Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

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9 Safety Features that Can Prevent Car Accidents

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Advancements in automotive technology have led to newer cars coming equipped with innovative safety features aimed at preventing accidents.

While driver error is the leading cause of accidents, with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration stating that 94% of all accidents are caused by driver error, these features provide an extra layer of protection and crash avoidance when situations go awry on the roads.

Even with the best assistive technology available, car accidents can still happen. And while such technology might reduce the severity of collisions, it cannot completely prevent all damages and losses after a crash. [Read more…] about 9 Safety Features that Can Prevent Car Accidents

Autonomous Emergency Brake: What is it All About?

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The term “autonomous emergency braking” (AEB) refers to a system that continuously monitors the road ahead and will automatically stop the car if the driver fails to take action. This technology was initially launched in 2009, in an effort to prevent auto accidents and lessen their severity. [Read more…] about Autonomous Emergency Brake: What is it All About?

ZF launches its ‘most advanced’ autonomous emergency braking system for commercial vehicles in China

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Automotive systems manufacturer ZF is preparing for volume production of its most advanced autonomous emergency braking assistance system in China. OnGuardMAX will be installed in new truck models by two leading Chinese manufacturers from this year.

Sophisticated data integration with state-of-the-art camera and radar sensor helps the system autonomously detect, classify and react on moving and stationary vehicles, motorcycles and bicycles.

The system warns the driver of imminent collisions and, if necessary, can autonomously bring the vehicle to a complete stop. This advanced object detection and autonomous braking capability further enables the new ZF system to help avoid or mitigate accidents involving pedestrians. [Read more…] about ZF launches its ‘most advanced’ autonomous emergency braking system for commercial vehicles in China

ABB RobotStudio now enables reduction of robotic cell footprint by 25 per cent

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ABB says its RobotStudio offline programming and simulation software has been upgraded with a new virtual robot braking distance function designed to create an exact simulation of the real-world stopping distance of a robot.

Enabling the robot’s braking distance to be accurately calculated, the function overcomes the need to add safety margins into cell designs, enabling space savings of up to 25 per cent.

Predicting exactly where a robot will stop depends on a range of variables including speed, payload and the robot’s own inertia. These factors, individually or combined, can result in the robot coming to a halt outside of its safety zone, sometimes by several meters. [Read more…] about ABB RobotStudio now enables reduction of robotic cell footprint by 25 per cent

ABB says its RobotStudio’s new braking distance simulator reduces robotic cell footprint by ‘up to 25 percent’

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ABB’s RobotStudio offline programming and simulation software has been upgraded with a new virtual robot braking distance function designed to create an exact simulation of the real-world stopping distance of a robot.

Enabling the robot’s braking distance to be accurately calculated, the function overcomes the need to add safety margins into cell designs, enabling space savings of up to 25 percent.

Predicting exactly where a robot will stop depends on a range of variables including speed, payload and the robot’s own inertia. These factors, individually or combined, can result in the robot coming to a halt outside of its safety zone, sometimes by several meters. [Read more…] about ABB says its RobotStudio’s new braking distance simulator reduces robotic cell footprint by ‘up to 25 percent’

General Motors and University of Michigan develop automated safety features

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As General Motors moves toward its vision of a world with zero crashes, the company is partnering with the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute to understand the real-world effectiveness of some of its available active safety, driver assistance, and advanced headlighting features that may prevent or mitigate different types of crashes.

The company says results show that several of these features are making a statistically significant impact in helping to reduce crashes.

The study leveraged 3.7 million GM vehicles across 20 different models from 2013-2017. Fifteen different systems were evaluated using police report crash databases available to UMTRI from 10 states. [Read more…] about General Motors and University of Michigan develop automated safety features

Public policy group calls for updating of laws to enable driverless truck platooning

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A US public policy organization called the Competitive Enterprise Institute is urging states to update their laws to enable driverless truck platooning.

The CEO says the measures would offers safety, economic, and environmental benefits.

New automated vehicle technology will help freight truck companies transport consumer goods in a more fuel-efficient way, reducing transportation costs and emissions and boosting highway safety thanks to always-on automatic emergency braking. [Read more…] about Public policy group calls for updating of laws to enable driverless truck platooning

Rough seas: Resistors for severe environments

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Container ship New Orleans

Resistor liquid cooling boosts 3.3kV medium voltage loads, and slashes resistor footprint in industrial and marine applications, as David Atkins, projects director at Cressall Resistors explains

In motor driven applications like cranes, lifts, hoists and conveyors, air cooled resistors are common, but in medium voltage, high power applications liquid cooling wins out.

A medium voltage drive running off a 3.3kV supply to turn a 500kW motor will put a severe heating load on the application’s power transistors – hence the need for water cooling.

The new EV2 advanced water cooled modular resistor range for low and medium voltage applications is especially designed to function in severe environments, like the ones marine systems have to function in.

This patented design encapsulates and completely separates the resistor elements from the coolant.  [Read more…] about Rough seas: Resistors for severe environments

Braking resistors that will not break

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cressall braking resistors

David Atkins, projects director at Cressall Resistors, explains why design is essential not only in art, but also in industry, especially when designing equipment such as power resistors for demanding environments like oil and gas

One of the most popular works of Renaissance sculpture is Michelangelo’s David, a piece that has become synonymous with human strength and beauty.

Despite its seemingly perfect proportions, a basic design flaw of the statue has recently been brought to light.

Recurring micro-fractures in the ankles might cause the statue to collapse under its own weight.  [Read more…] about Braking resistors that will not break

Industrial power: The road to energy efficiency starts here

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Leonardo da Vinci robot drummer
Leonardo da Vinci sketched a large number of mechanical ideas, including this robot drummer

Tony Young, owner and director of supply and repair specialist CP Automation, explains how easy it can be to make industrial applications more energy efficient by using regenerative braking

Did you know the invention of robots dates back to XVth century?

When Leonardo da Vinci explored the idea of the human body as a machine, he came up with a robotic knight – medieval armour designed with gears, wheels, pulleys and cables that allowed it to move its arms and legs.

Premature inventions like this one populate the engineering landscape to this day, often when it comes to energy-saving technologies such as regenerative braking.  [Read more…] about Industrial power: The road to energy efficiency starts here