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Xyrec painting robot to bring a world of colour to aircraft

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Dutch robot manufacturer Xyrec has successfully demonstrated a breakthrough in aircraft painting technology by printing a large digital image on an Airbus A320 fuselage. The demonstration took place in Hamburg, Germany.

This new and unique solution for decorating aircraft uses inkjet technology for digital printing and ink instead of paint.

The printer will be introduced in Xyrec’s Automated Paint Robot for aircraft, and will be the largest robot in the world, says the company.

[Read more…] about Xyrec painting robot to bring a world of colour to aircraft

Bosch Engineering opens vehicle acoustics test centre

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Vehicle acoustics are steadily gaining traction as a quality criterion in today’s cars.

When a vehicle is in motion, audible or perceptible vibrations emanating from individual components can cause annoying automotive noise conveyed by the vehicle’s structure and rendered as airborne sound.

Acoustics experts refer to this phenomenon as NVH, which is short for noise, vibration, harshness.

[Read more…] about Bosch Engineering opens vehicle acoustics test centre

Robotic toymaker Anki to close down

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Anki, a startup company which made robotic toy cars and trucks, is planning to close its doors, according to a report on the Recode website.

The company had raised more than $200 million in funding for the venture, and generated $100 million in revenue in 2017, but is now making all of its 200 employees redundant.

In a statement to Recode, the company says that it had been left “without significant funding” which meant it could not finance its hardware and software development plans going forward.

[Read more…] about Robotic toymaker Anki to close down

Groupe PSA carries out autonomous driving tests in L3Pilot project

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Since the start of April, Group PSA’s vehicles equipped with level 3 autonomous driving functions have been operating on open roads in France as part of the European L3Pilot project.

Six to eight vehicles will undergo intensive driving tests to validate autonomous functions on dual carriageways.

The project is strengthening Groupe PSA’s expertise in the development of autonomous vehicles, thanks to a global ecosystem of partners, including European carmakers, research centres and roads authorities.

[Read more…] about Groupe PSA carries out autonomous driving tests in L3Pilot project

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

Motors giant Nidec enters into $260 million joint venture with automaker PSA

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Nidec, one of the world’s largest suppliers of motors and other industrial components, has entered into a joint venture with global automaker PSA Group.

The “Nidec-PSA emotors” joint venture has been created by Groupe PSA and Nidec to initiate the design of “future electric motors”.

Shigenobu Nagamori, CEO of Nidec, and Carlos Tavares, CEO of Groupe PSA, endorsed the establishment of Nidec-PSA emotors, saying the new business will be “dedicated to the design, development, manufacture and sale of electric traction motors”.  [Read more…] about Motors giant Nidec enters into $260 million joint venture with automaker PSA

Ortovox to implement Centric’s product lifecycle management solution

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Ortovox Sportartikel, a German producer of mountain safety equipment and mountainwear, has selected Centric Software to provide its product lifecycle management solution.

Centric Software is a specialist provider of PLM solutions, particularly for fashion, retail, footwear, luxury, outdoor and consumer goods companies.

Ortovox was founded in 1980 in the south of Munich and got its start making avalanche safety transceivers to help locate people in mountain rescue situations. Ortovox’s range now includes a range of apparel and climbing and ski backpacks.  [Read more…] about Ortovox to implement Centric’s product lifecycle management solution

Roborace shows off its driverless electric racing car in the US

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roborace new york 2 small

Roborace has been showing off its driverless electric racing car in New York, in the US, after organising similar exhibitions in other countries. 

Roborace organises what is believed to be the world’s first driverless electric car racing series, using vehicles based on Nvidia’s Drive PX2 artificial intelligence platform.

The car incorporates technologies such as lidar, radar, cameras, ultrasonic sensors, optical speed sensors, GNSS positioning, and others, according to Engineering.com.  [Read more…] about Roborace shows off its driverless electric racing car in the US

Electric autonomous vehicle maker Navya to open first US production plant

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Autonomous electric vehicle maker Navya is set to open its first US production plant. Michigan Economic Development Corporation and Ann Arbor Spark are to collaborate with Navya on site selection and talent recruitment.

In a joint statement, Navya, MEDC and Ann Arbor Spark said the Michigan plant will be located in the city of Saline, Michigan with a 20,000+ sq ft facility.

Navya plans to build approximately 25 of its Arma fully autonomous and electric shuttle vehicles at the plant before the close of 2017.  [Read more…] about Electric autonomous vehicle maker Navya to open first US production plant

Baidu opens up its software to accelerate development of self-driving technology with 50 other companies in ‘autonomous driving ecosystem’

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Baidu self-driving car
Baidu self-driving car being showcased at a recent company conference

Baidu, which is China’s equivalent of Google, has accelerated the development of its self-driving technology by opening up its software to outside companies. 

The Chinese internet search giant has been building its autonomous vehicle operating system for quite some time, testing it on a variety of vehicles in China.

Now it will give away that software for free, probably in an effort to steal a march on global competitors such as Google, Apple and a growing number of other tech companies which are developing artificial intelligence systems which can drive cars all by themselves.  [Read more…] about Baidu opens up its software to accelerate development of self-driving technology with 50 other companies in ‘autonomous driving ecosystem’