Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

maintenance

Omron releases full metal proximity sensor for auto industry

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Omron Corporation has launched the E2EW Series of Full Metal Proximity Sensors, which have the world’s longest sensing distances, the company claims.

The automotive industry needs lighter automobiles, for electric vehicles and low fuel consumption, encouraging the material change in automotive components from iron to aluminium.

This will increase mixed production lines containing iron and aluminium. Full metal proximity sensors are mainly used in welding processes. However, previous full metal proximity sensors have short sensing distances.

[Read more…] about Omron releases full metal proximity sensor for auto industry

John Deere in exclusive partnership with Wentworth Club to supply golf course maintenance equipment

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Wentworth Club and John Deere have agreed a new, exclusive partnership for the supply of golf course maintenance equipment to the world famous West, East and Edinburgh Championship Courses at Virginia Water in Surrey, from spring 2019.

The deal includes automated and autonomous vehicles and equipment.

Wentworth Club has been the host venue since 1984 for the PGA Championship tournament, which is regarded as the flagship event on the European Tour. [Read more…] about John Deere in exclusive partnership with Wentworth Club to supply golf course maintenance equipment

ABB and Hewlett Packard Enterprise expand industrial internet partnership

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ABB and Hewlett Packard Enterprise have expanded their partnership in the industrial internet space and say they will “bring scalable connectivity to large industrial customers” by integrating ABB Ability Smart Sensor technology with Aruba Wi-Fi and Bluetooth-enabled access points.

ABB and Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company, will collaborate to deliver a scalable, high-performance wireless connectivity solution for large industrial customers.

Customers will be able to capture valuable data and insights from their equipment via ABB Ability Smart Sensor technology and access it via a web portal, a cloud interface or a mobile phone application, say the companies. [Read more…] about ABB and Hewlett Packard Enterprise expand industrial internet partnership

Inspection and maintenance robotics event to take place in the Netherlands

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The second edition of the World Conference for Inspection and Maintenance Robotics will take place in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

The conference and exhibition are organized by the Sprint Robotics Collaborative, an end-user driven, not-for-profit foundation.

The initiative gathers a global community to share the innovative progress and rapid development of robotics techniques and solutions, focusing on the use of robotics for inspection, maintenance, repairs and cleaning. [Read more…] about Inspection and maintenance robotics event to take place in the Netherlands

NXP and Microsoft demonstrate edge-to-cloud machine learning solution for predictive maintenance

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NXP Semiconductors has agreed a collaboration with Microsoft to bring artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities for anomaly detection to Azure internet of things users.

By combining complementary strengths – NXP’s offline machine learning capability and embedded processing with Microsoft’s cloud expertise – the two companies jointly demonstrates a new Anomaly Detection Solution for Azure IoT at Microsoft Build in Seattle recently.

The solution consists of a small form factor, low power system-on-module powered by NXP’s i.MX RT106C Crossover Processors, a full suite of sensors, and an associated Anomaly Detection Toolbox.

[Read more…] about NXP and Microsoft demonstrate edge-to-cloud machine learning solution for predictive maintenance

IBM to develop an AI IoT solution for ageing infrastructure

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IBM has announced a collaboration with Sund & Bælt — which owns and operates some of the largest infrastructure in the world — to assist in development of an AI-powered IoT solution to help prolong the lifespan of ageing bridges, tunnels, highways, and railways.

The new industry solution, IBM Maximo for Civil Infrastructure, further extends the IBM Maximo portfolio while providing deep industry and task-specific functionality to help organisations manage, monitor and administer their infrastructure assets.

Organisations struggle with ageing facilities, the difficulty of physical inspections and high cost of continued maintenance. 

[Read more…] about IBM to develop an AI IoT solution for ageing infrastructure

Komatsu develops electric mini excavator

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Komatsu Ltd has unveiled its electric mini excavator, based on its accumulated technological expertise of hybrid construction equipment and electric forklift trucks.

Equipped with an in-house developed new charger, high-voltage converter and other devices, it offers excavation performance on a par with the internal combustion model of the same power output, while achieving zero exhaust gas emissions and a dynamic reduction in noise levels.

Komatsu expects a wider range of applications for this machine, including construction work near hospitals or schools or in residential areas, where contractors pay special attention to exhaust gas and noise during work, as well as inside tunnels or buildings.

[Read more…] about Komatsu develops electric mini excavator

Infographic: How AI is streamlining the supply chain

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Noodle AI has produced an infographic to show how artificial intelligence is changing commerce

Artificial intelligence is everywhere. In fact, you may have interacted with it today and you didn’t even know it.

AI can streamline a lot of our daily business operations, freeing us up to tackle more difficult tasks.

Within the world of e-commerce, AI may be the key to streamlining the supply chain. [Read more…] about Infographic: How AI is streamlining the supply chain

Intel drone solutions modernise US bridge inspections

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Intel has collaborated with two US departments of transportation to improve bridge inspections, supplementing manual inspections of the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge connecting Ohio and Kentucky and the Stone Arch Bridge in Minnesota.

Throughout the inspections, Intel’s advanced automated commercial drone hardware and software solutions increased efficiency and produced more reliable data in a fraction of the time and cost of traditional methods.

More than 600,000 bridges are in the U.S., and nearly 10 percent of them are currently rated structurally deficient or obsolete. Each bridge is structurally unique and needs regular inspections to achieve safety requirements for general use.

[Read more…] about Intel drone solutions modernise US bridge inspections

ThyssenKrupp claims ‘breakthrough’ in digital transformation and connecting machinery ​

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ThyssenKrupp says it has achieved a breakthrough in the area of digital transformation and connecting machinery ​in industry.

ThyssenKrupp says it has reached a “milestone” for the digital transformation of industry and connecting the machinery of its materials services division through a new digital platform.

The company’s new internet of things platform is call Toii, or toii, as the company prefers to write it.  [Read more…] about ThyssenKrupp claims ‘breakthrough’ in digital transformation and connecting machinery ​