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Ricardo invests in manufacturing for car transmission systems

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Ricardo has commissioned a state-of-the-art £500k Gleason GP300ES Gear Shaping Machine as part of a strategic multi-year investment programme to consolidate Ricardo’s position in transmission design and manufacturing for worldwide premium motorsports and supercar customers.

This highly advanced manufacturing centre incorporates a totally new shaping head featuring a backlash-free direct drive for the cutter spindle.

With the appropriate software, additional generating cutter rotational motion required for helical gears can be superimposed electronically on the spindle rotation, making it suited for the manufacture of some of the most advanced transmissions systems demanded for motorsport and high-performance supercars.

[Read more…] about Ricardo invests in manufacturing for car transmission systems

Daimler Trucks confirms ‘significant increase’ in unit sales worldwide

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Daimler Trucks claims it is seeing a “significant increase” in unit sales across many key regions around the world.

As part of its Capital Market & Technology Day, Daimler Trucks today confirmed its positive outlook for unit sales and earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) and remains optimistic about its outlook for the current business year.

In the Trucks division, the world’s most successful manufacturer of commercial vehicles anticipates a significant increase in unit sales and EBIT compared with the previous year.  [Read more…] about Daimler Trucks confirms ‘significant increase’ in unit sales worldwide

Briefing – Robotics and Automation in Logistics: Driverless trucks on the horizon

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In this article, Robotics and Automation News marvels at the driverless trucks being developed for freight operations.

Most people know what “freight” means – it refers to the movement of goods by road, rail, sea or air. Beyond that, terminology in that sector can get a little complicated, mostly because some terms are interchangeable.

Logistics, for example, is often used to mean the entire process of moving goods, although professionals in the industry use it to mean a similar thing to freight.  [Read more…] about Briefing – Robotics and Automation in Logistics: Driverless trucks on the horizon

Geek Plus launches ‘world’s first’ interweaving sorting robot for warehouses

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Geek Plus Robotics has launched the latest version of what it claims is “the world’s first interweaving sorting robot” for warehouses, which could be an alternative to conveyor systems.

The robot – called S20 – looks similar to the typical autonomous mobile platforms which have become familiar in roboticised warehouses, but it has a small conveyor belt on top.

In a typical operation, a human warehouse worker could place an item on top of the robot, on the conveyor belt, and then the robot would navigate to the appropriate bin which may be on the other side of the facility, and then place the item in the appropriate bin. (See video below.) [Read more…] about Geek Plus launches ‘world’s first’ interweaving sorting robot for warehouses

Geek Plus boss says customer demand led company to go global

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The senior executive responsible for the global operations of Geek Plus, the warehouse robotics and automation technology provider, says customer demand led the company to go global. 

Speaking to Robotics and Automation News at the recent e-commerce and logistics event, Deliver, Fung said the startup receives customer enquiries every day from all over the world.

Lit Fung, general manager of Geek Plus, said: “From 2016 to 2018, Geek Plus has delivered nearly 4,000 units of our self-driving intelligent robotics systems to more than 55 clients from various industries, including giants like Alibaba, Suning, China Post, and also customers from the third-party logistics sector as well as the pharmaceutical field.

“Apart from that, many customers in Europe, Southeast Asia, contact us to check if Geek Plus automated warehouse robots could be deployed and integrated to their warehouse systems, which strongly motivated us to expand our business to the global market.”  [Read more…] about Geek Plus boss says customer demand led company to go global

Canada prepares for connected and automated vehicles

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Transport Canada is providing $2.9M in funding under the program to Advance Connectivity and Automation in the Transportation System in order to help Canadian jurisdictions prepare for connected and automated vehicles.

Connected and automated vehicles will bring about significant transformation in Canada’s transportation system, its communities, and its economy.

They have the potential to improve road safety, reduce congestion, increase mobility, protect the environment, and generate new economic opportunities for middle-class Canadians.

[Read more…] about Canada prepares for connected and automated vehicles

Volvo demonstrates autonomous bus in Sweden

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Throughout the Volvo Ocean Race competition in Gothenburg, Sweden, the pioneering autonomous Volvo bus will be shown to specially invited guests. The prototype is based on Volvo’s commercially produced electric city bus, which has been modified for autonomous operation.

At the demo event there will be presentations to show how this technology can contribute to safer and more comfortable travel as well as more efficient handling of vehicles in the depot.

“With low noise level and emission-free operation, electric bus systems provide an excellent alternative for attractive and sustainable public transport,” says Håkan Agnevall, President Volvo Buses.

[Read more…] about Volvo demonstrates autonomous bus in Sweden

GreyOrange and Ground providing ‘intelligent logistics’ automation solution to Japan’s largest homebuilder

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Warehouse automation company GreyOrange and e-commerce logistics solutions provider Ground Inc are supplying technology to Daiwa House Industry, which is said to be Japan’s largest homebuilder.

The agreement will include the application of GreyOrange’s Butler robotics solutions at the Daiwa’s Ichikawa logistics center, on the outskirts of Tokyo.

Daiwa House says the GreyOrange Butler robot will be installed at its “Intelligent Logistics Center” in Tokyo for multiple shippers.  [Read more…] about GreyOrange and Ground providing ‘intelligent logistics’ automation solution to Japan’s largest homebuilder

Self-driving car companies face choice between active and passive sensors

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Self-driving cars are close to becoming a reality. When this happens, the sensors they use will be particularly important, says Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd, parent company of Foresight Automotive.

Foresight is developing a sensor system that uses multiple visual light and infrared cameras in stereoscopic technology to interpret its surroundings.

Google’s parent company Alphabet, Inc.  is installing a wide range of sensors in its cars, combining their different inputs to create a fuller picture.

[Read more…] about Self-driving car companies face choice between active and passive sensors

MontraTec to launch self-propelling ‘shuttle carrier’ for intralogistics applications

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Intralogistics solutions provider MontraTec is launching a new self-propelling “shuttle carrier” at Automatica.

The company says it will also be showcasing five new product developments of their future-oriented automation and transport system “montrac”.

The product highlight, however, is the new “shuttle carrier”, which the company says is about connecting rail-bound workstations without rail.  [Read more…] about MontraTec to launch self-propelling ‘shuttle carrier’ for intralogistics applications