Robotics & Automation News

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Dürr to install 120 industrial robots at Chinese auto giant BYD’s first plant in Europe

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The giant Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD Auto is building its first European passenger car plant. To equip it with painting technology, BYD selected Dürr.

Over the coming months, the German mechanical and plant engineering company will send more than 120 robots to Hungary for various painting lines. These robots, fitted with EcoBell3 atomisers, deliver outstanding quality and support sustainable painting.

BYD Auto Company Limited, one of China’s largest vehicle manufacturers and ranks among the market leaders in electric vehicle sales. Now, the company is becoming one of the first Chinese car manufacturers to build a European car factory, located in Szeged, Hungary. [Read more…] about Dürr to install 120 industrial robots at Chinese auto giant BYD’s first plant in Europe

Manufactured in the metaverse: Mercedes-Benz designs virtual factories with Nvidia Omniverse

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Building state-of-the-art factories requires a state-of-the art planning system.

Mercedes-Benz is taking the next step in digitizing its production process, using the Nvidia Omniverse platform to design and plan manufacturing and assembly facilities.

By tapping into Nvidia AI and metaverse technologies, the automaker can create feedback loops to reduce waste, decrease energy consumption and continuously enhance quality. [Read more…] about Manufactured in the metaverse: Mercedes-Benz designs virtual factories with Nvidia Omniverse

Comau supplies robotic systems for 20 Alfa Romeo manufacturing lines

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Comau has designed and deployed a flexible body-in-white (BIW – a car body) manufacturing solution for the all-new Tonale (pictured below), the first Alfa SUV of the new generation, meeting both the customer’s rigorous production targets, quality goals and time to market objectives.

The new and enhanced 20 lines are designed to allow the automaker to assemble its mid-size Tonale in a random mix of up to 4 different versions while maintaining the desired throughput.

Fully scalable, the innovative solution lets the automaker produce multiple brands on the same line whileallowing them to further expand production in the future if and when it is needed. [Read more…] about Comau supplies robotic systems for 20 Alfa Romeo manufacturing lines

SEAT introduces Effidence autonomous mobile robots at Martorell, Spain plant

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European automaker SEAT, which is part of the Volkswagen Group, has introduced two autonomous, collaborative mobile robots that adapt to the needs of employees to help them with tasks such as transporting parts.

The AMRs – called EffiBOTs, originally made by Effidence – have been integrated into the operations at the automaker’s Martorell plant in Spain.

SEAT says the incorporation of the AMRs at the Martorell factory continues the development and implementation of digital tools and solutions to make the facility a smarter, more digitalised and increasingly connected factory. [Read more…] about SEAT introduces Effidence autonomous mobile robots at Martorell, Spain plant

Motors giant Nidec enters into $260 million joint venture with automaker PSA

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Nidec, one of the world’s largest suppliers of motors and other industrial components, has entered into a joint venture with global automaker PSA Group.

The “Nidec-PSA emotors” joint venture has been created by Groupe PSA and Nidec to initiate the design of “future electric motors”.

Shigenobu Nagamori, CEO of Nidec, and Carlos Tavares, CEO of Groupe PSA, endorsed the establishment of Nidec-PSA emotors, saying the new business will be “dedicated to the design, development, manufacture and sale of electric traction motors”.  [Read more…] about Motors giant Nidec enters into $260 million joint venture with automaker PSA

Seat shows off intralogistics robots at Spain factory

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Automaker Seat, which is part of the Volkswagen Group, has been showing off its autonomous and collaborative intralogistics robots at its factory in Martorell, in Spain. 

The company uses 125 automated guided vehicles at the Martorell facility, and the robots share the workspace with 7,000 human employees.

As such, Seat – and others – call these vehicles collaborative robots, because they work alongside humans (video below).

The internal logistics robots were manufactured by a company called Kivnon. Other robotic and autonomous logistics vehicles at the Martorell plant are from Aristeril and Rari.

[Read more…] about Seat shows off intralogistics robots at Spain factory

Daimler lays foundation stone for $280 million Mercedes-Benz plant in Russia

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Bense, von Fritsch, Schaefer, Manturov, Ruess and Vorobyov attend a new Mercedes-Benz plant's cornerstone laying ceremony in the town of Esipovo outside Moscow
Mercedes-Benz Manufacturing Rus CEO Axel Bense, Germany’s Ambassador to Russia Ruediger von Fritsch, member of the divisional board of Mercedes-Benz Cars Markus Schaefer, Russian Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov, head of production planning of Mercedes-Benz Cars Rainer Ruess and Moscow Regional Governor Andrei Vorobyov attend a new Mercedes-Benz plant’s cornerstone laying ceremony in the town of Esipovo outside Moscow, Russia earlier this week. Reuters / Tatyana Makeyeva

By Jack Stubbs, Reuters

Daimler began construction of a new Mercedes-Benz plant near Moscow this week, following through on the first new investment by a major foreign automaker in Russia since Western sanctions were imposed three years ago.

Daimler said in February that it will invest more than $280 million in the factory, contrasting with widespread wariness among international investors after a prolonged downturn brought on by sanctions and a collapse in global oil prices.

But Russia’s economy has recently shown signs of recovery, while its car market is returning to growth after four years of decline.  [Read more…] about Daimler lays foundation stone for $280 million Mercedes-Benz plant in Russia

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