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US manufacturing growing at ‘fastest rate in two years’

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robots

The US manufacturing sector is growing at the fastest rate it has in more than two years, according to calculations produced by the Institute for Supply Management and published in Forbes, among other media. 

The Manufacturing ISM Report on Business figures show December was the best month for manufacturers in 2016. More components and parts were ordered this month than previous ones.

The ISM report is a survey sent out to a “manufacturing committee”, and collating the responses revealed that “of the 18 manufacturing industries, 11 are reporting growth in December”, according to ISM.

The ISM adds: “Economic activity in the manufacturing sector expanded in December, and the overall economy grew for the 91st consecutive month.”

More details at ISM’s website

Daimler develops ways for industrial robots and factories to save energy under Areus project

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Saving energy has been a serious preoccupation of many industrial companies for many years, but especially in recent years with prices of fuel fluctuating and public concern about the environment growing. 

In the auto manufacturing sector, which buys the most number of industrial robots and uses vast amounts of energy, companies such as Kuka have been looking to make their automation systems more energy efficient.

Now, in the European Union, a project called Automation and Robotics for European Sustainable Manufacturing, or Areus, says it has developed the components of an energy-efficient automobile production system of the future.  [Read more…] about Daimler develops ways for industrial robots and factories to save energy under Areus project

Raspberry Pi partners with RS Components to expand manufacturing operations to Japan

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raspberry pi starter kit

New manufacturing hub in Japan complements UK production operation and expands capacity for famed Raspberry Pi microcomputer

RS Components and the Raspberry Pi Foundation have agreed a deal which will see the latest iteration of the Raspberry Pi 3 credit-card-sized single-board computer being manufactured in Japan under a local contract manufacturing arrangement.

This increase in global production of Raspberry Pi is to serve large and increasing demand for the popular platform in the Asia Pacific region.

William Chong, head of product, supplier, inventory and pricing management, Asia Pacific, RS Components, says: “Existing models of the Raspberry Pi will continue to be manufactured in South Wales, UK, with the dual manufacturing locations in place to cater for future demand growth globally.

“Asia Pacific is a significant growth market for Raspberry Pi, and this new ‘Made in Japan’ element means that we are now geared up for this growth.”  [Read more…] about Raspberry Pi partners with RS Components to expand manufacturing operations to Japan

Small potatoes: A closer look at chips

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microprocessor

One of the issues with analysing the chip market, as with some others, is that the products are complex and have a huge array of applications. This often makes it difficult to compare one chip with another. 

Moreover, some people might not know the difference between a micro-processor and a micro-controller, or what a semiconductor is… and where microchips fit into all this.

So here’s an attempt at an explanation. [Read more…] about Small potatoes: A closer look at chips

Qualcomm could become king of the road if it buys NXP

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qualcomm headquarters

Mergers and acquisitions happen quite frequently these days, and there’s a lot of interest surrounding them. 

For example, there are currently strong rumours that US smartphone chip giant Qualcomm is about to buy NXP Semiconductor for $40 billion.

NXP itself last year bought Freescale for $12 billion. The deal gave NXP access to the market for micro-controllers, in which Freescale is one of the leading companies.

And in a separate, similarly large deal, Japanese communications colossus SoftBank recently agreed to buy the British chip designer ARM for $32 billion.  [Read more…] about Qualcomm could become king of the road if it buys NXP

Foxconn reaches 40,000 industrial robot installations

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Foxconn, the Taiwan-headquartered industrial robotics and automation company which makes a lot of Apple’s devices including the iPhone and iPad, says it has now installed 40,000 industrial robots in mainland China.

This is according to a report on the Next Big Future website, which adds that company plans to increase that figure ten-fold.

The robots are built almost entirely in-house with the exception of some components like servo motors and speed reducers, said Foxconn’s Dai Chia-peng to Taiwan’s Central News Agency, as quoted by DigiTimes.  [Read more…] about Foxconn reaches 40,000 industrial robot installations

Ansible Motion developing defence against motion sickness for autonomous cars

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autonomous cars

With more people set to be reading or using screens in their autonomous cars, Ansible Motion’s simulation technology could highlight what features could prevent sickness from happening

When self-driving cars become the norm, we’re going to have much more spare time, as we’ll no longer be chained to the steering wheel with our eyes locked on the road ahead.

This is brilliant news as we’ll have more time to read, work and play driving games on our phones instead. But it could have one downside: Motion sickness.

Motion sickness is already a problem for many passengers – and when we all become passengers, it seems inevitable that it’ll get worse. In fact, experts are already predicting that between 6 per cent and 12 per cent of Americans can expect to get sick travelling in an autonomous vehicle.  [Read more…] about Ansible Motion developing defence against motion sickness for autonomous cars