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Nidec to buy Omron’s automotive business for $890 million

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Industrial components giant Nidec has agreed to acquire Omron’s automotive business, formally called “Omron Automotive Electronics”.

The two companies do not appear to have released the financial details of the agreement, but Nikkei is reporting that Nidec will pay $890 million for the company.

The share transfer will be executed after obtaining necessary approval and satisfying other conditions. It is projected to occur by the end of October.  [Read more…] about Nidec to buy Omron’s automotive business for $890 million

Foxconn boss Terry Gou considers automating the entire population of Taiwan

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Foxconn boss Terry Gou has confirmed that he is considering running for president in Taiwan’s general election next year, according to the South China Morning Post.

“I will decide in the next two days whether to run for president,” Gou told reporters at a seminar in Taipei earlier today. “I hardly slept last night thinking of the future of Taiwan and its security issues.”

He added that the 2020 presidential election will be “extremely critical in determining Taiwan’s future in the next 20 years in the political, defense and economic sectors”.  [Read more…] about Foxconn boss Terry Gou considers automating the entire population of Taiwan

Country insight: Philippines economy ‘entering golden age’

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The Philippines is a large, archipelagic country located approximately 3,000 kilometres from China.

Its population numbers more than 100 million and its main two ethnic groups are Visayan and Tagalog, each of which accounts for around 30 per cent of the population.

The other eight or so sizeable ethnic groups go from around 10 per cent to 1 per cent of the population.  [Read more…] about Country insight: Philippines economy ‘entering golden age’

P4Q ‘increases productivity, improves part quality’ with Rethink’s Sawyer industrial robot

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Rethink Robotics’ collaborative robot Sawyer is being utilised by Spanish electronics manufacturer to achieve higher levels of consistency

P4Q, a Spanish manufacturer of electronic products and systems, says it has increased production throughput by 25 percent by deploying smart, adaptable automation on the factory floor.

Rethink Robotics’ Sawyer is testing printed circuit boards and driving improvements in process consistency that are resulting in better part quality and overall production output, says the company.

P4Q has been looking to automate more of its factory for many years to improve efficiency and consistency, but traditional caged robots were unappealing due to high costs and employee safety concerns.  [Read more…] about P4Q ‘increases productivity, improves part quality’ with Rethink’s Sawyer industrial robot

Electronics industry boosting sales of industrial robots

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The global growth in the number of data centres, and the corresponding growth in the manufacturing of servers, could provide opportunities for robot makers 

The electrical and electronics sector is one of the fastest-growing markets for the industrial robotics and automation industry. 

The sector bought almost as many industrial robots as did the automotive sector, traditionally the biggest buyer of industrial robots.

This is partly confirmed by new data and analysis by the International Federation of Robotics, but mostly, it can be gleaned from anecdotal evidence all around. [Read more…] about Electronics industry boosting sales of industrial robots

China reaching new heights in demand for industrial robots as well as making them

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China is seeing more demand for industrial robots as well as more of the machines being built inside the country, according to a report by the Robotics industries Association. 

Annual sales in China were “the highest level ever recorded for a single country”, says RIA, adding “sales in China surged by 27 percent to 87,000 units” in 2016.

At the same time, says RIA, robot manufacturers in China have been expanding their market share within the country.  [Read more…] about China reaching new heights in demand for industrial robots as well as making them

Fujitsu extends product portfolio with connectors from Neltron

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fujitsu connectors

Fujitsu Electronics Europe is extending its line card portfolio to include products from Neltron Industrial.

The Taiwan-based company manufactures ROHS compliant connectors of various types. With this partnership, FEEU is seeking to widen the range of its offerings and to create new synergies between them, strengthening its role as a Value Added Distribution Partner for the EMEA market.

Neltron offers a broad range of connector types, including board to board, wire to board, wire to wire, FPC/FCC, IDC connectors, shrouded header, USB connectors and jumpers.  [Read more…] about Fujitsu extends product portfolio with connectors from Neltron

South Korea’s largest airport has hired robots made by LG to assist travellers

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lg electronics robot for airports small
The LG Airport Guide Robot

South Korea’s largest airport – Incheon International Airport, in Seoul – has given jobs to a number of robots made by LG Electronics. 

The mobile machines are designed to enable travellers to scan their tickets to get flight information and they can escort them to the flight gates.

Alternatively it can just provide directions to locations within the airport, complete with walking distances and times, or information about the traveller’s eventual destination, such as weather and other details.  [Read more…] about South Korea’s largest airport has hired robots made by LG to assist travellers

Renesas working on new products for self-driving cars

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renesas soc v3m

Renesas, one of the leading suppliers of electronics to the automotive sector, says it is developing a new range of products which it plans to launch towards the end of this year, according to a report in Automotive News. 

The company plans to market the new range of products under the label of “Renesas Autonomy”, and it will include such things as an image-recognition system which works with automotive cameras, around-view monitors and lidar systems.

The market for automotive electronics has been accelerating at a fast rate and is seeing consolidation in the chipmaking business, with Qualcomm having bought NXP, which previously bought Freescale.  [Read more…] about Renesas working on new products for self-driving cars

Continental selects Cypress microcontrollers for automotive platform

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cypress traveo mcu

Continental selects Cypress Traveo II MCU for next-generation body electronics platform

Cypress Semiconductor says Continental has selected its automotive microcontrollers for its next-generation body electronics platform.

Cypress designed the Traveo II family specifically to deliver the performance, scalability, low power consumption and security required for emerging automotive platforms.

The solution will support Continental in providing their customers with a broad range of options for a variety of products, including central body control modules, door, window and sunroof control units, seat control units, smartphone terminals and wireless power charging units.  [Read more…] about Continental selects Cypress microcontrollers for automotive platform