Robotics & Automation News

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factory

Luxshare buys iPhone assembly factory and becomes bigger than Foxconn

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Chinese hi-tech manufacturer Luxshare Precision Industry has bought an iPhone assembly factory from Wistron and has become bigger than Foxconn in terms of market capitalization.

Although Luxshare is well known in the industry, it’s not as famous as its Taiwanese rival Foxconn, which also goes by the name of Hon Hai Precision and has been Apple’s main contract manufacturer for many years.

Luxshare had previously been supplying individual components for iPhones but the Wistron factory purchase means that it can now provide assembled parts or complete devices. [Read more…] about Luxshare buys iPhone assembly factory and becomes bigger than Foxconn

Desperate Chinese manufacturers resorting to ‘street vendor’ tactics

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Desperate Chinese manufacturers are resorting to “street vendor” tactics in order to survive amid the economic devastation caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

In the past, street vendors were targeted by the police and Communist government and shut down wherever they were found, even if they were licensed.

The thinking was that street vendors were a blight on urban landscapes and hampered regeneration programmes. [Read more…] about Desperate Chinese manufacturers resorting to ‘street vendor’ tactics

Waypoint launches Kingpin lift and hitch top module for its warehouse robots

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Waypoint Robotics has launched a top module that enables the company’s omnidirectional warehouse robots to automatically load and unload payloads and connect to a variety of carts for material movement.

The module is called “Kingpin” and Waypoint says it enables its Vector robot – a 600 lb payload capacity AMR – to do two critical jobs with one simple top module, as opposed to having a dedicated fleet of lift deck robots for automatic load/unload, and another dedicated fleet of cart connecting robots for cart transport.

With Kingpin, Vector can automatically pick up a tote on one side of the factory, deliver it to the other side of the factory, and then connect to a cart on the way back to the starting point. [Read more…] about Waypoint launches Kingpin lift and hitch top module for its warehouse robots

Volkswagen invests €450 million in battery manufacturing joint venture with Northvolt

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Volkswagen is to construct buildings and infrastructure for the battery cell factory it has agreed to build with Northvolt. The automotive giant has made initial investment of some €450 million.

The joint venture between Volkswagen Group and the Swedish battery producer Northvolt is gaining further momentum.

It has been decided that Volkswagen itself will erect the buildings and infrastructure for the joint venture’s “Northvolt Zwei” factory that is to produce lithium-ion battery cells, in order to leverage synergies at the Salzgitter site – based on the existing Center of Excellence for Battery Cells. [Read more…] about Volkswagen invests €450 million in battery manufacturing joint venture with Northvolt

BMW selects Nvidia to ‘redefine factory logistics’

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Automotive factories to incorporate artificial intelligence robots built on new Isaac platform from Nvidia

BMW Group has selected the new Nvidia Isaac robotics platform to enhance its automotive factories – utilizing logistics robots built on advanced AI computing and visualization technologies, the companies announced today.

The collaboration centers on implementing an end-to-end system based on Nvidia technologies – from training and testing through to deployment – with robots developed using one software architecture, running on Nvidia’s open Isaac robotics platform.

BMW Group’s objective is to enhance logistics factory flow to produce custom-configured cars more rapidly and efficiently. Once developed, the system will be deployed to BMW Group factories worldwide. [Read more…] about BMW selects Nvidia to ‘redefine factory logistics’

Comau releases infographic about smart factory trends

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Industrial automation company Comau has released a new video-infographic about the Smart Factory latest trends.

The company notes that, as a result of digitization, many everyday objects are able to collect data, analyze external information and communicate with each other.

But what happens when this type of technology is applied to the factory, both large companies and SMEs? What elements will characterize the factory of the future? [Read more…] about Comau releases infographic about smart factory trends

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

HGZN and Hyundai Robotics to build smart factory to manufacture robots in China

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HGZN has partnered with Hyundai Robotics to embark on a project to build smart factory to manufacture robots in Haining, China.

The official groundbreaking ceremony for the “HGZN’s Intelligent Robot Industrialization Project” was held recently at the Economic Development Zone in Haining.

With a strong industrial city as its goal, HGZN – an acronym for Jiangsu Hagong Intelligent Robot Company – is focusing on the smart robot industrialization project. [Read more…] about HGZN and Hyundai Robotics to build smart factory to manufacture robots in China

Industrial automation is ‘paying the price for failing to think big and invest bigger’

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The industrial automation sector is “paying the price for failing to think big and invest bigger”, according to a report by GlobalData.

The industrial automation sector was not in a great place before Covid-19 struck, having been slowed by flat capital expenditure and declining industrial production, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

The virus has since closed factory after factory worldwide with workers sent home. The reality is that despite much hype over the years, advanced factory automation has not been substituted for human workers at scale. [Read more…] about Industrial automation is ‘paying the price for failing to think big and invest bigger’

BICS powers first intelligent exoskeleton with global connectivity

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BICS, a global communications enabler, is providing global internet-of-things connectivity and asset management for a pioneering exoskeleton developed by German Bionic.

The Cray X is the first connected asset from the Robot-as-a-Service (RaaS) provider and marks the first instance of a European manufacturer developing, producing and deploying smart exoskeletons for use in industrial production.

Designed to support and enhance the wearer’s movements, German Bionic’s Cray X reduces the risk of accidents and excessive strain for employees in sectors that involve repetitive but unpredictable heavy lifting. [Read more…] about BICS powers first intelligent exoskeleton with global connectivity

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