Robotics & Automation News

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South Korea tops ‘Automation Readiness Index’

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South Korea, Germany and Singapore are the world’s top-ranked nations in their preparations for smoothly integrating intelligent automation into their economies, according to an index and report released today by ABB and The Economist Intelligence Unit.

The report “The Automation Readiness Index (ARI): Who Is Ready for the Coming Wave of Innovation?” finds that even the best-prepared countries must develop even more effective education policies and training programs, as well as place a new emphasis on continual learning over the course of a career.

Those policies and programs, the report recommends, must ensure that the rapid adoption of automation technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) will not leave people unprepared for the new, more human-oriented jobs that will be needed as robots and algorithms take on more of the routine tasks that can be and will be automated.

[Read more…] about South Korea tops ‘Automation Readiness Index’

ABB launches first 350 kW high power car charger

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ABB has launched its newest electric vehicle (EV) charging solution, the Terra HP, the first 350 kW product on the market. Charging time for a range of 200 km is just eight minutes, claims the company.

Ideally suited for use at motorway service and petrol stations, Terra HP’s ultra-high current has the capacity to charge both 400 V and 800 V cars at full power.

The addition of Dynamic DC power sharing technology, allows a two-power cabinet charging system to charge a couple of EVs simultaneously, with up to 350 kW, while dynamically optimizing the available grid connection and the power delivery to the two vehicles.

[Read more…] about ABB launches first 350 kW high power car charger

ABB and Heliospectra partner in the Middle East and Africa

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Technology collaboration to explore “innovative and sustainable control solutions” to increase horticultural and commercial food production

ABB and Heliospectra are joining forces to explore solutions that they say will boost the productivity and the sustainability of greenhouse and controlled environment agriculture produce industry in the Middle East and Africa.

ABB is an industrial giant with a big controls business, and Heliospectra is said to be a world leader in intelligent lighting technology for greenhouse and controlled plant growth environments.

The collaboration propels exploration of new food production technologies and commercial infrastructure to address increasing demand for sustainably grown agricultural products.  [Read more…] about ABB and Heliospectra partner in the Middle East and Africa

ABB showcases electric vehicle technology to German and Mexican leaders

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ABB has been showcasing its latest technologies for electric vehicles to the German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto at Hannover Messe.

The two leaders, along with ABB CEO Ulrich Spiesshofer, were shown a demonstration of the company’s new high power fast charging solution: the Terra HP EV charging station with a power output of up to 350 kW recharges a car battery in just eight minutes for 200 km reach.

“This high-power fast charger provides electric vehicles with up to seven times more range in the same charging time than with previous models,” Spiesshofer said. [Read more…] about ABB showcases electric vehicle technology to German and Mexican leaders

ABB to invest €100 million in global innovation and training centre at B&R location

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One year after announcing its acquisition of Bernecker + Rainer Industrie-Elektronik, ABB is to invest €100 million in Austria to build a state-of-the-art innovation and training campus at the home of B&R in Eggelsberg, Upper Austria.

It is the largest organic investment in industrial automation in ABB’s more than 130-year history and lays the foundation for around 1,000 new high-tech jobs in Austria.

The new innovation and training campus will develop technologies for the factory of the future, based on ABB Ability, in which production will be undertaken autonomously by smart and cloud-connected machines and robots.  [Read more…] about ABB to invest €100 million in global innovation and training centre at B&R location

ABB cobots and software on show at Pack Expo East

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ABB will feature robotic and motion technologies such as the YuMi collaborative robot and the ABB IRB 460 palletizing robot for packaging and warehouse distribution applications at Pack Expo East 2018, April 16-18 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, USA.

For food & beverage, an ABB demo will feature an IRB 360 FlexPicker® with PickMaster™ software and an IRB 910SC SCARA robot working together to pick and place apples from a randomized infeed flow.

Both the FlexPicker and the SCARA robots feature Soft Robotics grippers, a technology that can manipulate items of varying size, shape and weight with a single device.

[Read more…] about ABB cobots and software on show at Pack Expo East

Baldor Electric Company rebranding under ABB

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ABB will integrate the Baldor Electric Company name into its global ABB brand. Beginning March 1, 2018, Baldor Electric Company, a member of the ABB group for more than seven years, will be known as ABB.

As ABB, the organization will continue to manufacture, design and market the product brands of Baldor-Reliance® motors and Dodge® mechanical power transmission products from 15 U.S. manufacturing locations.

The organization will continue to support ABB’s entire U.S. motors and generators business unit, including ABB branded IEC motors, large AC motors, generators and related services from the motors, generators and mechanical business headquarters in Fort Smith, Arkansas.

[Read more…] about Baldor Electric Company rebranding under ABB

New ABB motor-starting solution introduces tool-free, push-in wiring

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ABB is launching the industry’s first range of motor-starting solutions with a push-in spring technology that makes fault-free wiring easier. The innovative tool-free connection concept speeds up wiring work and provides a vibration-resistant connection that makes continuous operation more reliable.

ABB’s intuitive 2-in-1 design combines the advantages of both Push-in and Spring technology in a single terminal.

In Push-in mode, rigid cables or cables with ferrules can be connected tool-free. The operator just pushes them into the cable holes, cutting wiring time by up to 50 percent in comparison to a conventional spring solution and making installation easier.

[Read more…] about New ABB motor-starting solution introduces tool-free, push-in wiring

ABB boss talks up musical talents of company’s YuMi collaborative robot

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ABB boss Ulrich Spiesshofer has been praising the musical talents of the company’s YuMi collaborative robot. 

The chief executive of the industrial giant is said to have musical talents of his own and can play the clarinet, saxophone and accordion.

Robotics and Automation News has been trying to get an interview with Spiesshofer but he gave an exclusive interview to Forbes instead.  [Read more…] about ABB boss talks up musical talents of company’s YuMi collaborative robot

New ABB products premier at Data Center World 2018

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ABB will unveil two of its latest products on Stand D1130 at this year’s Data Centre World, at ExCel London, March 21-22.

The first product – TruONE – is an automatic transfer switch (ATS) with connectivity and monitoring functions for critical power applications.

TruONE is the world’s first true ATS to package all necessary sensors and controllers into a single, easy-to-install device that helps improve protection and makes installation 80 percent faster, claims the company. [Read more…] about New ABB products premier at Data Center World 2018