Robotics & Automation News

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cyber-physical systems

ABB and Salzburg researchers patent AI system to cut energy use in industrial robots

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Salzburg University of Applied Sciences and ABB’s Machine Automation Division – B&R –  are working together to apply artificial intelligence to improve energy efficiency in industrial automation.

The collaboration, anchored in the Josef Ressel Center for Intelligent and Secure Industrial Automation (JRZ ISIA), focuses on translating advanced research into practical solutions for industrial drive systems.

A recent milestone of this collaboration is the filing of a joint patent application in the field of energy-optimized motion control for drive systems used in industrial automation – such as robots, machine tools and automated production lines – where highly dynamic motion sequences including positioning, acceleration, deceleration and cyclic movement must be controlled with high precision. [Read more…] about ABB and Salzburg researchers patent AI system to cut energy use in industrial robots

Eclipse Automation demonstrates cyber-physical systems to Manufacturing Leadership Council Members

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Eclipse Automation, a specialist in custom factory automation, brought the future of manufacturing to life last week, hosting more than 50 Manufacturing Leadership Council (MLC) members at its Cambridge, Ontario facility for an immersive day exploring how digital and physical technologies – sometimes referred to as “cyber-physical systems” – are converging to redefine factory operations.

The event welcomed senior manufacturing executives from Fortune 1000 companies, joined by Eclipse engineers, technology partners, and industry innovators, to explore the challenges and opportunities shaping the next decade of manufacturing.

Steve Mai, CEO of Eclipse Automation, says: “This event was an opportunity to reframe how manufacturing leaders think about the factory itself. Hosting the best minds in the industry allowed us to showcase our technology and explore what’s possible today, but also what’s necessary for tomorrow. [Read more…] about Eclipse Automation demonstrates cyber-physical systems to Manufacturing Leadership Council Members

Mass customisation makes itself at home alongside mass manufacturing

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While many people might credit Henry Ford with the creation of the assembly line, it was actually one of his employees, Charles Sorensen, who “examined the relationship between people, machines, tooling, and products and organized them to achieve a continuous flow of production”, according to an article by Daniel Theobald, published today on Robotics and Automation News.

Sorensen’s innovation – albeit in Ford’s employ – could be seen as the first example of a cyber-physical system which optimised, indeed launched, a new era of mass manufacturing which emphasised efficiency and productivity.

Sorensen’s assembly line enabled Ford to build a Model T car in two-and-a-half hours instead of the 12 it had previously taken – without compromising quality, and possibly even improving it.  [Read more…] about Mass customisation makes itself at home alongside mass manufacturing

TI claims ‘first’ multiprotocol gigabit TSN-enabled processors for cyber-physical systems

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Texas Instruments has launched what it says is the industry’s first multiprotocol gigabit time-sensitive networking-enabled processor range.

The new, highly integrated Sitara AM6x processor family provides industrial-grade reliability, with quad and dual Arm Cortex-A53 core variants built to meet the rapidly evolving needs of Industry 4.0 in factory automation, motor drives and grid infrastructure.

By supporting gigabit throughput rates for TSN standards and other industrial protocols in a specific subsystem, Sitara AM6x processors are built for the convergence of both Ethernet and real-time data traffic on a single network.  [Read more…] about TI claims ‘first’ multiprotocol gigabit TSN-enabled processors for cyber-physical systems