Market trends and business perspectives
Locus Robotics has broken its own record in terms of productivity numbers in November 2019. (See infographic below.)
The warehouse robot maker delivered more than 13 million units picked on behalf of global retail and third party logistics partners during the critical holiday season.
Locus says this is a 400 per cent increase in units picked over last year. [Read more…] about Locus Robotics picks ‘record-breaking’ 13 million units during 2019 holiday period
Waypoint Robotics has moved to a larger facility to meet what it says “growing demand” for its autonomous mobile robots. Among the products the company supplies is the MAV3K, an AMR with the capacity to lift 3000 lb.
The new, larger manufacturing facility in Nashua, New Hampshire. The new location features expanded space for production, design, engineering, quality control, and robot testing.
Jason Walker, CEO and co-founder of Waypoint, says: “The response for our Vector and MAV3K AMRs has been strong and we quickly outgrew our Merrimack, New Hampshire location. We need space to ramp up production as customers transition from pilot programs into scaling their robot fleets. [Read more…] about Waypoint Robotics moves to larger facility to ‘meet growing demand’ for its warehouse robots
It’s getting close to Christmas and that means it’s time for e-commerce fulfillment managers to start getting worried about the availability of labor for the holiday season.
According to a recent article in Supply Chain Dive, “this year’s peak season promises additional challenges in recruiting new hires as the pool of available labor shrinks”.
As the article points out, the US unemployment rate hit a 50-year low in September 2019. [Read more…] about Can robots save the e-commerce holiday season?
ZVerse, the developer of a CAD as a Service platform for digital manufacturing, is partnering with 3D Systems, a provider of parts manufacturing services.
The strategic alignment will provide 3D Systems’ customers with access to ZVerse’s network of certified designers who can lend their expertise to optimize file formats – facilitating desired final parts.
Theseservicesincludeeverythingfromdesignmodificationstorevisingfileformats to ensure the final part matches the customer’s requirements. [Read more…] about ZVerse partners with 3D Systems to provide more access to expertise
Kuehne + Nagel held the ground-breaking ceremony of a new contract logistics centre in Luxembourg.
The event also marked the 10-year contract extension between Kuehne + Nagel and sports equipment supplier On AG, a co-operation that started in 2010.
The new contract logistics centre, due to open in the second half of 2020, will serve On as its advanced European distribution centre for both off- and online channels and will play an important role in the rapid international expansion of the Swiss company specialized in performance running shoes. [Read more…] about Kuehne + Nagel breaks ground for new Luxembourg logistics hub
Vecna Robotics is teaming up with UniCarriers Americas, a manufacturer of material handling equipment and part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
The two companies are collaborating on a line of autonomous material handling vehicles for warehouses, distribution centers, and manufacturing environments.
Vecna Robotics is integrating its autonomous navigation technology, learning algorithms, and workflow orchestration software into UCA vehicles turning them into autonomous mobile robots, capable of moving bulk material through dynamic warehouse environments. [Read more…] about Vecna Robotics partners with UniCarriers to launch new line of autonomous material handling solutions
by Mai Tao
Denso and BlackBerry are working together to develop the first integrated Human Machine Interface digital cockpit system with BlackBerry QNX technology has shipped in the first vehicles by leading Japanese automotive manufacturer, Subaru.
The technology, named Denso “Harmony Core” will be available first in the United States from Autumn 2019 in the all-new 2020 Subaru Legacy and Outback (US model).
Co-developed by BlackBerry and Denso, in collaboration with Subaru, this leading-edge digital cockpit solution uses BlackBerry QNX Hypervisor (virtualization) technology to enable integrated control of in-vehicle HMI systems. [Read more…] about Denso partners with BlackBerry to launch integrated automobile HMI platform
Salesforce has launched a new service called “Manufacturing Cloud”, which the company says enables companies to align their sales activities with their manufacturing operations.
Salesforce is one of the world’s leading customer relations management platforms, and the company says its new industry offering allows manufacturers to strategically plan to meet customer commitments and better react to market changes.
Salesforce has collaborated with major manufacturing and sales companies through the product pilot program, including Kawasaki Motors, Hitachi Chemical, CF Industries, Mipox, Gelita and more. [Read more…] about Salesforce launches ‘Manufacturing Cloud’ to help align sales with operations
by Anna
Innovative Sensor Technology IST AG, part of the Endress+Hauser Group, has expanded its plant in Ebnat-Kappel in eastern Switzerland.
The expansion of the site is in response to growing demand for its sensors. The facility, built at a cost of nearly 15 million euros, now offers double the floor space.
The 13,500-square-metre plant includes roughly 3,700 square metres of production space, 1,500 of which is set aside for clean rooms.
[Read more…] about Endress+Hauser expands sensor technology plant
by Sam Francis
Proton Motor says it is planning to install a new robot to accelerate the manufacturing of fuel cell units intended for use in road vehicles and other technologies.
The new “stack manufacturing robot” – referring to a fuel cell stack – will increase production capacity to 5,000 fuel cells a year, says Proton.
Germany-based Proton Motor Fuel Cell is a designer, developer and producer of fuel cells and fuel cell electric hybrid systems with a “zero carbon footprint”. Its technology is used in the e.Go, an autonomous electric vehicle (main picture). [Read more…] about Proton Motor to install new robot to accelerate fuel cell production
Robotics and Automation News was established in May, 2015, and is now one of the most widely-read websites in its category.
Please consider supporting us by becoming a paying subscriber, or through advertising and sponsorships, or by purchasing products and services through our shop – or a combination of all of the above.
Thank you.
This website and its associated magazine, and weekly newsletter, are all produced by a small team of experienced journalists and media professionals.
If you have any suggestions or comments, feel free to contact us at any of the email addresses on our contact page.
We’d be happy to hear from you, and will always reply as soon as possible.
We support the principles of net neutrality and equal opportunities.
