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GM to invest $250 million in Ohio manufacturing facility

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General Motors says it is “reinforcing its leadership in American manufacturing” with a new $250 million commitment in its Parma Metal Center in Ohio.

This will enable production of sheet metal stampings and assemblies to support the multi-billion-dollar product allocations announced at Orion Assembly, Michigan, Spring Hill Manufacturing, Tennessee, and Fairfax Assembly, Kansas, earlier this year.

With this new commitment, GM’s total manufacturing investments for 2025 now approach $5.5 billion, underscoring the company’s aggressive commitment to domestic manufacturing and meeting customer demand across its ICE and EV portfolio. [Read more…] about GM to invest $250 million in Ohio manufacturing facility

Continental installs autonomous mobile robots to streamline tire production at Hanover-Stöcken plant

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Continental has introduced seven autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) at its ContiLifeCycle (CLC) retreading plant in Hanover-Stöcken, where the machines have been “keeping things moving since March 2025”.

The robots – which Continental appears to have built by itself in-house, perhaps with some help from external companies, whose modules may have integrated – are used to transport green tires across the facility, taking over repetitive in-plant logistics tasks and allowing workers to focus on skilled activities such as machine setup and quality control.

“Self-driving robots have been supporting our production workflow for six months now,” said Felix Hantelmann, head of the ContiLifeCycle plant. [Read more…] about Continental installs autonomous mobile robots to streamline tire production at Hanover-Stöcken plant

B&R Automation expands robotics portfolio with new six-axis Codian AR

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B&R Automation, a business unit of ABB, has added what it describes as “significant flexibility” to its Codian robotics portfolio with the new Codian AR and meets the market’s demand for a fully integrated robotics solution within machine automation.

Having six degrees of freedom allows the Codian AR mechanics to perform highly complex 3D paths, multi-angle manipulation, and the flexibility to manoeuvre repeatedly in and out of the workspace.

Areas of application range from handling operations and sorting to assembling tasks serving industries including plastics, pharmaceuticals, metals, electronics manufacturing and consumer packaged goods (CPG). [Read more…] about B&R Automation expands robotics portfolio with new six-axis Codian AR

Panasonic Energy enters robotaxi market with battery deal with Zoox

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Panasonic Energy, a business unit of the Panasonic Group, has signed an agreement with Zoox, the Amazon-owned autonomous ride-hailing company, to supply cylindrical lithium-ion batteries to power its robotaxi fleet deployments.

Under the multi-year-agreement, Panasonic Energy will deliver its latest 2170 batteries beginning in early 2026 to support Zoox’s growing robotaxi service and operations.

Zoox has created a purpose-built robotaxi that gives the world a better way to ride, and recently opened its first robotaxi serial production facility in Hayward, California, to produce these vehicles at scale. [Read more…] about Panasonic Energy enters robotaxi market with battery deal with Zoox

Honeywell and TotalEnergies pilot AI-assisted control room to accelerate shift to industrial autonomy

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Honeywell has announced a collaboration with TotalEnergies for the ongoing pilot of its AI-assisted Experion Operations Assistant at TotalEnergies’ Port Arthur Refinery in Texas.

The initiative aims to support and empower operators to make timely and informed decisions while also providing the opportunity to enhance operational autonomy.

Built on Honeywell’s flagship distributed control system, Experion Operations Assistant is an advanced AI-powered solution designed to transform the way operators monitor plant operations from the control room. [Read more…] about Honeywell and TotalEnergies pilot AI-assisted control room to accelerate shift to industrial autonomy

Chicago residents push to pause delivery robot pilot over safety and accessibility concerns

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More than 800 Chicago residents have signed a petition calling on the city to pause its sidewalk delivery robot pilot, citing safety, accessibility and privacy concerns as more machines begin operating in neighbourhoods such as Lakeview.

The petition, hosted at NoSidewalkBots.org, urges the city to “pause the sidewalk-robot program until CDOT & BACP release safety & ADA findings, evaluate that data and local job impacts in a public hearing, and set clear rules.”

CBS Chicago reported that the robots – operated by Serve Robotics and Coco Robotics – are now a common sight in parts of the North Side. But not every resident is comfortable sharing the pavement with them. [Read more…] about Chicago residents push to pause delivery robot pilot over safety and accessibility concerns

Murata releases its in-house engineering software Femtet after four decades of development

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Murata Manufacturing is making its long-running engineering simulation software available to the wider market, after developing it internally for around 40 years.

The tool, called Femtet, is a computer-aided engineering (CAE) system based on the finite element method (FEM).

It has been used inside Murata for decades to help engineers design and test electronic components by simulating stress, heat, electromagnetic fields, fluids, vibration and other physical behaviours. [Read more…] about Murata releases its in-house engineering software Femtet after four decades of development

Ency Software releases ENCY 2.5 with 130 workflow, machining, and stability enhancements

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Ency Software has released ENCY 2.5, an update that introduces 130 improvements across machining, simulation, and core platform functionality.

The company says the new version focuses on smoother day-to-day workflows and greater stability for users working in CNC programming and simulation.

One of the most noticeable changes is in painting simulation. The part now renders in real time as the simulation runs, allowing users to “see what’s painted and what isn’t without toggling part visibility”. [Read more…] about Ency Software releases ENCY 2.5 with 130 workflow, machining, and stability enhancements

Kawasaki Robotics to provide robots to Gayatri subsidiary CSM Robotics

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DP Gayatri, a diversified industrial group driving innovation and automation across North America, has announced a strategic partnership with Kawasaki Robotics, a manufacturer of industrial robotics and automation technology.

The collaboration will empower CSM Robotics, DP Gayatri’s subsidiary, to expand its automation capabilities and deliver advanced robotic systems that support manufacturers in scaling efficiently and competitively.

Through this partnership, CSM Robotics will integrate Kawasaki Robotics’ robotic platforms, motion technologies, and controls into its automation solutions. [Read more…] about Kawasaki Robotics to provide robots to Gayatri subsidiary CSM Robotics

Universal Robots partners with software engineering platform Viam

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Universal Robots is powering a new era of marine manufacturing automation through its partnership with Viam, a modern software engineering platform for robotics.

At the center of this collaboration is a robotic block sanding system designed to streamline fiberglass sanding for yacht builders – a task that is traditionally very labor-intensive and physically demanding.

The solution combines UR’s proven UR Series cobots with Viam’s adaptive software to deliver precision, consistency, and efficiency. [Read more…] about Universal Robots partners with software engineering platform Viam