Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

design

Sick launches new compact image-based code reader

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Sick has launched a new compact image-based code reader, Lector621, for reliable detection of 1D, 2D, stacked codes, and plain text.

The high-performance DPM – direct part marking – decoder can read laser or dot-peened codes perfectly, even in the case of low contrast levels, contamination, or poor code quality.

This fills a gap in Sick’s existing portfolio of code readers, by providing a compact solution with increased reading distance, resolution, field of vision, and scanning frequency. [Read more…] about Sick launches new compact image-based code reader

Anca launches new robot arm

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Anca has launched its first industrial robot – a selective compliance assembly robot arm, or SCARA.

Anca is better known for its computer numerical control machines, and supplies the automotive, electronic, medical, aerospace and many other manufacturing verticals.

The company says it spends 10 percent of its annual turnover on research and development projects and often collaborates with universities to develop its latest technology. [Read more…] about Anca launches new robot arm

ANCA Motion launches new tubular linear motor

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ANCA Motion has launched its new tubular linear motor LinX M Series, which the company says offers 10um of resolution at a peak force range of up to 1,200N.

Available in Q2 2019, the latest addition to the LinX range continues to support demanding automation applications whilst increasing efficiency in a compact footprint.

The LinX M-series linear motor features an integrated position sensor with 10um of resolution, eliminating the need of an external encoder, simplifying the system design and reducing the overall cost. [Read more…] about ANCA Motion launches new tubular linear motor

Briefing – Design and Prototyping: CAD spells the end of paper and pencil

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In this article, Robotics and Automation News provides an overview of software available for designers of products, components, and systems 

It’s very unlikely that paper and pencil will disappear completely – the headline’s just journalistic hyperbole. But they’re certainly not used by as many people as in the past. 

Pencil and paper will probably always be used to sketch out ideas in the initial stages at least, but with more tablet computers around, along with digital pens or pencils designed for use with them, even those most humble of materials and instruments are getting serious updates.

It’s very unlikely that more than, say, one in a hundred people would continue to use pencil and paper once it has gone past the sketching stage into the actual design phase with a view to producing prototypes.  [Read more…] about Briefing – Design and Prototyping: CAD spells the end of paper and pencil

Briefing – Design and Prototyping: Invent something and make millions easily

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In this article, Robotics and Automation News wonders what it would be like to invent something and make millions from it

Many people dream of inventing something amazing and making millions or even billions from it. And here at the office, we’re no different.

All of us have ideas of our own and some of us are shameless enough to talk about them, although, as many of you will know, designing and developing, and then manufacturing and selling a product is not an easy task.

But without getting into the complexities further down the line, let’s look at the stage at which it’s just an idea.
[Read more…] about Briefing – Design and Prototyping: Invent something and make millions easily

Ansys claims ‘first comprehensive solution’ for simulation-based digital twins

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Industrial design software provider Ansys claims the new version of its software delivers the “first comprehensive solution for simulation-based digital twins”.

The company says Ansys 19.1 will “boost productivity and eliminate product complexity across all physics”.

Ansys says product developers can spur product innovation by rapidly building, validating and deploying simulation-based digital twins within a single workflow.  [Read more…] about Ansys claims ‘first comprehensive solution’ for simulation-based digital twins

Siemens Mentor releases FloMaster thermo-fluid solution with CAD connectivity and new physics

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Mentor, a Siemens software business, has launched the latest release of its FloMaster 1D thermo-fluid system modeling product.

Combining integration with 3D mechanical computer-aided design (MCAD) with new physics and an improved user experience, the latest release of the FloMaster tool is the result of extensive years of research and development, and accuracy validated by running more than 13 million unit test runs.

The new FloMaster release offers significant advancements in productivity through automated connectivity to 3D CAD design tools.  [Read more…] about Siemens Mentor releases FloMaster thermo-fluid solution with CAD connectivity and new physics

Systems engineering: An insight from a professional systems engineer

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Systems engineering and systems design might sound fascinating to someone interested in the area of technology and building, making, developing, and organising things. 

But even to understand what the terms mean, from a beginner’s or outsider’s point of view, can be difficult.

And to summarise them probably wouldn’t explain things adequately because they really sound like a big jobs, involving a large number of tasks across many different disciplines and departments.

[Read more…] about Systems engineering: An insight from a professional systems engineer

An introduction to product design and development for manufacturing

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Many people have ideas, but actually producing something – sketch, prototype, then final product – from those ideas, and having it mass-manufactured, is a hugely complex, time-consuming and expensive process.

If that product is an electronic and semiconductor technology-based hardware-and-software product, which is increasingly in demand these days, then that’s an even higher level of complexity and stress.

This article tries to provide a starting point, or introduction, for those interested in industrial design or product development, and maybe have ideas for products and want to know how to start the process of getting them manufactured.  [Read more…] about An introduction to product design and development for manufacturing

B&R adds optimized engineering to 3D SuperTrak simulation

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B&R has added a new visualization tool which it says accelerates the development of automation solutions featuring the company’s SuperTrak industrial transport system.

The tool displays a 3D simulation of all SuperTrak shuttle movements, as well as synchronized subsystems such as robotics and CNC.

Machine builders and operators can accelerate the commissioning process by validating their designs and sequential programming in advance.  [Read more…] about B&R adds optimized engineering to 3D SuperTrak simulation