Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

manufacturers

Bowe Group leads $8.2 million investment round in robot software company Mov.ai

by Leave a Comment

Bowe Group, a provider of integrated automation technology, has led an $8.2 million investment round in Mov.ai, a startup specializing in autonomous mobile robots software.

The investment round includes Mov.ai’s existing investors State of Mind Ventures, NFX, and Viola Ventures.

Automation is playing an increasingly important role in the supply chain, specifically in intralogistics, with robots at the forefront of this trend. [Read more…] about Bowe Group leads $8.2 million investment round in robot software company Mov.ai

Veo Robotics launches ‘new and improved’ safeguarding system for human-robot collaboration

by Leave a Comment

Veo Robotics, the industrial automation company that created FreeMove, a 3D safeguarding system for industrial robots that enables dynamic human-robot collaboration, has released its new and improved FreeMove 2.0 Engine. 

The redesigned FreeMove 2.0 Engine is a high-performance industrial computer with a proprietary safety architecture that works alongside FreeMove Sensors to monitor workcells in 3D. It implements dynamic Speed and Separation Monitoring to enable safe interaction between humans and robots.

The launch coincides with a growing need for manufacturers to create safer facility floors as their use of automation – and in particular robots – increases. [Read more…] about Veo Robotics launches ‘new and improved’ safeguarding system for human-robot collaboration

Global report finds 1 in 3 manufacturers on track to meet sustainability targets

by Leave a Comment

Schneider Electric, a company which specialises in digital transformation of energy management and automation, and Omdia, a technology research and advisory group, have found that while industrial companies are setting ambitious sustainability targets, roughly half (48 percent) have yet to take the necessary steps to meet them.

The finding was part of a study to better understand manufacturers’ sustainability goals and the maturity of their sustainability initiatives.

Over half (57 percent) of respondents to the survey are aiming for net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. They are most likely to name reduced energy consumption as the key factor in their decision to invest in operational sustainability initiatives, and 49 percent also expect improved performance and cost savings. [Read more…] about Global report finds 1 in 3 manufacturers on track to meet sustainability targets

OnRobot launches new platform that reduces costs ‘by up to 90 percent’

by Leave a Comment

OnRobot, the world’s leading provider of hardware and software solutions for collaborative robotic applications, has launched the industry’s first automated platform for deployment of collaborative applications – D:PLOY – in Asia Pacific (APAC).

D:PLOY – the biggest innovation since the collaborative robot (cobot) – will revolutionise and simplify automation for manufacturers in almost every industry.

It offers dramatic savings of up to 90 percent on deployment and redeployment time, enabling manufacturers of all sizes to reap the benefits of automation. D:PLOY will work with any leading collaborative or light industrial robot. [Read more…] about OnRobot launches new platform that reduces costs ‘by up to 90 percent’

Augmentus expands US presence to meet growing demand for easy Scan and Plan robot programming

by Leave a Comment

Augmentus will be exhibiting at the Rockwell Automation Fair in Chicago on 16-17 November 2022 as part of its ongoing partnership with Rockwell Automation.

Conventional robot programming is highly difficult and heavily fragmented with the use of proprietary programming languages and extensive training being the industry norm.

As a result, 70 percent of the lifetime costs of robot ownership are software and programming related, and a compounding cost is involved in automating high-mix production environments. [Read more…] about Augmentus expands US presence to meet growing demand for easy Scan and Plan robot programming

Startup company Foamplant launches ‘world’s first sustainable foam’

by Leave a Comment

A startup company called Foamplant, based in the Netherlands, is launching what it claims is “the world’s first and only fully circular, sustainable open cell foam”.

Branded “Moorefoam”, the product will be officially launched at Foam Expo Europe (8-10 November, Stuttgart, Germany).

Patented Moorefoam technology enables circular production in the bedding, furniture, automotive and avionics sectors, says the company. Moorefoam is available to order now, with initial deliveries in mid-April 2023. [Read more…] about Startup company Foamplant launches ‘world’s first sustainable foam’

T.I.E. Industrial purchases Robots.com and Robotworx brands

by Leave a Comment

T.I.E. Industrial, an aftermarket supplier of CNC parts, refurbished industrial robots and general automation repair, has acquired Robots.com and the RobotWorx name.

The asset acquisition expands the T.I.E. brand family, leveraging decades of experience in robotic equipment sales, repair and service to position Robots.com as an end-to-end partner in manufacturing automation.

T.I.E. Industrial did not buy the company but the remaining assets of the website Robots.com and the RobotWorx name. Robots.com is one of the world’s most popular resources to research and source automation solutions from multiple manufacturers. [Read more…] about T.I.E. Industrial purchases Robots.com and Robotworx brands

Changing of the Guard: MES or Not?

by Leave a Comment

By Karan Talati, First Resonance

Innovation and operational changes are essential to maintaining your competitive edge in any industry. This is no different for manufacturing. Times are changing, and today’s manufacturers are re-evaluating their production processes.

Machine efficiency is necessary. It is important to the bottom line but doesn’t drive innovation. MES has been the go-to solution for manufacturers for decades, but it has lagged behind modern challenges facing today’s manufacturers.

Visionary entrepreneurs, startups, and incumbent companies with a new generation of engineers are looking to transform products of the physical world. To that, they need flexible and iterative workflows – not static efficiency measurements. Organizations across industries are rethinking legacy tools’ role in their operations. [Read more…] about Changing of the Guard: MES or Not?

Peer Robotics raises $2.3 million in seed funding round

by Leave a Comment

Peer Robotics, a new mobile robotics solution for manufacturing, has raised $2.3 million in seed funding led by Kalaari Capital, with participation from existing investors Axilor Ventures, Connecticut Innovations and Innopact VC.

Rishabh Agarwal, co-founder, and CEO of Peer Robotics, says: “Small and medium-size companies are struggling with the labor shortage today, not to mention high turn-over.

“Also, many operations are still manual with employees operating at a high risk of injuries and fatigue. Solutions to date have been too expensive and complex. [Read more…] about Peer Robotics raises $2.3 million in seed funding round

Liminal launches automated system for battery inspection in manufacturing

by Leave a Comment

Liminal, a specialist in electric vehicle battery manufacturing intelligence, has launched its EchoStat platform, a fully-automated commercial-ready manufacturing inspection solution based on ultrasound and machine learning.

Scheduled to be fully operational in 2023, this in-process inspection innovation is a groundbreaking, critical advancement toward helping EV battery manufacturers achieve the accelerated production ramp rates and cost reduction required to catalyze EV adoption at scale.

EchoStat’s core technology has been validated across 50 different cell types by six EV OEMs and seven cell manufacturers.

Anders Thor, director of communications at Northvolt, says: “We see potential in the automated EchoStat platform, enabling in-process control of saturation quality and prediction of cell performance and cycle life. The in-line inspection solution provides opportunities to improve manufacturing efficiency, saving resource, cost and time.” [Read more…] about Liminal launches automated system for battery inspection in manufacturing