Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

Search Results for: st robotics

Industrial robot revenue will triple by 2025, says report

by

industrial robots

ABI Research forecasts revenues will reach nearly $45 billion in 2025, fueled by Chinese demand

ABI Research forecasts that industrial robot shipments will exhibit an average year-over-year growth rate of 16 per cent by 2021.

As industrial robots continue to infiltrate the workforce to increase production efficiencies, this will result in annual revenue exceeding $30 billion in 2020 and nearly $45 billion in 2025.

The automotive sector will remain the leading acquirer of industrial systems, even as it loses share to other growing industry verticals, including the electrical and electronics, rubber, and plastics industries.  [Read more…] about Industrial robot revenue will triple by 2025, says report

Johnson Controls launches ‘unique’ water and energy saving system

by

johnson controls bluestream
Johnson Controls says its BlueStream Hybrid Cooling System helps customers address water and energy challenges in their facilities

Johnson Controls says it has developed a “unique, innovative and industry-leading solution” to help customers address water and energy challenges in facilities through more efficient cooling tower operations.

The solution, called the BlueStream Hybrid Cooling System, will be featured at the 2017 Air-Conditioning Heating and Refrigeration Expo in Las Vegas (booth C3124).

Johnson says BlueStream features a groundbreaking technology – thermosyphon hybrid cooling – to reduce water consumption in traditional cooling tower systems by 25 to 80 percent compared to all-evaporative heat rejection systems. It also maintains peak process output and energy efficiency on the hottest summer days.  [Read more…] about Johnson Controls launches ‘unique’ water and energy saving system

Construction: Interference could undermine development of crane technology

by

crane collapse

Keith Armstrong, worldwide electromagnetic compatibility specialist at EMC Standards, looks at problems with electrical interference and how construction managers can minimise their risk

Cranes are synonymous with the idea of development. Typically used to construct buildings, cranes aid the economic and social development of a town or city. However, cranes suffer from a persistent problem that is indicative of a significant threat to the future of technology: interference.

In the early days of the UK Department of Trade and Industry’s EMC Awareness Campaign, there was an infamous incident where a man was crushed to death by a crane. In this case, electrical interference caused the crane to prematurely release its load while the man was operating it with his radio-control pendant. Unfortunately, this tragedy is not an isolated incident.

There was another incident with a company that claimed to have made the controls and drives for the first large scale hovercraft-testing tank in the late 1960s. It was, in effect, a sophisticated travelling overhead crane, which ran the length of a gantry along overhead rails and towed a hovercraft shape along a large pool of water in an even larger building. In those days, they used resistor-transistor logic, which ran on a 40 V rail to provide noise immunity.

[Read more…] about Construction: Interference could undermine development of crane technology

Energy management systems: Growing more critical by the minute

by

siemens ems
Energy management systems are becoming increasingly important as power becomes more expensive. Picture courtesy of Siemens

An energy management system is a set of computer-based tools used to optimise the production and consumption of power. 

Generally speaking, EMS applications are found in the power-generation sector, in utilities, but they are becoming increasingly important in industrial operations large and small.

Additionally, they are being installed for the home, along with smart meters connected to smart grids. This market will become increasingly important as consumers use a greater number of electrical devices and appliances, including power-hungry ones like electric cars.  [Read more…] about Energy management systems: Growing more critical by the minute

Toyota shows off futuristic Concept-i vehicle featuring AI that learns from driver

by

toyota concept-i
The Toyota Concept-i features AI which anticipates the driver’s needs, says the company

Toyota has demonstrated a concept vehicle which features artificial intelligence that “grows with the driver”. 

The appropriately named Concept-i is said to offer an “immersive” AI system which anticipates drivers’ requirements and “inspires their imaginations and improves their lives”.

The AI system is nicknamed “Yui” and is likely to feature in Toyota’s other cars going forward.  [Read more…] about Toyota shows off futuristic Concept-i vehicle featuring AI that learns from driver

Industrial design: Prepare for product as a service

by

3dexperience-platform

Bob Hillier, managing director of product lifecycle management solutions provider Design Rule discusses the concept of PaaS and the software tools that can help OEMs make the move to this new sales model

Global power systems company Rolls-Royce recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of its “Power-by-the-Hour” approach to engine maintenance management.

Since its introduction, we’ve seen companies from the automotive, aerospace and industrial sectors following suit, making product as a service (PaaS) plans available to their customers.

Offering PaaS involves a complete transformation of the original equipment manufacturer business model. It returns ownership and responsibility to the OEM, which drives the need for more reliable and higher quality products being delivered.  [Read more…] about Industrial design: Prepare for product as a service

Industrial internet: Advantech joins LoRa Alliance

by

Advantech, which claims to be one of the world’s leading suppliers of industrial computers and “intelligent systems”, has joined the LoRa Alliance. 

The LoRa Alliance is open, non-profit association which provides a forum for its 400 members to develop standards for internet of things technologies.

Advantech says it will provide the LoRa gateway and sensor node devices based on the M2.com open standard for Industry 4.0 and Smart City applications.  [Read more…] about Industrial internet: Advantech joins LoRa Alliance

Integrating industry with the universe

by

kuka robot at hannover messe
A scene from last year’s Hannover Messe, which attracted more than 200,000 visitors

lockHannover Messe is widely regarded as the world’s leading trade fair for industrial companies – particularly those in engineering, robotics, and automation.

Held in Germany every year in April, the event attracts more than 200,000 visitors and over 5,000 exhibitors.

Considered to be the most important exhibition of its type, last year the special guests were German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and US President Barack Obama.  [Read more…] about Integrating industry with the universe

Virtual factory: Visual Components launches new version of its industrial design application

by

visual components robots

Visual Components has launched the latest version of its design application which the company says offers a number of new features and capabilities. 

Visual Components 4.0 is the company’s new range of 3D factory simulation products, designed for manufacturing professionals and built on a “powerful, flexible, and scalable platform”.

The company says the new version offers:

  • smarter simulation;
  • improved user interface refresh;
  • better performance;
  • advanced rendering; and
  • open architecture.

Visual Components was founded by a group of simulation experts with long experience in industry.  [Read more…] about Virtual factory: Visual Components launches new version of its industrial design application

Equashield drug-compounding robot causes a stir at industry conference

by

The Equashield Pro drug-compounding robotic system
The Equashield Pro drug-compounding robotic system

Equashield’s high throughput robot unveiled at American Society of Health System Pharmacy Midyear Meeting in Las Vegas

Equashield says its new drug-dealing robot was “extremely well received” on its introduction at the American Society of Health System Pharmacy Midyear Meeting in Las Vegas, US.

Equashield, a provider of closed system transfer devices (CTSD) for the handling of hazardous drugs, formally unveiled what it claims is “the world’s first robot” with a closed system, the Equashield Pro, at the ASHP event this week.

The Equashield booth attracted a large number of visitors to see a novel way of compounding hazardous drugs, says the company.  [Read more…] about Equashield drug-compounding robot causes a stir at industry conference