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BMW and General Electric invest in Xometry manufacturing marketplace

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bmw i cars 2

An online marketplace which offers custom-manufactured parts using 3D printing and machine learning to generate instant price quotes has raised $15 million in its latest funding round. 

Relatively new startup company Xometry – which rhymes with geometry and is pronounced zometry – has raised a total of $38 million since it was established in 2013.

The company already generates approximately $20 million in annual revenue and has hundreds of providers and more than 5,000 customers.  [Read more…] about BMW and General Electric invest in Xometry manufacturing marketplace

General Motors names Kuka Systems its supplier of the year

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kuka robot at hannover messe

Kuka Systems recognized by General Motors as 2016 Supplier of the Year winner for powertrain and body shop equipment

Kuka Systems was named a “General Motors Supplier of the Year for Powertrain and Body Shop Equipment” by GM during its 25th annual Supplier of the Year awards ceremony held recently in Orlando, Florida.

GM recognized 118 of its best suppliers from 15 countries that have consistently exceeded GM’s expectations, created outstanding value or brought new innovations to the company.

The announcement represented the most suppliers GM has recognized since debuting the Supplier of the Year event in 1992. This is the second time Kuka Systems has received the award.  [Read more…] about General Motors names Kuka Systems its supplier of the year

Boeing completes prototype parts for 777X wing at new billion-dollar advanced manufacturing facility

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boeing 777x

Boeing says it has completed prototype parts for the wing of its new 777X Dreamliner aircraft. 

The company is using advanced manufacturing methods, including additive or 3D printing, in the construction of the passenger plane at its new $1 billion Everett, Washington facility.

When completed, the wing for the 777X will be the largest wing Boeing has ever built.  [Read more…] about Boeing completes prototype parts for 777X wing at new billion-dollar advanced manufacturing facility

General Motors claims highest number of connected vehicles

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gm connectivity

General Motors says it has the largest number of connected vehicles in the world, with almost 3 million currently on the road – far more than any other automaker. 

General Motors claims it “started the connected car revolution 20 years ago” with the launch of OnStar and continues to deliver innovative solutions at a scale unmatched by anyone in the industry.

OnStar is the enabler for Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Opel and Vauxhall to introduce new technology features across a broad range of drivers. Today, the blue button brand delivers services in four continents, 18 countries, 10 languages and 13 time zones, with more than a billion customer interactions.

While emergency and security services remain a staple of OnStar, the company has expanded to offer customer-driven mobility solutions that create a personalized experience for GM and Maven customers.  [Read more…] about General Motors claims highest number of connected vehicles

Universal is giving away three cobots

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Scott Mabie, general manager, Americas division, Universal Robots
Scott Mabie, general manager, Americas division, Universal Robots

Universal Robots is giving away three of its much-acclaimed and highly successful collaborative robots.

The company is running a prize draw type of competition, which is open to anyone who clicks through to their website and tells them about a process in their production.

Universal has been phenomenally successful in the past few years, reporting recently that it had sold approximately 90 per cent more product in 2015 than it did the previous year.

In an exclusive interview with Robotics and Automation News last August, Scott Mabie, Universal’s general manager, Americas division, indicated that things were going well.

“We’ve been basically doubling every year,” Mabie told Robotics and Automation News. “Just to put things into perspective, in two or three days this year [2015] we’ll sell as many robots as we did in all of 2009. That’s how much we’ve been growing.”