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ai in manufacturing

$50 million funding sparks ‘manufacturing technology breakthroughs’ in Ontario

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Companies in four key sectors of Ontario’s economy – advanced manufacturing, agri-food, mining and construction – have been given a significant boost, thanks to a $50 million funding and support program by the Ontario government, led by the Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI).

One year after its launch, OCI’s Critical Industrial Technologies (CIT) program – which includes up to $1 million for company collaborations and $100,000 for individual businesses to support research and development, equipment purchases, product testing, talent, upskilling and reskilling – has fast-tracked the commercialization of more than 100 emerging technologies that are helping to advance Ontario’s manufacturing competitiveness on the global stage.

OCI president and CEO Claudia Krywiak will highlight some of these success stories and unveil funding and support opportunities still available to Ontario manufacturers – both large and small – as a speaker at the Canadian Manufacturing Technology Show (CMTS) 2025, Canada’s national industry event which takes place at the Toronto Congress Centre from September 29 to October 2. [Read more…] about $50 million funding sparks ‘manufacturing technology breakthroughs’ in Ontario

AI Meets Field Robotics: Why Smart Inspections Go Beyond Automation

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The Hidden Weakness of Automation

At first glance, many workshops give the impression that machines are running the show. A welding arm sends out brief showers of sparks, a drone hovers around a steel beam, and a small transport unit winds its way between stacks of pallets.

From a distance it looks like a closed system without weak points. A closer look tells another story.

Motors that run smoothly for most of the shift can hide tiny fractures that end in sudden stoppage. In one automotive plant, a single unnoticed crack in a gearbox housing forced an entire line to shut down for two days. [Read more…] about AI Meets Field Robotics: Why Smart Inspections Go Beyond Automation

Siemens partners with Snowflake to enable IT/OT convergence across edge and cloud for industrial customers

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Siemens is collaborating with Snowflake, the AI data cloud company, to help manufacturers unlock new levels of operational efficiency, scale and AI-driven insights.

The collaboration enables mutual customers across the globe to connect their operational technology (OT) data from the shop floor with information technology (IT) data, such as supply chain management and financial data.

By connecting Siemens Industrial Edge and Snowflake’s AI Data Cloud, manufacturers can access plug-and-play Industrial Edge applications to contextualize and transfer OT data into IT systems. [Read more…] about Siemens partners with Snowflake to enable IT/OT convergence across edge and cloud for industrial customers

Delta Electronics unveils new collaborative robots at Automation Taipei

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Delta Electronics has unveiled new smart manufacturing solutions at Automation Taipei 2025, including the Asian debut of its collaborative robots (cobots) and AI cognitive module, which enable intuitive human-robot collaboration for industries such as electronics, automotive, and logistics.

The company also demonstrated its cyber-physical integration demo line, which uses digital twin technology to cut design-to-deployment time by 20 percent.

Andy Liu, general manager of Delta’s Industrial Automation Business Group, says: “Geopolitical tensions, tariffs, and rising carbon emissions costs are driving manufacturers to decentralize production across the globe. [Read more…] about Delta Electronics unveils new collaborative robots at Automation Taipei

MIT launches new initiative to ‘transform US manufacturing’ with AI and automation

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By Eric Bender, MIT Industrial Liaison Program

“Manufacturing is the engine of society, and it is the backbone of robust, resilient economies,” says John Hart, head of MIT’s Department of Mechanical Engineering (MechE) and faculty co-director of the MIT Initiative for New Manufacturing (INM).

“With manufacturing a lively topic in today’s news, there’s a renewed appreciation and understanding of the importance of manufacturing to innovation, to economic and national security, and to daily lives.”

Launched this May, INM will “help create a transformation of manufacturing through new technology, through development of talent, and through an understanding of how to scale manufacturing in a way that enables imparts higher productivity and resilience, drives adoption of new technologies, and creates good jobs,” Hart says. [Read more…] about MIT launches new initiative to ‘transform US manufacturing’ with AI and automation

HD shipbuilding unit partners with Persona AI to implement humanoid welding robots

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HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) and HD Hyundai Robotics has signed a “landmark” agreement with Persona AI, a developer of embodied artificial intelligence, and robotics integration and manufacturing firm Vazil company. 

The agreement, signed during a formal ceremony in Houston, Texas, initiates a joint program to create humanoid robots capable of performing complex welding tasks in shipyard environments.

This strategic partnership aims to usher in a new era of human-machine collaboration. The initiative will deliver prototype humanoids by the end of 2026, with field testing and full commercial deployment scheduled to begin in 2027. [Read more…] about HD shipbuilding unit partners with Persona AI to implement humanoid welding robots

Foundation EGI raises $23 million to build ‘world’s first engineering general intelligence platform’

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Foundation EGI, developer of what it describes as “the world’s first Engineering General Intelligence (EGI) platform”, has raised $23 million in oversubscribed Series A funding, raising over $30 million total.

The company is accelerating its vision of turning manufacturing’s biggest bottlenecks into breakthroughs using domain-specific AI.

The latest round was led by Translink Capital with participation from RRE Ventures, McRock Capital, Escape Investment Management (Jim Scapa), Fifth Growth Fund, and returning backers including E14 Fund, UNION, GRIDS Capital, and Henry Ford III. [Read more…] about Foundation EGI raises $23 million to build ‘world’s first engineering general intelligence platform’

Augmentus raises $11 million to scale physical AI for complex robotic surface finishing and welding

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Augmentus, the developer of an intelligent no-code robotics solution, has raised $11 million (SGD $14 million) in a Series A+ funding round.

The funds will be used to accelerate regional deployment of its fully autonomous robotic surface finishing and welding systems, fulfill demand from marquee manufacturing customers, and advance R&D into hyper-adaptive, AI-driven robotic systems built for the factory floor.

The round was led by Woori VP, with participation from new investor EDBI, alongside returning backers Sierra Ventures and Cocoon Capital. [Read more…] about Augmentus raises $11 million to scale physical AI for complex robotic surface finishing and welding

Nvidia and partners highlight ‘next-generation’ robotics, automation and AI technologies at Automatica

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From the heart of Germany’s automotive sector to manufacturing hubs across France and Italy, Europe is embracing industrial AI and advanced AI-powered robotics to address labor shortages, boost productivity and fuel sustainable economic growth.

Robotics companies are developing humanoid robots and collaborative systems that integrate AI into real-world manufacturing applications.

Supported by a $200 billion investment initiative and coordinated efforts from the European Commission, Europe is positioning itself at the forefront of the next wave of industrial automation, powered by AI. [Read more…] about Nvidia and partners highlight ‘next-generation’ robotics, automation and AI technologies at Automatica

Bosch plans to invest €2.5 billion into AI agent technology over the next two years

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Bosch, one of the world’s largest industrial conglomerates, says it “continues to set the pace” in the application and development of artificial intelligence (AI): by the end of 2027, the technology company will invest more than €2.5 billion in this field.

AI is an innovation booster and growth driver for Bosch products and services. It makes automated driving safer, reliably checks quality in manufacturing, and makes everyday life easier for consumers at work, in their free time, and at home.

“The breakthroughs in AI make it possible to open up completely new chapters in technology, accelerate the development of innovations, and turn these into business,” says Stefan Hartung, chairman of the Bosch board of management. [Read more…] about Bosch plans to invest €2.5 billion into AI agent technology over the next two years