Market trends and business perspectives
Mercedes-Benz Vans has invested a large amount of money in Starship Technologies, the maker of small delivery robots making the headlines for taking pizzas here and there.
The company says the move furthers its strategic future initiative, dubbed “adVANce”.
Mercedes-Benz Vans calls Starship Technologies “the world’s leading start-up company for the development of ground-based, autonomous delivery robots”. [Read more…] about Mercedes invests in Starship Technologies delivery robots
Product lifecycle management software is integral to the industrial internet but not all companies use them.
According to industry experts at Hannover Messe, PLM applications are as essential as computer-aided design software.
In the age of Industrie 4.0 and the Internet of Things, some people might wonder if we still need PLM systems in the digital future. [Read more…] about Product lifecycle management software ‘integral’ to industrial internet
John Mitchell, global business development manager of maintenance and repair specialist CP Automation, looks at the dangers of taking your IGBT for granted
Many drives manufacturers design and build their products with a seventh Insulated-Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT), in the form of a brake chopper, incorporated into the device.
Manufacturers often include a brake chopper up to a certain size of inverter, but beyond that size, they will expect customers to use an external unit.
However, to reduce the cost of the drive to the end user, the seventh IGBT isn’t necessarily rated to the full power rating of the drive itself. [Read more…] about Technical insight: The brake chopper size conundrum
John Mitchell, global business development manager of maintenance and repair specialist CP Automation, discusses the benefits of using a universal brake chopper that works with any inverter
There is a real danger in the specification of inverters for use in heavy-duty applications. Fresh from the manufacturer, most drives – even ones with onboard brake choppers – are not rated sufficiently for the braking demand of the application.
Non-specialist engineers face an extremely complex task when asked to choose the correct inverter, resistor and brake-chopper combination for a project.
To help counteract this problem, CP Automation recommends using an external brake chopper unit that simplifies the process of inverter selection. Where an inverter doesn’t feature a built-in brake chopper, the new CP Automation unit, manufactured to the highest standards, supplies that functionality. It’s a universal model that works with any inverter, from any manufacturer. [Read more…] about Manufacturing: Benefits of universal peripherals
The biggest smartphone manufacturer in the world has signalled its intention to enter the globally accelerating connected and autonomous car race.
Samsung, which makes the Galaxy phone among others, has agreed to buy Harman, the manufacturer of incar entertainment equipment and other products.
The total value of the purchase is will be $8 billion, according to Samsung, which says Harman will continue operation as a standalone business, albeit as a subsidiary. [Read more…] about Samsung buys Harman to enter connected and autonomous car race
Michelin, the tire manufacturer, has selected Swisslog warehouse and distribution solutions to automate a new distribution center in the US.
The order value of the automation project amounts to a high multimillion-dollar range and was booked in the second quarter of 2016.
The new distribution center will supply passenger and truck tires throughout North America, allowing the company to meet its ambitions for responsible logistics. [Read more…] about Swisslog signs ‘major contract’ with tire manufacturer Michelin
Apple and its main manufacturer Foxconn are negotiating with the Indian government over the possible establishment of a manufacturing plant and retail stores in the country.
This is according to reports on the AppleInsider.com website, which quotes India’s Economic Times newspaper.
Indian business regulations require foreign companies to source at least 30 per cent of their goods from local suppliers, a requirement which has stalled Apple’s plan to open up a number of stores in the country of 1 billion people. [Read more…] about Foxconn and Apple negotiating with Indian government on manufacturing and retailing
Rethink Robotics has reached a deal with a South Korean pneumatic equipment manufacturer and distributor.
TPC Mechatronics will utilise Sawyer collaborative robots from Rethink Robotics in its own facility, as well as the facilities of its customers, in “an effort to move the entire industry toward smarter factories”, according to the companies.
The exclusive distribution partner of Rethink Robotics in Korea, TPC Mechatronics’ core customer base consists of a wide range of industrial manufacturers. [Read more…] about Rethink Robotics’ Sawyer signs deal with Korean company TPC Mechatronics
Comau says it currently has 30,000 robots installed worldwide. This puts the Italian robot manufacturer in our Top 10 list of industrial robot makers.
In exclusive comments to Robotics and Automation News, a senior executive at the Italian company provided the statistic as part of an extended interview.
Maurizio Cremonini, Comau head of marketing, says: “We have produced and installed around 30,000 robots all over the world so far.”
Full interview to be published soon.
Robotics giant Kawasaki has signed up AV Birch Automation to its exclusive integration program as a preferred specialist.
The partnership, announced on August 12th, means that AV Birch Automation have access to the expertise, training and software tools of the Japanese manufacturer.
The comprehensive range of robots and machine loaders manufactured by Kawasaki already feature in some of AV Birch Automation client facilities and the new relationship creates an even tighter bond between end user and manufacturer. [Read more…] about Kawasaki signs up AV Birch Automation to its integrator program
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