Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

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Electrify America and Stable partner to offer robotic fast-charging for vehicle fleets

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Electrify America has entered an agreement with San Francisco-based electric vehicle fleet charging company Stable Auto to introduce robotic charging solutions for self-driving vehicles in a pilot demonstration site in San Francisco.

Electrify America is a subsidiary of Volkswagen, and Stable is a startup. Both companies develop infrastructure solutions needed to deploy self-driving and electric vehicle fleets.

Electrify America and Stable say they recognize the emergence of both electric and autonomous vehicle fleets, and are jointly working to address the absence of dedicated charging facilities equipped for such vehicles with this demonstration. [Read more…] about Electrify America and Stable partner to offer robotic fast-charging for vehicle fleets

Cleveron wins deal with Latin American retail giant Falabella Retail

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Estonian click and collect company Cleveron has begun working with Chile-based Falabella Retail, part of Falabella Group, which is the third largest company in Latin America.

Falabella Retail has installed the Cleveron 402 parcel robot, which dispenses online purchases in shops, in the Los Dominicos Shopping Centre in Chile’s capital city Santiago.

Customers make their purchases online, choose in-store delivery and later receive their parcels from the robot using the order code. Cleveron 402 is also used by the fashion retailer Zara.

[Read more…] about Cleveron wins deal with Latin American retail giant Falabella Retail

Fanuc demonstrates cobots at Amazon’s re:MARS Conference

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Fanuc America, supplier of robotics, CNCs and Robomachines, has expanded its line of collaborative robots to include six models, on display at  re:MARS Tech Showcase 4-7 June 4-7 in Las Vegas.

The series of power and force limiting collaborative robots can handle 4-35 kg payloads and a 550-1813 mm reach.

The cobots are equipped with Fanuc’s iHMI touch screen user interface. The Hand Guidance feature allows operators to teach a collaborative robot by leading it through paths, and/or use it to lift heavy objects manually.

[Read more…] about Fanuc demonstrates cobots at Amazon’s re:MARS Conference

Report: North American articulated robots market set to grow

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The revenue of the North America articulated robots market is projected to reach $5.85 billion by 2026 in terms of robot systems including hardware, software & service, a 2019-2026 CAGR of 11.98%, according to a new report from ResearchAndMarkets.com.

The North America Articulated Robots Market by Subsystem, Function, Component, Payload, Industry Vertical, and Country 2015-2026: Growth Opportunity and Business Strategy report says annual shipments are expected to exhibit a CAGR of 14.72% during the same period, advancing to 54.26 thousand units in 2026.

Highlighted with 16 tables and 73 figures, this 159-page report is based on  research of the entire North America articulated robots market and all its sub-segments through detailed classifications.

[Read more…] about Report: North American articulated robots market set to grow

Okuma and Hartwig open tech centre in Houston

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Okuma America Corporation, a world leader in CNC machine tool manufacturing, and Okuma distributor Hartwig, have opened a new Okuma Tech Center at Hartwig Houston in Texas, USA.

The 23,000 sq ft showroom which features more than 20 machine tools – including larger machines specifically built for the oil and gas industry.

Wade Anderson, Okuma Product Specialists Sales Manager and Tech Centers Manager, said: “The new space allows us to show the larger machines that are significant to the oil and gas industry, and our customers can see live-cutting applications demonstrated on these Okuma machine tools.”

Foxconn to build $10 billion manufacturing plant in Wisconsin as part of massive expansion plan in US

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Foxconn says the expansion is the first in a series of investments in the United States

Foxconn says it will invest $10 billion over the next four years to build a liquid crystal display panel manufacturing facility in Wisconsin.

Foxconn, a Taiwanese company also known as Hon Hai Precision, says the new facility will be a “state-of-the-art” plant and part of its “intelligent manufacturing ecosystem”.

Foxconn is one of the world’s largest electronics manufacturing services providers, and makes iPhones and other devices for Apple.

The investment, which is believed to be the largest new greenfield investment made by a foreign-based company in US history, will create 3,000 jobs with the potential to grow to 13,000 new jobs in that state.  [Read more…] about Foxconn to build $10 billion manufacturing plant in Wisconsin as part of massive expansion plan in US

What will America’s roads and highways look like in the future?

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The New Jersey Institute of Technology has been looking into the future to see how roads and highways will change over the next few years, and found a significant proportion of roadways in a poor state. 

Across the United States, says the NJIT, there are more than 4 million miles of public roadways, and 28 percent are listed as being in “poor condition”.

Throughout those roadways, 61,000 bridges are considered “structurally deficient”.

On top of the needs for rebuilding US roadways, 42 percent of America’s major urban highways remain congested, which costs an estimated $101 billion in wasted time and fuel annually.  [Read more…] about What will America’s roads and highways look like in the future?

Sepro launches €11 million expansion of robot operations in France and the US

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sepro building

The Sepro Group has embarked on an €11 million expansion plan which will accelerate its robot operations in France and the US.

Following four years of “record-setting sales growth”, Sepro says its three-phase, €11 million expansion plan will increase production capacity at the company’s headquarters facility in La Roche-sur-Yon, France, and launch a new global training facility nearby.

In the US, the plan will add large-robot assembly capabilities to the systems integration and service operations already in place at the Sepro America operation in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  [Read more…] about Sepro launches €11 million expansion of robot operations in France and the US

ABB and Nova Bus announce collaboration on electric transportation

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abb nova buses electric charging
ABB links up with Nova Buses for electric charging. Picture: Anna Rehnberg for ABB

ABB and Nova Bus have partnered to meet what they see as the “growing need for electric buses and charging infrastructure in North America”

ABB, an engineering company specializing in automotive energy technologies, and Nova Bus, the North American buses manufacturer and division of Volvo Buses, have entered a business collaboration that consists of the delivery of the first ABB’s electric bus “opportunity charger” in North America.

This is the latest development in ABB’s growing network of electric charging infrastructure.

This collaboration reflects Nova Bus plans to keep investing in climate action by offering charging stations and electrified bus solutions to major cities in the United States and Canada.

Derek Monk, general manager, ABB in Canada, says: “Transportation can be one of the biggest contributors to climate change. Supporting Nova Bus with ABB’s innovative charging solution will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

“We’re thrilled to collaborate with Volvo Buses, it represents a major step in the advancement of electric buses in public transit in North America and it will be the first ABB electric bus opportunity charging station in the Americas.”  [Read more…] about ABB and Nova Bus announce collaboration on electric transportation

Manufacturing: Trump tempts Toyota with tax break if it builds cars in US instead of Mexico

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toyota mexico
Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto with Toyota North America CEO James Lentz last year during the start of building the facility in Guanajuato

lockAfter apparently pressuring Ford to change its plans to expand its manufacturing operations in Mexico, President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly putting pressure on Toyota to follow suit. 

Ford had intended to build a plant in Mexico, but is now applying the brakes on those plans, according to the Economist.

A couple of days ago, Ford said it would cancel its $1.6 billion project in San Luis Potosí, Mexico and instead invest $700 million in its plant in Michigan, in the US.  [Read more…] about Manufacturing: Trump tempts Toyota with tax break if it builds cars in US instead of Mexico