Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

automation

Epson showcases new Flexion industrial robot and printer built using SCARA robot

by

Flexion at tradeshow
Epson’s Flexion 6-axis industrial robot

Epson Robots is showcasing a range of new technologies for a wide variety of applications in factory automation at the Automation Technology show, ATX East.

ATX is currently under way, running from June 13-15, and is being held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York, in the US. Epson’s booth is number 2405.

Epson’s showcase will feature the new and “revolutionary” Flexion N2 6-Axis robot as well as an assembly demo of an Epson Point of Sale printer built with a high precision SCARA robot and a compact 6-Axis robot.  [Read more…] about Epson showcases new Flexion industrial robot and printer built using SCARA robot

SoftWear Automation raises another $4.5 million and pledges to help bring back manufacturing to the US

by

 

SoftWear Automation, an Atlanta-based robotic sewing firm, has received $4.5 million in financing from existing investor, CTW Venture Partners.

The company says funding will accelerate the company’s development of fully automated sewn good worklines specifically for apparel production in the United States.

Additionally, the company plans to add 20 employees to keep pace with growing customer demand.  [Read more…] about SoftWear Automation raises another $4.5 million and pledges to help bring back manufacturing to the US

ABB’s YuMi collaborative robot rings opening bell at Nasdaq stock market

by

Collaborative robot YuMi was the – arguably oblivious – guest of Robo Global, creator of the world’s first robotics and automaton investor index series

ABB’s YuMi dual-arm, collaborative robot rang the opening bell today at the Nasdaq MarketSite Studio in Times Square in New York City to start the trading day.

YuMi was a guest of Robo Global, which offers The Robo Global Robotics and Automation Index Series, the world’s first benchmark index series to track the global robotics and automation market.

Greg Scheu, president of the Americas region for ABB, joined YuMi and Robo Global executives at the podium for the ceremony.  [Read more…] about ABB’s YuMi collaborative robot rings opening bell at Nasdaq stock market

Opinion: North America and its chief robotics officers will drive ‘Industry 5.0’

by

 

By Matt Rendall, CEO and co-founder of Otto Motors, and host of the forthcoming Drive Manufacturing Summit

Manufacturers in North American know robotics and automation; they have studied and put into practice the Ford Production System and the Toyota Production System to continuously improve operations, with much of those improvements made by the use and integration of automation.

As such, the sector has traditionally been one of the first industries to grab hold of burgeoning robotics technologies and incorporate them into process.

This said, something has changed in the last 10 years – while manufacturers have focused on continuous improvement within their space, the technology sector has also been making leaps and bounds in innovation, with new capabilities spanning cloud computing, big data, and mobile computing.  [Read more…] about Opinion: North America and its chief robotics officers will drive ‘Industry 5.0’

Chinese government’s plan to grow robotics and automation industry seems to be working

by

China’s plan to expand the nation’s robotics and automation industry seems to be working, according to a new survey by TheRobotReport.com. 

The website tracks robotics companies worldwide and editor Frank Tobe says he wrote about 194 robot companies in China in 2015, but now that number has more than doubled to greater than 500.

The Chinese government launched a “robot revolution” as part of its Made in China 2025 program a couple of years ago, partly because it has become the world’s biggest buyer of robots and would like some of those robots to be made by domestic companies.  [Read more…] about Chinese government’s plan to grow robotics and automation industry seems to be working

SAE’s full list of levels for autonomous vehicles

by

This is the full list of SAE’s autonomy levels:

Level 0 – No Automation: The full-time performance by the human driver of all aspects of the dynamic driving task, even when enhanced by warning or intervention systems.

Level 1 – Driver Assistance: The driving mode-specific execution by a driver assistance system of either steering or acceleration/deceleration using information about the driving environment and with the expectation that the human driver performs all remaining aspects of the dynamic driving task.

Level 2 – Partial Automation: The driving mode-specific execution by one or more driver assistance systems of both steering and acceleration/deceleration using information about the driving environment and with the expectation that the human driver performs all remaining aspects of the dynamic driving task.

Level 3 – Conditional Automation: The driving mode-specific performance by an Automated Driving System of all aspects of the dynamic driving task with the expectation that the human driver will respond appropriately to a request to intervene.

Level 4 – High Automation: The driving mode-specific performance by an Automated Driving System of all aspects of the dynamic driving task, even if a human driver does not respond appropriately to a request to intervene.

Level 5 – Full Automation: The full-time performance by an Automated Driving System of all aspects of the dynamic driving task under all roadway and environmental conditions that can be managed by a human driver.

Aethon launches new autonomous mobile robots at Automate 2017

by

aethon tug

Aethon has demonstrated new products at Automate 2017 in Chicago specifically designed to address the needs of manufacturers looking to automate material movement and connect islands of automation within their plants.

Aethon showcased new mobile robots and software control systems allowing their robotic platform to achieve Level 4 autonomy. (Full list of autonomy levels, as published by SAE.)

Aethon will feature the T3 and T3XL model robots, which represent the newest innovations in automated material movement.  [Read more…] about Aethon launches new autonomous mobile robots at Automate 2017

What’s in the stars for manufacturing in India?

by

Exclusive interview with Sharmila Annaswamy, India-based consultant specialising in industry

Apple recently established a manufacturing facility in India, through Foxconn, the Taiwanese company which makes its iPhones, iPads and other devices. 

For Sharmila Annaswamy, a Frost & Sullivan consultant specialising in industry, the tech giant’s decision is one of the “remarkable achievements” of the government’s Make in India campaign.

As well as Apple and Foxconn, a number of Chinese companies have set up manufacturing facilities in India. Huawei, for example, plans to make smartphones in the country.

In an exclusive interview with RoboticsAndAutomationNews.com, Annaswamy says: “Apple and other large companies moving into India is one of the good things that is happening with the Make in India campaign, which the government has been promoting on a large scale.  [Read more…] about What’s in the stars for manufacturing in India?

Cognitive technologies and AI poised to transform all manufacturing sectors, says Frost

by

ibm ai

Partnership, collaboration, and technology investment crucial for growth opportunities, says Frost & Sullivan’s industrial automation and process control team 

The Internet of Things and data analytics are transforming the manufacturing space, and data is the new currency.

Currently, human intervention is needed for logical and reasonable decision making. However, with the rise of cognitive technologies, machines will be empowered to detect constantly changing manufacturing scenarios and respond in real time with minimum human intervention.

To be successful, manufacturers need to invest in artificial intelligence technology to improve plant efficiency and productivity, and build partnerships and collaborations that drive data-driven intelligence.  [Read more…] about Cognitive technologies and AI poised to transform all manufacturing sectors, says Frost

Robots now ‘essential’ to clinical diagnostic labs, says new report

by

fl smith lab automation
Picture courtesy FL Automation

There is an $8.8 billion market for robotic laboratory automation systems, according to Kalorama Information.

The healthcare research firm just completed a report on lab robots, and notes the imbalance between the high demand for diagnostics and the lack of supply of qualified technicians.

Bruce Carlson, publisher of Kalorama, says: “More than two-thirds of clinical decisions are based on laboratory test results, and new tests are developed constantly.

“But a shrinking field of qualified laboratory personnel, while demand grows requires something to handle the tasks created.”  [Read more…] about Robots now ‘essential’ to clinical diagnostic labs, says new report