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Byton partners with Aurora on autonomous driving

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Electric vehicle maker Byton is to partner with Aurora, a self-driving technology company, to incorporate Level 4 (L4) autonomous-driving vehicle capabilities into Byton vehicles and bring them and eventually Level 5 (L5) cars to market.

In the next two years, Byton and Aurora will jointly conduct pilot deployment of Aurora’s L4 autonomous driving systems on Byton vehicles and explore the use of Aurora’s self-driving system in Byton’s series production vehicles.

According to the Society of Automotive Engineers, L4 autonomous vehicles can drive independently in most environments, with the expectations that humans may need or choose to drive in some conditions.

[Read more…] about Byton partners with Aurora on autonomous driving

Pratt & Whitney introduces automated inspection for repair service

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Pratt & Whitney Turbine Overhaul Services, a Singapore-based aircraft engine airfoil components repair specialist, has boosted its operations with an automated inspection system, laser cladding technology and improved Electron Beam Physical Vapor Deposition capabilities.

 

Prior to using an automated inspection system, inspectors had to painstakingly measure the internal wall thicknesses of specific components using a hand-held probe.

With the automated inspection system, inspectors simply place the parts to be measured into the machine which automatically carries out a wall thickness inspection on the required areas.

[Read more…] about Pratt & Whitney introduces automated inspection for repair service

Automatic shoe production system launched

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SoftWear Automation has announced the newest SEWBOT workline is available for global pre-order. The Digital Footwear Upper Workline expands the patented SEWBOT Pick-Place-Sew automation for fully-automated shoe uppers.

In 2017, the SoftWear Automation team went to Waalwijk, Netherlands to speak on the future of footwear. Waalwijk is a small Dutch town with more than 400 related footwear businesses including a tannery.

It used to be the global epicenter for footwear given its proximity to the world’s largest port, dense forests and endless cows. Today, retail is almost all that’s left there. It’s a familiar story in manufacturing where jobs go to the lowest wage providers.

[Read more…] about Automatic shoe production system launched

Brave new world of robotic architecture dawns

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A new book co-written and co-edited by Mahesh Daas, dean of the University of Kansas School of Architecture & Design, argues that robotics can and soon will be even further integrated into the design processes at the heart of architecture.

Daas and his collaborator on Towards a Robotic Architecture (2018, Applied Research & Design Publishing), Temple University Assistant Professor of Architecture Andrew John Wit, brought together a variety of notable authors to survey the latest developments in the field.

Daas said that, after an introductory framing of the question, the book explores such endeavors as robotic construction methods, robotics used for building operation, and maintenance and the use of robotics in design itself. Finally, it looks to the future, including a chapter on how robotic construction could make life on Mars possible.

[Read more…] about Brave new world of robotic architecture dawns

Electrolux to invest $500 million in US product innovation and manufacturing

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Home appliance giant Electrolux Group is planning total investments of approximately $500 million in its US manufacturing operations. 

The company says it is stepping up a strategic initiative to drive profitable growth in North America with new lines of “innovative products”.

The company also said it will consolidate freezer production into its Anderson, South Carolina refrigeration facility. [Read more…] about Electrolux to invest $500 million in US product innovation and manufacturing

Open Mind partners with Heidenhain to provide ‘exclusive first-use’ virtual machining

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Open Mind Technologies, a provider of computer-aided manufacturing software, has partnered with Heidenhain TNC controls to provide exclusive first use of their new numerical control code-based simulation solution, hyperMill virtual machining.

The Connected Machining module allows networked Heidenhain TNC controls to be run from remote locations, a key component for digital production systems.

The new simulation solution is available with the hyperMill 2018.1 release.  [Read more…] about Open Mind partners with Heidenhain to provide ‘exclusive first-use’ virtual machining

Lufthansa Technik and Pepperl+Fuchs establish joint venture company

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Lufthansa Technik and Pepperl+Fuchs have established a joint venture company which aims to digitalise manufacturing operations in the aerospace industry. 

The new company – called 3D.aero – will research, develop and sell “innovative automation solutions for the aviation industry”, say the companies.

It will also work on solutions for the digitalisation of workshops.  [Read more…] about Lufthansa Technik and Pepperl+Fuchs establish joint venture company

Mad scientists could replace real swans with robot swans worldwide

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The global swan population could become extinct if mad scientists are given free reign to replace them with robotic swans they are creating in their labs. 

Though highly unlikely, it’s worth thinking about, especially as some apparently sane scientists at the National University of Singapore have already started replacing real swans with robotic ones, probably not thinking about the possible future consequences of global mass production.

And they’ve even nabbed the name – their robotic swan is called “Swan”, short for Smart Water Assessment Network. It’s also super-strong – capable of withstanding collisions with kayaks and small boats.  [Read more…] about Mad scientists could replace real swans with robot swans worldwide

Hitachi, Fanuc and Preferred Networks form AI partnership

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Manufacturing giant Hitachi and industrial automation company Fanuc have formed a partnership with Preferred Networks, a developer of software for industrial internet of things networks.

The companies plan to establish a joint venture develop artificial intelligence and edge computing systems for industrial operations, according to a report on Nikkei.

Edge computing refers to devices and systems which can do a lot of the data processing locally, without needing to send data to the cloud.  [Read more…] about Hitachi, Fanuc and Preferred Networks form AI partnership

Pavegen and Siemens sign agreement on ‘pavement power’ energy and data harvesting

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UK energy and data harvesting firm Pavegen has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with global engineering and technology company Siemens, to bring its technology to smart city projects around the world.

Pavegen produces an interactive flooring technology which converts the kinetic energy of footfall into off-grid electricity, data and rewards. The firm is headquartered in London, with a research and development team in Cambridge, the UK’s tech hub.

Having delivered more than 200 installations around the world, the firm is looking to build on its portfolio of permanent installations which include transport hubs such as Heathrow, a park in Washington DC, schools, corporate HQs and sports facilities in cities including London, Rio and Seoul.

[Read more…] about Pavegen and Siemens sign agreement on ‘pavement power’ energy and data harvesting

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