Robotics & Automation News

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facilities

SEAT invests €57 million in its factory in Barcelona

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SEAT has invested €57 million in a new metal press and two new hot stamping lines for its factory in Barcelona.

The new PXL press installed in SEAT Barcelona involved an investment of just over €31 million and it will boost the productivity of this metal press compared to the previous ones thanks to greater automation and manufacturing speed, as well as an advanced robot system.

A little over €25 million was also invested in two new hot stamping lines that will also help increase efficiency, speed and precision in the production process. [Read more…] about SEAT invests €57 million in its factory in Barcelona

Seat and Grupo Sesé launch a parts delivery service using drones

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The Seat factory in Martorell is the first Spanish plant to receive components via drone delivery. In collaboration with Grupo Sesé, the Spanish carmaker has a pioneering service connecting Sesé’s logistics centre in Abrera with the Seat factory using drones.

The first parts delivery service between two production plants in Spain by drone will deliver steering wheels and airbags to the Seat assembly lines.

The pilot project is being carried out under the supervision of the Spanish Aviation Safety and Security Agency (AESA) and will go forward in an experimental phase with several flights per day.

[Read more…] about Seat and Grupo Sesé launch a parts delivery service using drones

Autonomous forklifts ‘raise the bar on safety’, says Seegrid

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Thousands of injuries related to manually driven forklifts are reported to US health and safety authority OSHA each year, and a fatal accident involving a manual forklift occurred approximately once per week in the US in 2018.

Many companies are adopting Seegrid vision-guided vehicles (VGVs) as a safe, efficient form of transport in their facilities.

There is no comparison between human industrial vehicle drivers and their Seegrid autonomous driving counterparts – the company claims that injury and fatality statistics prove that its technology is safer.

[Read more…] about Autonomous forklifts ‘raise the bar on safety’, says Seegrid

UPS upgrades European network with ‘highly automated’ Dutch superhub

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UPS has opened a new automated package sorting and delivery facility in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, aimed at facilitating cross-border trade and improving its package delivery service for businesses.

The 27,000 square metre superhub is equipped with advanced technology that can sort up to 29,000 packages per hour, with the potential to expand to 40,000 per hour.

“Superhubs like this one are game changers and drive our European transborder connectivity, especially in the tech corridor where Eindhoven sits, the fastest growing part of the country where speed and reliability count,” said Nando Cesarone, President, UPS International.

[Read more…] about UPS upgrades European network with ‘highly automated’ Dutch superhub

Magna celebrates growing footprint in China with two grand opening events

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Magna held two grand opening ceremonies last month in China, for new factories in Changsha and Shanghai.

The new plant in Changsha, a joint venture with GAC subsidiary GAC Component Co., Ltd. (GAC Component), began production of composite liftgates for a global automaker’s crossover vehicle in late 2018.

Last month, Magna’s plant in Shanghai started production on active aerodynamic grille shutters for an American brand producing multiple vehicle platforms for the China market.

[Read more…] about Magna celebrates growing footprint in China with two grand opening events

US Steel to invest $1 billion in new facility

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United States Steel Corporation says it will make an additional investment of more than $1 billion into its Pennsylvania operations.

The investment will be used to construct a new sustainable endless casting and rolling facility at its Edgar Thomson Plant in Braddock, Pennsylvania, and a cogeneration facility at its Clairton Plant in Clairton, Pennsylvania, both part of the company’s Mon Valley Works.

The “cutting-edge” endless casting and rolling technology combines thin slab casting and hot rolled band production into one continuous process and will make Mon Valley Works “the first facility of this type” in the US and one of only a handful in the world, says the company.

[Read more…] about US Steel to invest $1 billion in new facility

Samsung Electronics to invest $115 billion in logic chip businesses by 2030

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Samsung Electronics, a world leader in advanced semiconductor technology, will invest KRW 133 trillion (US$115 billion) by 2030 to strengthen its competitiveness in System LSI and Foundry businesses.

The investment plan is expected to help the company to reach its goal of becoming the world leader in not only memory semiconductors but also logic chips by 2030.

The company also plans to create 15,000 jobs in R&D and production to bolster its technological prowess.

[Read more…] about Samsung Electronics to invest $115 billion in logic chip businesses by 2030

Sony and Docomo to test driverless concept vehicle via 5G trial network in Guam

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Sony Corporation and NTT Docomo, Inc. will jointly trial Sony’s conceptual driverless vehicle, the New Concept Cart SC-1, which uses 5G mobile technologies for various remotely controlled functions.

The test will be conducted using the trial network in Docomo 5G Open Lab Guam, which will provide test facilities and an outdoor verification environment constructed by Docomo.

The test will verify data transmission and operational performance required to remotely control the cart from a long distance via the extra-high speed, large capacity, low latency and massive-device connectivity.

[Read more…] about Sony and Docomo to test driverless concept vehicle via 5G trial network in Guam

Foxconn considers options for establishing multi-billion-dollar manufacturing facilities in the US

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Foxconn, the Taiwanese manufacturing giant which makes Apple devices among other things, is considering its locations, incentives and other options for establishing manufacturing facilities in the US. 

Among the locations being discussed are two cities in Oakland County, in the state of Michigan; and the amounts being mentioned range from $4.2 billion to $7 billion.

The Crain’s Detroit website reported that Foxconn’s expansion would create 2,000 to 5,000 jobs in the southeast Michigan area, but the situation is fast moving.  [Read more…] about Foxconn considers options for establishing multi-billion-dollar manufacturing facilities in the US

Echord++ produces new video showcasing its robotics research and development facilities

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The European Coordination Hub for Open Robotics Development has been showcasing its innovation facilities through a new video.

The organisation likes to be known as Echord++ and offers funding to develop robotics technology for real use-cases.

The new video provides an insight of the group’s robotics innovation facilities, their technical equipment, application domains and services.  [Read more…] about Echord++ produces new video showcasing its robotics research and development facilities