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Fieldin acquires agricultural autonomous driving company Midnight Robotics

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Fieldin, a smart farm operations management company specializing in high-value crops, has acquired Midnight Robotics, a developer of agricultural autonomous driving.

The acquisition creates a “first-of-its-kind combination” of a sensor-based operational farming platform with autonomous driving technologies to empower growers in the day-to-day management of their farms, say the companies.

Fieldin is already applying its combined autonomous farming platform in major farms in California and plans additional implementations of the end-to-end system in the coming months. [Read more…] about Fieldin acquires agricultural autonomous driving company Midnight Robotics

Manufacturing operations management: A high-value starting point for digital transformation

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The hunger for transformation among industry players is at an all-time high. But at the same time, organizations want lower risk options to digitalize the shop floor.

To reduce the number of isolated, inflexible solutions, manufacturers will want to seek a connected, scalable and sustainable platform approach that enables them to simultaneously maintain high levels of throughput, quality and customer service – while creating opportunities for sustainable innovation.

This is where a Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM) solution comes into play. The experts at 3DS Delmia, part of the Dassault Systèmes Group, take a closer look at MOM and how it can be so impactful for your business. [Read more…] about Manufacturing operations management: A high-value starting point for digital transformation

634AI and InOrbit collaborate to bring ‘more efficient’ AMR fleet management to US

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634AI, the developers of Maestro, an AI-enabled control tower for streamlining the management of industrial indoor mobility, has agreed a collaboration with InOrbit, a cloud-based management platform for robot operations at scale.

The joint solution is designed to enable a deeper understanding of the flows on industrial and warehouse floors, to support the easy integration of AMRs on work floors and optimize their activity.

Maestro is an AI powered centralized Control Tower that enables effective and harmonized indoor operations, from tracking of raw material movements and real time safety alerts for man driven vehicles, to navigation and fleet management of AMRs. [Read more…] about 634AI and InOrbit collaborate to bring ‘more efficient’ AMR fleet management to US

Boston Dynamics and IBM partner to bring mobile edge analytics to industrial operations

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By Skip Snyder, senior partner, IBM Consulting and Mike Pollitt, chief sales officer, Boston Dynamics

The demand for AI-driven robotics is increasing in operations like those in manufacturing and warehouse settings to help organizations with data and analytics that identify problems in real time, improve decision making, and perform tasks more efficiently. But to experience the true benefits, these operations need AI as close to the origin of the data as possible.

According to an IBM Institute for Business Value survey, 56 percent of manufacturers have implemented AI-driven robotics to make autonomous decisions, while 83 percent agree intelligent automation will help their organization meet strategic challenges and improve business results. However, businesses point out that most edge and IoT devices today are stationary, inflexible and often incapable of responding to rapidly changing environments.

To address this challenge, IBM and Boston Dynamics have announced a new alliance focused on delivering data analysis at the edge to help industrial companies improve worker safety, optimize field operations, and boost maintenance productivity in environments like manufacturing facilities, power plants, warehouses and more. Enabled by AI and hybrid cloud innovations from IBM Research, IBM Consulting will develop edge payloads that integrate with Spot, the agile, mobile robot from Boston Dynamics. [Read more…] about Boston Dynamics and IBM partner to bring mobile edge analytics to industrial operations

ABB launches Genix management system for industrial equipment

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ABB says it is bringing artificial intelligence to asset performance management for improved efficiencies and increased uptime across industries in the form of something Genix.

The launch of ABB Ability Genix Asset Performance Management Suite “brings next-generation AI-based predictive maintenance, asset reliability and integrity insights to process and utility industries”, says the company.

Genix APM is described as an enterprise-grade application to monitor assets, prescribe maintenance actions, improve equipment utilization, and support lifecycle analysis and capital planning. [Read more…] about ABB launches Genix management system for industrial equipment

Zebra Technologies expands Fetch Robotics portfolio with solution to optimize fulfillment workflows

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Zebra Technologies, which provides automation solutions to the supply chain sector, has introduced what it claims is “the industry’s most comprehensive picking solution to help businesses improve their fulfillment operations”.

The fulfillment solution uses machines from Fetch Robotics, which Zebra recently acquired, and consists of three new autonomous mobile robots – FlexShelf, FlexShelf Guide, and RollerTop Guide – and a new FetchCore fulfillment software package for order or batch picking.

These new offerings further extend Zebra’s position as a leader in automating and digitizing critical workflows in warehouses, distribution and fulfillment centers as order volumes increase, labor pools get more competitive and customer expectations continue to rise. [Read more…] about Zebra Technologies expands Fetch Robotics portfolio with solution to optimize fulfillment workflows

How to Become a More Eco-Friendly Industrial Business

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A few key industrial organizations around the world are now known to be the biggest culprits when it comes to emissions, so it’s as important as ever for production lines and other similar plants to begin moving toward more eco-friendly operations.

Thankfully, figuring out how your industrial business can reduce its carbon footprint and become a more environmentally conscious brand doesn’t have to be as difficult as you might expect, as there are in fact just a few key tips and tricks that you can make the most of to turn your green dreams into a reality in no time.

So, if you’re interested in finding out more, then simply read on. [Read more…] about How to Become a More Eco-Friendly Industrial Business

Solving AIoT puzzles: Innodisk unites subsidiaries with all-round service

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Innodisk, a global provider of industrial embedded flash and DRAM storage is assembling the complex underlying hardware and software technologies needed for an all-in-one AIoT cloud-to-edge solution that will streamline compatibility and shorten application implementation time.

With the expanding number of AIoT devices is rapidly increasing development and management complexity. Creating a unified solution to this management challenge requires focusing on specific vertical applications, ensuring industrial-strength quality throughout, and harnessing the expertise of subsidiaries. [Read more…] about Solving AIoT puzzles: Innodisk unites subsidiaries with all-round service

Automation Must Include a Quality-Driven Mindset

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By Thomas R Cutler

According to Jason Spera, CEO and Co-Founder, Aegis Software, a quality-driven mindset across every layer of an enterprise, strategically enhances process visibility and compliance to enable improvements in both cost and customer satisfaction.

In today’s customer-centered world, meeting the needs of customers is more demanding and business-critical than ever. Simultaneously, manufacturers struggle to reduce operating costs as margins compress and the competitive landscape intensifies.

This dichotomy and a pressure to “choose” between reducing costs and delighting customers is not mutually exclusive. Best-in-class manufacturers recognize there is no tradeoff; they take a holistic approach to quality management that allows them to excel in both arenas. [Read more…] about Automation Must Include a Quality-Driven Mindset

Velodyne to provide its lidar sensors to Renu Robotics

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Velodyne Lidar has reached a multi-year agreement to provide its Puck lidar sensors to Renu Robotics, an industry leader in autonomous vegetation management systems.

Renu Robotics’ Renubot, a fully autonomous, all-electric mower, helps solar and energy facilities cut costs, time and carbon emissions, while maintaining the grounds for maximum performance of the facility.

Renu Robotics selected the Puck after a competitive product review. The company found that Velodyne’s Puck offered superior quality, reliability and performance, including significantly less system interference for optimal positional accuracy. [Read more…] about Velodyne to provide its lidar sensors to Renu Robotics