Robotics & Automation News

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additive

RoboDK partners with Force Technology and Hexagon to make gears easier to repair

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Force Technology, a Danish technology consultancy and service company, has completed in partnership with Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence and RoboDK . The companies describe it as “a revolutionary project” focused on making gear repair a more sustainable process for manufacturers.

The purpose of the project was to improve laser welding procedures and determine if sustainable gear repair was possible using robot toolpath programming, digital twin, simulation, and post-processing.

Improving this practical application with robot simulation reveals a sustainable gear repair process that can guarantee high-quality results. [Read more…] about RoboDK partners with Force Technology and Hexagon to make gears easier to repair

nTopology claims it can reduce 3D design file sizes by 99 percent

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nTopology, the developer of generative design software for engineering, and EOS, an industrial 3D printing company, are developing a new “Implicit Interop” capability, solving what they see as “a major bottleneck in the additive manufacturing workflow”.

The companies say they are achieving this by allowing the transfer of the most complex designs in megabyte-sized files, thereby quickening the time to manufacturing.

Previewed at the Formnext industry event a few months ago, the technology advancement was said to be “eagerly received” by nTopology partners and customers. [Read more…] about nTopology claims it can reduce 3D design file sizes by 99 percent

Dimensionics invents automated method for density determination technology in additive manufacturing

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Dimensionics Density has unveiled a density determination technology for additive manufacturing which “contributes to the automation of the additive manufacturing process chain”. 

As additive manufacturing is adopted more and more as a production technology, the entire additive manufacturing process chain is under intense scrutiny, but especially in the area of part validation, with finished additive manufacturing parts and components now routinely used in critical end-use applications.

Philipp Pruesse, head of sales at Dimensionics Density, says: “Our technology plays straight into the need for automation in the area of validation and quality control of AM (additive manufacturing) parts, and we have launched an array of tools focussed on the determination of AM part density. [Read more…] about Dimensionics invents automated method for density determination technology in additive manufacturing

Robots vs CNCs: What’s better for working metal?

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By David Alatorre, CTO, Rivelin Robotics

The use of metal additive manufacturing has revolutionized the manufacturing industry, allowing for the creation of complex and intricate parts in a faster and more cost-effective manner.

However, essential post processing of these parts introduces time and financial constraints to the overall cost-per-part that can negate the benefits of additive manufacturing altogether. Support removal is the critical first step of post processing metal additive manufacturing parts, and it is a challenging one.

Today, supports are still essential for part fidelity during the manufacturing process, but they must be removed to achieve the required finished product with the intended shape, features and tolerances. [Read more…] about Robots vs CNCs: What’s better for working metal?

DoE offering $30 million for new materials and manufacturing to lower cost of large wind turbines

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The US Department of Energy has announced a $30 million funding opportunity to advance the cost-effective domestic manufacturing of materials, including lightweight composites, that allow wind turbines to produce power more efficiently.

Because wind energy is the largest source of renewable power in the United States and one of the most affordable sources of energy today, it is a critical tool for reducing our reliance on fossil energy, and next-generation technologies and manufacturing improvements will help bring down costs even more.

The improved materials and manufacturing processes envisioned under this funding opportunity have the potential to reduce wind energy costs and expand the deployment of the nation’s wind energy portfolio in support of President Biden’s goals to reach 100 percent clean electricity by 2035 and a net-zero-emissions economy by 2050. [Read more…] about DoE offering $30 million for new materials and manufacturing to lower cost of large wind turbines

VulcanForms raises $355 million to ‘pioneer industrial-scale digital manufacturing infrastructure’

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VulcanForms, an MIT-born company that builds and operates advanced digital manufacturing infrastructure, has raised $355 million and is valued at over $1 billion.

VulcanForms’ investors include Eclipse Ventures, Stata Venture Partners, Fontinalis Partners, D1 Capital Partners, Standard Investments, Atlas Innovate, Boston Seed Capital, Industry Ventures, and the Simkins Family.

The company also revealed its first two digital production facilities, in Devens, MA and Newburyport, MA, capturing the full value chain for precision metal components and assemblies. [Read more…] about VulcanForms raises $355 million to ‘pioneer industrial-scale digital manufacturing infrastructure’

ASME updates 3D printing standard to streamline production

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Since the 1940s, engineers have used a common design language – a set of definitions, symbols and practices – to draft engineering drawings that can serve as clear manufacturing blueprints or inspection checklists.

While this system still works well for many traditional manufacturing methods, it has not equipped engineers to produce clear and consistent design documents for additive manufacturing, commonly called 3D printing. And the absence of standard methods of communication leaves room for information about 3D-printing designs to be lost in translation.

This week the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) published an updated standard – based in large part on research by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) – that includes language specifically for 3D printing. [Read more…] about ASME updates 3D printing standard to streamline production

How Additive Manufacturing Works and Provides Benefits

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Additive manufacturing is known as 3D printing. Computer-aided programs are used to create 3D objects.

Additive manufacturing is getting popular nowadays. It is a very cost-effective process to design the objects.

Objects are designed with the help of materials such as plastic, ceramic or metal powder. After the design, these printing objects are assembled with heat or a laser beam. [Read more…] about How Additive Manufacturing Works and Provides Benefits

Additive manufacturing startups MakerBot and Ultimaker agree to merge

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MakerBot and Ultimaker, two of the best-known startups in desktop 3D printing, have come to a “business combination agreement” – or a merger.

The company says the move will accelerate the adoption of additive manufacturing by providing a comprehensive desktop 3D printing ecosystem of hardware, software, and materials.

The new entity will be backed by existing investors, NPM Capital and Stratasys, and will benefit from a planned cash investment of $62.4 million to fuel innovation and expansion into new markets. [Read more…] about Additive manufacturing startups MakerBot and Ultimaker agree to merge

Sydney’s ‘factory of the future’ open and ready to drive statewide innovation

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A $25 million facility has today been launched to drive innovation and foster industrial output in the heart of Sydney’s Tech Central. The facility is a foundational node for complementary facilities that support the NSW Government’s projects at Western Sydney Aerotropolis and Western Sydney parklands.

Located in the Engineering precinct of the University of Sydney’s Darlington campus, the Sydney Manufacturing Hub is a new manufacturing-focused research facility that will work alongside industry to deliver cutting-edge R&D in additive manufacturing and materials processing.

It is geared to enable concept-to-production demonstration capabilities, including advanced pre- and post-processing of materials for faculty, students, small and medium-sized companies, and, if needed, larger companies to experience and leverage metal 3D printing (also known as additive manufacturing) and advanced manufacturing – often for the first time. [Read more…] about Sydney’s ‘factory of the future’ open and ready to drive statewide innovation