Robotics & Automation News

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Honeywell opens advanced warehouse automation center in Czech Republic

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Honeywell has opened a new research and development center at its advanced technology facility in Brno, a city in the Czech Republic, to help warehouse and logistics companies across Europe enhance their supply chains and strengthen the accuracy, efficiency and throughput of packages.

The state-of-the-art facility will be used by Honeywell’s engineers to develop next-generation warehouse solutions including intelligent conveyor systems, robotics, automatic storage and retrieval systems, sorting systems, palletisers and advanced picking technologies controlled by voice and light commands.

The facility will also enable Honeywell’s regional customer base to experience and train on these technologies for the first time in Europe. [Read more…] about Honeywell opens advanced warehouse automation center in Czech Republic

Qcells investing $2.5 billion in US solar power manufacturing facility

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Qcells is building a solar power manufacturing facility in Georgia, US, with a historic investment of $2.5 billion.

This is believed to be the largest solar investment in US history and will offer significant benefits to the state and national economies.

Gray Construction, a specialist builder in the manufacturing industry, and Stantec, an expert in sustainable design, were selected to provide construction, architecture, mechanical, electrical, plumbing engineering, structural, civil engineering, as well as environmental, water, and wastewater services. [Read more…] about Qcells investing $2.5 billion in US solar power manufacturing facility

Deloitte unveils ‘first-of-its-kind’ smart factory and warehouse in Canada

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Deloitte Canada has opened what it says is a first-of-its-kind facility showcasing an interconnected ecosystem of more than 20 cutting-edge solutions and technologies and intent on transforming manufacturing and warehousing through digital transformation.

The facility has been named The Smart Factory @ Montreal.

Anthony Viel, CEO of Deloitte Canada, says: “As Canada’s largest professional services firm, we care about the future of the country. [Read more…] about Deloitte unveils ‘first-of-its-kind’ smart factory and warehouse in Canada

Tesla releases stunning videos showing car production facility

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Tesla, the electric car maker, has released a number of visually stunning videos showing its car production line in Berlin, Germany.

The facility is Tesla’s Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg and some of the robots used include its so-called “Godzilla” robot and “Giga Berlin”.

Tesla has made a number of videos available to view on Twitter, and most of them seem to use drone footage quite liberally, making for some amazing shots travelling through the factory. [Read more…] about Tesla releases stunning videos showing car production facility

Mitsubishi Electric Automation releases new 3D simulator software

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Mitsubishi Electric Automation has released its MELSOFT Gemini 3D Simulator Software to allow users to expedite the design and construction of manufacturing projects as they introduce new automation components to their facility.

By connecting to a variety of software and factory devices, Gemini provides visualization, simulation, and the streamlining of work processes.

Gemini operates using a PC-based 3D digital space and connects directly to factory devices without having to go through an OPC server. This enables 3D data to be updated in digital spaces approximately 12 times faster than OPC environments. [Read more…] about Mitsubishi Electric Automation releases new 3D simulator software

Radial selects Covariant to automate e-commerce fulfillment with AI-powered robotics

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E-commerce company Radial, a Belgian Post group company, the leader in e-commerce solutions, has agreed a new partnership with Covariant, an artificial intelligence robotics company, to automate sortation in their batch-picking operations through the installation of 12 Covariant Robotic Putwalls.

The Robotic Putwalls sort a high variety of health and beauty items for one of the world’s leading retailers in Radial’s fulfillment center in Louisville, Kentucky.

The integration of Covariant’s Robotic Putwalls into the existing facility operations delivers more optimal e-commerce fulfillment performance and accuracy – providing high quality, reliable and consistent customer experience for Radial’s clients. [Read more…] about Radial selects Covariant to automate e-commerce fulfillment with AI-powered robotics

Electric Future: Battery production facilities bloom on both sides of the Atlantic

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Battery production plants are popping up and blooming on both sides of the Atlantic, with one or two exceptions, such as BritishVolt, which went into administration recently

Viridi Parente, a developer of battery storage technology, has selected Bright Machines to digitally transform the company’s US electric battery manufacturing facility.

Bright Machines Microfactories, the company’s full-stack assembly automation solution, modernizes manufacturing by leveraging data and artificial intelligence, providing Viridi with new capabilities to meet the increasing demands for its zero-carbon emission energy battery solutions.

Viridi manufactures battery energy storage systems on a 42-acre campus in Buffalo, New York. Its efforts have and will continue to lead to significant job creation in the historically disadvantaged East Buffalo community where its facility is situated. [Read more…] about Electric Future: Battery production facilities bloom on both sides of the Atlantic

Autonomous truck startup Einride raises $500 million in new funding

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Autonomous electric truck startup Einride has secured $500 million in financing, including both a Series C equity raise and a debt facility.

The debt financing, which is the largest asset-backed facility to date for heavy-duty electric vehicles, will provide transformative funding for Einride’s fleet of electric vehicles across the world.

The Series C provides a next step in the funding of new developments and deployments across Einride’s autonomous and digital offerings, as well as expanding Einride’s offerings to new markets and clients. [Read more…] about Autonomous truck startup Einride raises $500 million in new funding

ABB opens state-of-the-art robotics mega factory in Shanghai

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ABB has officially opened its state-of-the-art, fully automated and flexible robotics factory in Kangqiao, Shanghai, China. (See video below.)

The 67,000 sq m production and research facility represents a $150 million (1.1 billion RMB) investment by ABB and will deploy the company’s digital and automation technologies to manufacture next generation robots – enhancing ABB’s robotics and automation leadership in China.

Sami Atiya, president of ABB Robotics and Discrete Automation, says: “Building on three decades of success in China, the opening of our new mega factory is another milestone in helping our customers grow sustainably, address labor shortages and create high-value jobs in a new era of automation. [Read more…] about ABB opens state-of-the-art robotics mega factory in Shanghai

Wolfspeed to build ‘world’s largest’ silicon carbide materials facility in North Carolina

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Wolfspeed, a developer of silicon carbide technology, says it will build a new, state-of-the-art, multi-billion-dollar materials manufacturing facility in Chatham County, North Carolina.

The investment is targeted to generate a more than 10 fold increase from Wolfspeed’s current Silicon Carbide production capacity on its Durham campus, supporting the company’s long-term growth strategy, accelerating the adoption of Silicon Carbide semiconductors across a wide array of end-markets and unlocking a new era of energy efficiency.

Gregg Lowe, president and CEO of Wolfspeed, says: “Wolfspeed is the industry leader in supplying the materials required to meet the accelerating demand for next generation semiconductors and creating a more sustainable future for all. [Read more…] about Wolfspeed to build ‘world’s largest’ silicon carbide materials facility in North Carolina