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Google to allow 200,000 of its employees to work from home until next summer

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Google, the world’s biggest internet company, is to allow 200,000 of its employees to work from home until this time next year, according to a report on the Wall Street Journal website. 

Although Google officially has just over 100,000 full-time employees, the company’s decision will affect its freelance workers, part-timers and contract staff.

The directive comes amid the chaos caused by the coronavirus pandemic, with the US seeing an upsurge in cases in recent weeks, after becoming the nation with the world’s highest number of deaths caused by the Covid-19 virus. [Read more…] about Google to allow 200,000 of its employees to work from home until next summer

Robots provide opportunities for restart after coronavirus pandemic, say industry leaders

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Robots provide opportunities for a restart of the economy after the damage caused by the coronavirus pandemic, according to industry leaders surveyed by Automatica, one of the largest industrial automation trade shows in the world.

Messe Munchen, which owns Automatica, says it did a survey and found the following:

  • 84 percent of decision-makers expect more robot automation in German SMEs;
  • 77 percent of decision-makers rely on mobile robotics to convert production quickly; and
  • 76 percent of employees in SMEs want robotics training.

Even before the corona pandemic, the manufacturing industry in Germany was highly automated according to figures from the International Federation of Robotics and ranked third in robot density worldwide behind Singapore and South Korea. [Read more…] about Robots provide opportunities for restart after coronavirus pandemic, say industry leaders

DHL partners with Microsoft and Blue Yonder to develop platform for warehouse robots

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DHL Supply Chain has launched what it describes as a new “plug and play” robotics platform in collaboration with Microsoft, and artificial intelligence driven digital fulfillment provider Blue Yonder.

The robotics platform significantly reduces integration time and programming efforts to on-board new automation devices into warehouse facilities, while giving DHL customers more flexibility in selecting suitable robotics systems according to their individual business needs.

The solution leverages Microsoft Azure IoT and cloud platform services. [Read more…] about DHL partners with Microsoft and Blue Yonder to develop platform for warehouse robots

Fetch Robotics partners with Build With Robots and Albuquerque airport to launch autonomous disinfecting robot

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Fetch Robotics, a warehouse robotics and automation company, has partnered with Build With Robots and the City Of Albuquerque to launch the “Breezy One” disinfecting autonomous mobile robot. (See video below.)

Designed to protect Albuquerque Sunport airport employees and passengers from both harmful pathogens and cleaning agents, Breezy One can quickly, safely and effectively decontaminate spaces over 100,000 square feet in 1.5 hours with a patented, environmentally safe disinfectant.

Breezy One was co-developed with the City of Albuquerque’s Aviation Department, where it autonomously sanitizes the Sunport’s facilities every night in the ongoing fight against Covid-19. [Read more…] about Fetch Robotics partners with Build With Robots and Albuquerque airport to launch autonomous disinfecting robot

Vitesco Technologies celebrates 25 years and its new ‘high degree of automation’

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In the scenic setting of Frenštát pod Radhoštěm at the foot of the Beskid Mountains, the Vitesco Technologies site is celebrating its 25th anniversary as well as its “high degree of automation” which is enabling the company to produce advanced technologies more efficiently than ever before. 

In May 1995, the site started producing electronic components for the automotive industry, initially with 100 employees.

Today, the Czech site with its workforce of approximately 3,000 is one of the largest employers in the region and is also one of the largest electronics plants owned by Vitesco Technologies, the Powertrain Technologies group sector of Continental. [Read more…] about Vitesco Technologies celebrates 25 years and its new ‘high degree of automation’

Groupe PSA restarts manufacturing at facilities in a ‘progressive’ way

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Groupe PSA – which owns automotive brands such as Peugeot, Citroën, DS, Opel and Vauxhall – says it is restarting manufacturing at facilities in a “progressive and secured” way.

The company says it has reinforced health measures, shared with the social partners, and deployed before any restart of activity with voluntary employees.

It says it will start an audit campaign to guarantee their “perfect implementation in 100 percent of the group’s industrial, commercial, tertiary and research and development sites”. [Read more…] about Groupe PSA restarts manufacturing at facilities in a ‘progressive’ way

Audi to ‘gradually restart production’ in Europe

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Audi will gradually initiate the restart of production at its plants in Europe during the coming weeks.

The company had announced the temporary suspension of production at its European sites in mid-March.

The background to the decision was supply bottlenecks and a drop in demand due to the corona pandemic. [Read more…] about Audi to ‘gradually restart production’ in Europe

Brain Corp launches $1.6 million ‘Robot Relief’ program to support essential businesses

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Brain Corp has launched a $1.6 million “Robot Relief” program to support essential businesses.

The company says it will make its technology available to qualifying organisations that are helping in the fight against the coronavirus outbreak.

Commercial cleaning robots provide verifiable, consistent cleaning at a time when customer and employee safety has never been more important. [Read more…] about Brain Corp launches $1.6 million ‘Robot Relief’ program to support essential businesses

The Importance of Cybersecurity in the Modern Workforce: 3 Tips to Protect Your Company

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Moving your small business online is a great way to build your business brand and help open up brand new avenues to market your product or service.

However, opening your business up online can also leave you open to cyber-attacks, which means that in addition to developing a website and strong digital marketing strategy, you need to think about developing a strong cybersecurity policy.

While a cyberattack is potentially harmful regardless of who is the victim, for a business it can be even more damaging and potentially deadly. [Read more…] about The Importance of Cybersecurity in the Modern Workforce: 3 Tips to Protect Your Company

GÖPEL improves quality control in automotive manufacturing with Universal Robots

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Using the UR10e, the company says it has eliminated the tedious and physically taxing tests manually conducted by employees

Universal Robots says GÖPEL electronic, a manufacturer of testing and inspection systems for electronic assemblies and printed circuit boards, has developed a revolutionary, automated quality control system for its automotive customers using its UR10e cobot.

According to Thomas Schöppe, senior team manager at GÖPEL electronic, the cobot replaces the company’s manual and cumbersome end of line seating test system. He says: “Previously, our employees have to simulate the vehicle-driver interaction.

For example, pressing the seat’s buttons and switches to measure the voltage or current. This process could often result in production errors which proved costly further down the manufacturing line. [Read more…] about GÖPEL improves quality control in automotive manufacturing with Universal Robots