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Japanese construction giant Obayashi to integrate SafeAI technology to make its vehicles autonomous

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SafeAI, a technology platform for autonomous heavy equipment, and Obayashi Corporation, a Japanese-based global leader in construction, have agreed a partnership to create autonomous construction sites, beginning with a pilot program on a US test site.

Joining with one of the largest names in construction, SafeAI is demonstrating industrial autonomy in a real world situation and setting a standard for future autonomous heavy equipment.

The news follows Obayashi’s strategic investment in SafeAI in November 2019. [Read more…] about Japanese construction giant Obayashi to integrate SafeAI technology to make its vehicles autonomous

Deep Clean Your Car Back to Brand New with These 6 Tips

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For many of us, our cars are one of our most significant investments, and whether you own something at the top of the line or something a little more affordable, chances are you want to keep it in the best condition possible (with the least amount of effort).

In this article, we are going to talk about six tips to help you deep clean your car back to brand new.

Interested? Then let’s get started! [Read more…] about Deep Clean Your Car Back to Brand New with These 6 Tips

Yaskawa reaches 20 million AC servo motor sales

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Yaskawa Electric, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of industrial robots and automation technologies, has sold 20 million AC servo motor sales to date, according to a press release on the company’s website.

The company has offered AC servo motors and controllers to a wide range of customers in Japan and overseas since 1983.

Yaskawa, which coined the term “mechatronics”, says “cumulative AC servo motor shipments reached 20 million units in August 2020”. [Read more…] about Yaskawa reaches 20 million AC servo motor sales

5 Reasons Compressed Air Testing Is Essential in Manufacturing

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There are several reasons why testing is a necessity in manufacturing. It’s essential for safety, security, and quality assurance purposes.

All kinds of businesses are now moving toward automation, affecting how processes are carried out.

Thus, the need for improved performance and reduced downtime makes testing an essential component of the work. [Read more…] about 5 Reasons Compressed Air Testing Is Essential in Manufacturing

Nippon Express opens ‘cutting-edge, showroom-style’ logistics facility

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Nippon Express has completed the construction of its what it describes as a “cutting-edge, showroom-style logistics facility”.

NEX-Auto Logistics Facility (NEX-ALFA) is located within a warehouse estate in Tokyo’s Koto Ward, andfeatures artificial intelligence and internet of things technologies.

Nippon Express says declining birthrates and a shrinking population have resulted in serious labor shortages in recent years for Japan’s logistics industry, which has been pursuing “work style reform” as advocated by the government. [Read more…] about Nippon Express opens ‘cutting-edge, showroom-style’ logistics facility

New Chinese chipmaker’s progress could ease pain of US restrictions

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The progress made by a relatively new Chinese chipmaker, called ChangXin Memory Technologies, could help ease the pain caused by increasingly wide-ranging US restrictions against China’s tech companies.

US President Donald Trump has already effectively banned Huawei from doing business in the country, which has led to American companies to shun the Chinese telecommunications and smartphones giant. And in the latest move, as reported by the Wall Street Journal, the Trump administration has introduced new rules prohibiting non-US companies from selling any chips made using American technology to Huawei “without a special license”.

Huawei has found it difficult to source chips and other components for its equipment, for which, in turn, the company has found fewer buyers. [Read more…] about New Chinese chipmaker’s progress could ease pain of US restrictions

4 Tips to Enhancing Productivity in Manufacturing

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The manufacturing industry is critical to the global economy. Imagine a world where no one produces flat screen TVs, automobiles, or ballpoint pens.

It’s so hard to overlook the fact that everything that we have ever bought at the mall and used at the office are made at factories producing such goods everyday.

You know this if you are the owner and manager of a manufacturing facility. You need to ensure that the supply chain is fed and consumers get the items they need or want. [Read more…] about 4 Tips to Enhancing Productivity in Manufacturing

China’s biggest chipmaker to double investment in capital goods to $7 billion

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China’s largest chipmaker Semiconductor Manufacturing International is to double its investment in capital goods to $6.7 billion, according to a report on the Nikkei Asian Review website. 

The company is somewhat flush with cash as a result of net profit skyrocketing by 644 percent in the second quarter. Part of the increase is due to Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei stockpiling chips.

Huawei is trying to prepare for any potential shortage in its supply chain caused by the ban imposed on its activities in the US and Europe. [Read more…] about China’s biggest chipmaker to double investment in capital goods to $7 billion

Robotics and Automation News Review: New collaborative robots, an ‘easy’ vision system, an award-winning delivery robot, and more…

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Friday 7 August 2020: This is a new, weekly column – to be published every Friday – which rounds up all the most interesting news from the robotics and automation industry in the past seven days, in brief form. 

This Robotics and Automation News Review is also available to view on our YouTube channel, and is embedded below, at the end of this article.

Doosan Robotics has introduced six new collaborative robots (main picture), diversifying its product offerings. The new lineup includes four models from the A-Series and two from the H-Series.

SICK is continuing the roll-out of its customisable SensorApps for “easy” machine vision, with the launch of its Colour Inspection and Sorting App (picture below), which the company says is a cost-saving and simple solution for common inline quality control tasks in automated production and packaging applications.

A company called Edwards Vacuum has won an award from SEMI and Semiconductor Digest for its autonomous mobile robot, the ESV-X (see video below), which loads equipment without human intervention and autonomously delivers it to work locations within a semiconductor factory to minimize scheduled and unplanned downtime and the need for other transportation equipment while increasing customer safety.

Renesas has launched the RV1S9353A, a delta-sigma modulator chip used in robotic arm controllers, AC servo controllers, and NC servo controllers employed in a range of smart factory equipment.

GreyOrange says its Ranger GTP robot (pictured below) has become the first Automated Mobile Platforms robot of its kind to be UL Certified to UL 3100, Second Edition for use in commercial and industrial environments, UL being a US-based safety certification company.

Epson Robots has launched what it says are “new and improved” LS3-B SCARA and LS20-B SCARA robots. Notable, new and improved features include batteryless encoder, a lower cable duct profile that is ideal for hard to reach work cell layouts, built-in camera cable for easy vision system setup, and new top-of-arm layout for enhanced usability.

Plexus Health Science has launched the UVC-650, or “Sunslinger” (pictured below), a lightweight robot that emits high-powered UV light to envelop a space that kills microorganisms in “just a few minutes and virtually disinfects the space”. The system can be installed in hospitals, restaurants, offices and in other facilities.

Geek+ says its C200M Bin-to-Person robotic warehouse system can save 50 percent on goods storage. The machine has a 1.5m telescopic fork, modular door frame and multiple bin access. (See video below.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoSrlBRR_ig

Productive Robotics has released its Productive Analytics platform, which provides real-time status monitoring for all OB7 cobots, enabling access to the operating status of all cobots and their production history so customers can optimize their production, identify production errors, minimize downtime, and remotely monitor their robot activity.

Siemens has launched its Desigo building automation controllers – the PXC4 and PXC5. The company says the controllers can transform buildings into high-performing, energy efficient assets. Both controllers concentrate on specific automation elements – the Desigo PXC4 for HVAC plants and Desigo PXC5 for system functions and integration.

Recent Breakthrough May Enable the Automated Laboratory of the Future

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Over the past several months, the world has been dealing with the first major global pandemic in more than a generation.

It has disrupted economies far and wide, cost hundreds of thousands of lives, and laid bare many of the weaknesses of the global medical industry.

One of those weaknesses has been the difficulty that multiple countries have faced in scaling up laboratory capacity to meet the demand for PCR testing created by the crisis. [Read more…] about Recent Breakthrough May Enable the Automated Laboratory of the Future