Robotics & Automation News

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design

Stilfold patents its ‘industrial origami’ manufacturing technology

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Swedish design and technology company Stilfold – the parent company of electromobility startup Stilride – has been granted its first patent right for its innovative “industrial origami” manufacturing technology.

Stilfold’s technology enables designers to produce complex, light and sustainable structures by folding flat sheet metal over curves using computational design and advanced robotics.

The Swedish patent covers the core technology that enables Stilfold to design and build sophisticated products using origami-inspired curve folding. [Read more…] about Stilfold patents its ‘industrial origami’ manufacturing technology

Generative design: nTopology blazing a trail through 3D printing world

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One of the most impressive features of the nTopology design application is that it requires substantially less computing power. According to the company’s – and its partners’ – calculations, file sizes can be 99 percent smaller compared with traditional 3D design software. 

Traditional, long-established software for 3D design tends to be very memory-hungry and can seriously stress out processors. nTop, on the other hand, can provide the same functionality if used on a laptop as traditional 3D design applications would if run on a supercomputer – because nTop was specifically designed for today’s 3D printing and design requirements.

The way nTop does this is difficult to explain for a non-technical journalist, but essentially, the nTop software does away with such things as extrusion, which is a fundamental concept and requirement in traditional 3D design applications. [Read more…] about Generative design: nTopology blazing a trail through 3D printing world

nTopology claims it can reduce 3D design file sizes by 99 percent

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nTopology, the developer of generative design software for engineering, and EOS, an industrial 3D printing company, are developing a new “Implicit Interop” capability, solving what they see as “a major bottleneck in the additive manufacturing workflow”.

The companies say they are achieving this by allowing the transfer of the most complex designs in megabyte-sized files, thereby quickening the time to manufacturing.

Previewed at the Formnext industry event a few months ago, the technology advancement was said to be “eagerly received” by nTopology partners and customers. [Read more…] about nTopology claims it can reduce 3D design file sizes by 99 percent

Nasa awards AeroVironment $10 million contract to design helicopters for Mars mission

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The success of Ingenuity Mars helicopter, co-designed and co-developed by AeroVironment and NASA/JPL, lays the foundation for the development of the Sample Recovery Helicopters

AeroVironment has been awarded a $10 million contract by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to co-design and co-develop conceptual designs and engineering development units of Mars Sample Recovery Helicopter flight systems.

Future efforts could include detailed design, build, and test of qualification and flight hardware. The helicopters build upon the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter design heritage and feature upgraded robotics to supplement aerial mobility.

AeroVironment engineers from the MacCready Works team previously worked with NASA JPL to co-design and develop the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, which has completed 52 successful flights to date on Mars and survived 781 sols on the surface, far outperforming its design objectives. [Read more…] about Nasa awards AeroVironment $10 million contract to design helicopters for Mars mission

How have electric cars advanced in the past 10 years and what’s the future?

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Electric cars have come a long way in the past decade, with advancements in technology making them a more viable option for everyday consumers.

From longer battery ranges to faster charging times, electric cars are becoming increasingly practical and efficient.

In this blog post, we will explore how electric cars have advanced in the past 10 years and what the future holds for this exciting industry. [Read more…] about How have electric cars advanced in the past 10 years and what’s the future?

Kivnon to launch new version of its forklift AGV at Advanced Factories Expo

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Kivnon will launch one of the latest additions to its AGV portfolio, the K55 Pallet Stacker, at this year’s Advanced Factories Expo, which runs from 18-20th April in Barcelona. 

Kivon’s range of AGVs is renowned for robustness, safety, and accuracy, and this new addition to the portfolio provides customers with a vehicle that can automatically transport stack pallets.

Thierry Delmas, managing director at Kivnon, says: “The K55 is an ideal solution for end-of-line palletizing, food and beverage, and retail applications. It is designed to ensure efficiency, reliability, and complete safety.” [Read more…] about Kivnon to launch new version of its forklift AGV at Advanced Factories Expo

Hengbot unveils ‘world’s first robotic dog with musculoskeletal limbs’

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A startup company called Hengbot has unveiled what it claims is “the world’s first robotic dog with musculoskeletal limbs”.

Named “Sparky”, the canine robot is described as a “breakthrough innovation”, with Hengbot saying that its mission is to “blur the line between technology and life” by developing machines that are agile, nimble, and warm to the touch.

With its musculoskeletal limbs and advanced artificial intelligence, Sparky is a “groundbreaking innovation” that closely resembles a live animal. It can run, jump, and perform tricks just like a real dog, says Hengbot. [Read more…] about Hengbot unveils ‘world’s first robotic dog with musculoskeletal limbs’

Robots vs CNCs: What’s better for working metal?

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By David Alatorre, CTO, Rivelin Robotics

The use of metal additive manufacturing has revolutionized the manufacturing industry, allowing for the creation of complex and intricate parts in a faster and more cost-effective manner.

However, essential post processing of these parts introduces time and financial constraints to the overall cost-per-part that can negate the benefits of additive manufacturing altogether. Support removal is the critical first step of post processing metal additive manufacturing parts, and it is a challenging one.

Today, supports are still essential for part fidelity during the manufacturing process, but they must be removed to achieve the required finished product with the intended shape, features and tolerances. [Read more…] about Robots vs CNCs: What’s better for working metal?

Robotize to launch new robot and mobile lift staton at LogiMAT

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Robotize, a provider of autonomous mobile robots for internal pallet transport, will be presenting a new robot as well as a new mobile lift station at this year’s LogiMAT exhibition.

The new GoPal E22 AMR supports a payload of up to 500 kg and will become the smallest robot in Robotize’s range of AMRs, which includes the GoPal E24 (1,000 kg) and the GoPal E24W/U24W (1,200 kg).

Anders Pjetursson, CEO at Robotize, says: “We have received many requests for an updated entry-level AMR, and we believe that the GoPal E22 is the perfect entry point for manufacturers and warehouses looking to move into the future of automated pallet transportation. [Read more…] about Robotize to launch new robot and mobile lift staton at LogiMAT

Celera Motion launches ‘world’s first’ platform to simplify PCB design work for robotic solutions

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Celera Motion, a business unit of Novanta, has launched its Summit Designer, which the company describes as “an innovative new tool” that delivers standard market-ready PCB designs for robotic applications to save significant cost, work and time to market.

Summit Designer is an open-source PCB design library featuring a diverse and vast offering of market-ready application-specific PCBs that are designed, supported and updated by experts.

It is an optimal way to effortlessly develop compact robot joints, multi-axis AGV/AMR systems, industrial end-effectors and surgical robots, among many others. [Read more…] about Celera Motion launches ‘world’s first’ platform to simplify PCB design work for robotic solutions