical components – with a chip or two for the industrial robots.

But increasingly, factories are becoming a hive of hi-tech activity, and the new buzz is almost entirely about the software.  [Read more…] about The growing importance of software in the manufacturing sector

ABB launches ‘world’s first’ digital automotive robotic painting system

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ABB has launched what it claims is the world’s first digital and robotic automotive painting system which it says can be totally controlled during operation. 

The company says the most fundamental part of its new painting system is the “revolutionary new connected paint atomizer”.

The ABB Ability Connected Atomizer (video below) enables quality and efficiency “like no other”, claims the company.  [Read more…] about ABB launches ‘world’s first’ digital automotive robotic painting system

Denso to invest $1 billion in electric vehicle manufacturing in the US

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Denso, one of the world’s largest automotive technology suppliers, is expanding its US footprint with a $1 billion investment in its Maryville, Tennessee location.

Denso says the investment is part of its commitment to advancing automotive innovation in North America, and will significantly increase the role North America plays in the global trend toward vehicle safety and electrification.

Denso will create more than 1,000 jobs in Maryville, Tennessee to make it a primary manufacturing center in North America for electrification and safety systems.  [Read more…] about Denso to invest $1 billion in electric vehicle manufacturing in the US

Tesla finding manufacturing tough as it struggles with too many orders

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The new Model 3 saloon car from Tesla is way too popular for its own good and the company is struggling to cope with the number of orders it’s being asked to deliver. 

Despite the “bottlenecks” in manufacturing, the electric carmaker says it is on course to sell 100,000 vehicles this year for the first time in its 14-year history.

And if things go to CEO Elon Musk’s forecasts, Tesla will be manufacturing 500,000 vehicles a year by the end of next year, according to Business Insider.  [Read more…] about Tesla finding manufacturing tough as it struggles with too many orders

Fanuc selects Greenerd as tier 1 robot integrator

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Fanuc has selected Greenerd as a tier 1 industrial robot integrator, according to Modern Machine Shop. 

Greenerd specialises in supplying hydraulic press technology.

The company is planning to showcase its latest innovations at the FabTech industry event this year.  [Read more…] about Fanuc selects Greenerd as tier 1 robot integrator

Fanuc reveals new RoboShot range for precision injection moulding

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Fanuc has revealed its new RoboShot range for precision injection moulding. 

The company will be showcasing its RoboShot technology at the forthcoming Fakuma trade fair, in Germany, later this month.

Fanuc says that, in recent years, injection moulders have shown an increasing interest in all-electric injection moulding machines with particularly economic energy balance as well as in fully automatic production systems.  [Read more…] about Fanuc reveals new RoboShot range for precision injection moulding

Toyota investing $400 million to manufacture hybrid powertrain in the US

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Toyota is to build hybrid powertrains at plants in the US for the first time.

The company claims it has “just upped the stakes” to remain the top manufacturer of hybrid vehicles worldwide.

Its investment in the US will total $373.8 million, spread across five US manufacturing plants.  [Read more…] about Toyota investing $400 million to manufacture hybrid powertrain in the US

Electronics industry boosting sales of industrial robots

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The global growth in the number of data centres, and the corresponding growth in the manufacturing of servers, could provide opportunities for robot makers 

The electrical and electronics sector is one of the fastest-growing markets for the industrial robotics and automation industry. 

The sector bought almost as many industrial robots as did the automotive sector, traditionally the biggest buyer of industrial robots.

This is partly confirmed by new data and analysis by the International Federation of Robotics, but mostly, it can be gleaned from anecdotal evidence all around. [Read more…] about Electronics industry boosting sales of industrial robots