Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

additive

Cost reduction in aerospace through additive manufacturing

by

Spacecraft are developed on Earth, tested, fully assembled and transported in one piece by a launch vehicle to their respective places of operation. Each component must be designed to withstand the high loads of the launch phase.

In most cases, in addition to complex test procedures, this leads to an oversized structure of the spacecraft components, because in orbit they experience only a fraction of the stresses they must endure during rocket launch.

The maximum take-off mass required for transport with the launch vehicle and the volume of satellites, for example, thus cause high space transport costs. [Read more…] about Cost reduction in aerospace through additive manufacturing

Aston Martin to integrate 3D printed parts into Callum Vanquish 25

by

The Aston Martin Callum Vanquish 25 by R-Reforged will be the first in a series of bespoke and limited-edition supercars to be designed and produced using MakerBot’s Method X 3D printer, with other projects already in the pipeline.

MakerBot, a 3D printing company and subsidiary of Stratasys, says product design and engineering firm Callum has installed a Method  3D printer to produce functional prototypes, tooling, and production parts across a number of luxury vehicles and lifestyle brands, including the limited edition Aston Martin Callum Vanquish 25 by R-Reforged. [Read more…] about Aston Martin to integrate 3D printed parts into Callum Vanquish 25

General Motors opens new 3D printing facility

by

General Motors has opened a 15,000-square-foot “Additive Industrialization Center”, a facility exclusively dedicated to productionizing 3D printing technology in the automotive industry.

GM says the AIC is the “capstone” of its expertise and increased investment in 3D printing over the past several years.

Audley Brown, GM director of additive design and materials engineering, says: “The core component of GM’s transformation is becoming a more agile, innovative company, and 3D printing will play a critical role in that mission. [Read more…] about General Motors opens new 3D printing facility

MIT releases three new reports related to robotics and manufacturing

by

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has released three new research briefs today from MIT professors and members of the Work of the Future Task Force focused on tech adoption in manufacturing and subsequent workforce impacts.

The briefs break down the adoption of new technologies by US manufacturers as well as the development of new transformative manufacturing technologies: additive manufacturing and industrial robotics.

Specifically, the briefs hone in on three subjects, as listed below. [Read more…] about MIT releases three new reports related to robotics and manufacturing

BMW opens new $17 million additive manufacturing facility

by

BMW has officially opened its new “Additive Manufacturing Campus”. 

The new centre brings together production of prototype and series parts under one roof, along with research into new 3D printing technologies, and associate training for the global rollout of toolless production.

The facility will likely 3D print parts for the Rolls-Royce Phantom, BMW i8 Roadster and MINI John Cooper Works GP, which contains no less than four 3D-printed components as standard. [Read more…] about BMW opens new $17 million additive manufacturing facility

nTopology and Oak Ridge National Laboratory partner to develop additive manufacturing technologies

by

nTopology has entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with Oak Ridge National Laboratory to advance the capabilities of additive manufacturing through integrated software toolkits and embed ORNL expertise into nTop software.

The plan is for these capabilities to be made available commercially to the broader advanced-manufacturing market.

The collaboration incorporates foundational nTopology software with ORNL-developed machine control capabilities on large-scale polymer additive manufacturing systems. [Read more…] about nTopology and Oak Ridge National Laboratory partner to develop additive manufacturing technologies

Overcoming metrology bottlenecks in additive manufacturing

by

By Eric Felkel, product manager optical profilers, Zygo Corporation

Undoubtedly there are many benefits associated with the use of additive manufacturing as a production technology.

Across industries, manufacturers exploit the fact that through the use of additive manufacturing they can not only build complex parts – in one piece – which were previously impossible, but they can also build stronger, lighter weight parts, reduce material consumption, and benefit from assembly component consolidation across a range of applications.

These advantages have been well documented during the last 10-20 years as additive manufacturing has emerged as a truly disruptive technology for not just prototyping but also production, and are invariably seen as being enabled by the additive hardware that builds the parts. [Read more…] about Overcoming metrology bottlenecks in additive manufacturing

ThyssenKrupp and Wilhelmsen to develop additive manufacturing solutions for shipbuilding

by

ThyssenKrupp is collaborating with Wilhelmsen, one of the largest maritime products and services provider in the world, to jointly develop additive manufacturing enabled commercial solutions for the maritime industry.

Under the Memorandum of Agreement signed by both companies, ThyssenKrupp and Wilhelmsen’s Marine Products division will collaborate on providing 3D-printed components for maritime vessels, leveraging on ThyssenKrupp’s expertise in additive manufacturing alongside Wilhelmsen’s in-depth maritime expertise and direct ongoing experience of developing 3D printing as a service for vessels.

The collaboration will also leverage on the capabilities of the recently inaugurated ThyssenKrupp Tech Center in Singapore and its Global Additive Manufacturing Tech Center in Mulheim, which has been awarded the Approval of Manufacturer certificate by leading quality assurance and risk management firm DNV GL. [Read more…] about ThyssenKrupp and Wilhelmsen to develop additive manufacturing solutions for shipbuilding

Siemens further expands portfolio and partnerships for industrialized additive manufacturing

by

Siemens is further expanding its portfolio and partnerships for industrialized additive manufacturing (AM).

The engineering giant is exhibiting at Formnext 2019 under the slogan “Thinking industrialized Additive Manufacturing further!”.

Formnext is regarded as the leading global trade fair dedicated to additive manufacturing and all of its upstream and downstream processes. [Read more…] about Siemens further expands portfolio and partnerships for industrialized additive manufacturing

Essentium research shows industrial-scale 3D printing moving into mainstream manufacturing

by

Essentium, a leading innovator in industrial additive manufacturing, has released the first in a series of findings from independent global research on the current and future use of industrial 3D printing.

The study reveals a significant increase in the use of large-scale additive manufacturing (AM).

The number of manufacturers using 3D printing for full-scale production has doubled compared to last year (40 per cent in 2019; 21 per cent in 2018). [Read more…] about Essentium research shows industrial-scale 3D printing moving into mainstream manufacturing