Robotics & Automation News

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Transelec strengthens its electrical system with PcVue SCADA

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Transelec, one of Chile’s leading suppliers of high-voltage systems, says it has strengthened its electrical system and improved the robustness of its operations.

PcVue SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) platform has been selected to control Alto Jahuel substation, the largest one of Chile National Electric System.

With almost 10,000 kilometers of lines and more than 60 substations, from the Arica y Parinacota Region to the Los Lagos Region, Transelec is the main supplier of high voltage systems in Chile. [Read more…] about Transelec strengthens its electrical system with PcVue SCADA

New Scale Robotics releases Q-Span to automate measurement inspection

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New Scale Robotics’ new Q-Span Gauging System enables do-it-yourself automation using existing gauges and workflows.

Quality teams in high-mix, small-batch manufacturing operations can improve throughput and process control by eliminating the bottlenecks and variability inherent in manual gauging.

The mobile workstation combines robotic part handling, automated gauging using a variety of standard gauges, real-time reporting for in-process gauging, and automated data collection. Input from multiple gauges is combined into one convenient output for statistical process control. [Read more…] about New Scale Robotics releases Q-Span to automate measurement inspection

Ready Robotics to install its operating system into Kawasaki industrial robots

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Ready Robotics, creators of Forge/OS, the industrial operating system for robots and automation, is partnering with Kawasaki Robotics to bring Ready’s Forge/OS software to Kawasaki’s robot hardware.

Kawasaki is a leading supplier of industrial robots and automation technology, with robot payloads ranging from 3 to 1,500 kg. With over 50 years of experience and thousands of robots installed worldwide, Kawasaki is an automation partner you can trust.

Ready supports Kawasaki’s R series robots, with capacities from 3 kg to 80 kg. Support for more models will be added in future updates. Forge/OS adds another level of ease-of-use to Kawasaki robots with a user interface that is simple to learn, program, and manage. [Read more…] about Ready Robotics to install its operating system into Kawasaki industrial robots

With Human Controls Abolished, Only a Few Hurdles Remain in Making Automation Legally Secure

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One of the greatest barriers to the true stress testing of automated devices is the need for human control.

According to Reuters, however, US regulators have now eliminated the need for human control in automated devices, such as cars, paving the way for significant future developments.

But the removal of human control does not remove total legal liability, and there are a few legal hurdles yet left that will need to be addressed before automation innovation can start to progress quickly. [Read more…] about With Human Controls Abolished, Only a Few Hurdles Remain in Making Automation Legally Secure

Panasonic launches new factory automation systems

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Panasonic Factory Solutions Europe has introduced its NPM G Series, an integrated range of Surface Mounted Technology production systems designed to respond in real-time to customer supply and demand changes through continuous, autonomous updates – helping to make the autonomous factory a reality.

The Panasonic NPM G Series offers flexibility and customisable options to address production needs and extend automation in manufacturing.

Many production sites still rely on their employee’s knowledge and manpower – the so called 5M (Human, Machine, Material, Method, Measurement) method. The new Panasonic NPM G Series uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automated production to improve the process. [Read more…] about Panasonic launches new factory automation systems

Flexiv unveils new operating system for its adaptive robots

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Flexiv, a developer of robotic and artificial intelligence solutions, has unveiled Flexiv Elements, its all-new operating system for “adaptive robots”.

Adaptive robots are a new category – very similar to collaborative robots – which Flexiv is concentrating on. It describes its “Rizon” model (main picture) as “the first adapative robot” – referring to its ability to maintain performance even amid significant changes in the environment, such as floating base, vibration, and human interference.

Created to provide integrators with “ground-breaking new features” which simplify complex robotic operations, Flexiv says Elements makes it “easier than ever” before to develop customized programs that enhance efficiency and productivity. [Read more…] about Flexiv unveils new operating system for its adaptive robots

ZF partners with Embotech to develop freight yard automation systems

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ZF, one of the world’s largest automotive systems suppliers, has acquired a 25 per cent stake in Embotech, a developer of autonomous vehicle software.

The companies have agreed a strategic partnership agreement to jointly develop fully autonomous systems for commercial vehicle yard operations.

The partnership aims to enhance the operational safety and productivity of distribution hubs and yards. [Read more…] about ZF partners with Embotech to develop freight yard automation systems

NEC unveils autonomous mobile robot control system

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NEC has developed a control technology that the company claims “doubles the efficiency of autonomous mobile robots” in warehouses while maintaining a high level of safety.

NEC plans to put this technology into practical use by March 2024 and to have it installed in NEC’s co-operative AMRs in Japan.

In recent years, the introduction of robots for transporting materials has accelerated due to labor shortages and large warehouses. [Read more…] about NEC unveils autonomous mobile robot control system

Motion capture is guiding the next generation of extraterrestrial robots

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“How do we build robots that can optimally explore space?” is the core question behind Dr Frances Zhu’s research at the University of Hawai’i. One part of the answer is, “with motion capture”.

“It is my hope that my research contributes to the way extraterrestrial robots move and make decisions on other planets,” explains Zhu (main image), an assistant researcher and deputy director at the University’s Hawai‘i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology.

That research is in its early stages, but NASA has seen the value in it and awarded Zhu an EPSCoR grant by the name “Autonomous Rover Operations for Planetary Surface Exploration using Machine Learning Algorithms”. [Read more…] about Motion capture is guiding the next generation of extraterrestrial robots

BMW partners with Seoul Robotics to launch ‘Level 5’ control tower

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Seoul Robotics, a robotics perception company, has introduced what it describes as a “Level 5 Control Tower” (LV5 CTRL TWR), a mesh network of sensors and computers on infrastructure that guides vehicles autonomously rather than having to place any sensors on an individual vehicle.

This “revolutionary technology” – which is said to enable non-autonomous vehicles to be controlled autonomously – is in the final stages of testing with automaker BMW and preparing for implementation to automate last-mile fleet logistics at their manufacturing facility in Munich.

Beyond original equipment manufacturers, the system has the potential to transform operations for a wide range of business applications ranging from vehicle distribution centers to car rental companies and trucking logistics. [Read more…] about BMW partners with Seoul Robotics to launch ‘Level 5’ control tower