Market trends and business perspectives
Kuka is showcasing a new “fully automated sealing and damping system” that the company has implemented at Audi.
In the automotive industry, it is becoming increasingly important to produce sustainably and efficiently.
As an alternative joining method, adhesive and sealing technology in body-in-white production makes it possible to reliably join a wide variety of materials. [Read more…] about Kuka showcases new fully automated sealing and damping system at Audi
Imagine if all the glass we see on the sides of skyscrapers and other buildings were actually solar cells in disguise, collecting energy from the sun and helping to power the building and reducing our reliance on fossil fuels.
That is the dream of many scientists who are working on the technology. Essentially, they want to replace the silicon material that glass is made out of with material that is more suitable for capturing solar energy.
While green energy has made great strides in recent years – with Germans as a nation recently using more electricity from alternative sources than traditional gas- and oil-based power – there’s still a long way to go. [Read more…] about Michigan university scientists’ new solar panels could eventually lead to self-powering skyscrapers
Scientists will use newly discovered “cyborg material” to invade our brains, merge with our thoughts and turn us all into mindless zombie robots, according to a report on The Daily Star website.
The sinister “bio-synthetic material” that could end humanity as we know it was presented recently at the American Chemical Society Fall 2020 virtual expo.
Experts claim it will pave the way to integrating electronics with the body to create “cyborg” beings, reports The Star, which adds that the new breakthrough material will enable human brains to merge with artificial intelligence. [Read more…] about Scientists will use newly discovered ‘cyborg material’ to invade our brains, merge with our thoughts and turn us all into mindless zombie robots, says report
By Thomas R. Cutler
Reducing complexity for engineer-to-order (ETO) manufacturers is finally possible. More than 50 percent of all manufacturers now acknowledge aspects of plant operations include customization.
Many ETO companies assume it is impossible to automate the entire end-to-end process surrounding product configuration, design, engineering, and production. [Read more…] about Reducing Complexity for Engineer-to-Order Manufacturers Finally Possible
Omron Automation Americas has launched the HD-1500 autonomous mobile robot, which it says can handle bulky objects weighing up to 1500 kg. (See video below.)
This addition to Omron’s robotics portfolio comes after the LD-250 mobile robot launch and further expands manufacturers’ options for autonomous material transport.
Manufacturers are facing a growing need to automate their material handling operations due to an industrial demand for increased productivity and flexibility coinciding with challenges in finding and properly utilizing skilled workers. [Read more…] about Omron launches new autonomous mobile robot
By Thomas R. Cutler
Autonomously driven forklifts, whether in distribution centers, manufacturing, or some hybrid, are much more cost-effective than manned forklifts for extremely repetitive processes.
They can be integrated into continuous round-the-clock operations covering several shifts. Self-controlling these trucks can coordinate perfectly in terms of routing and speed. This enables material flows to maintain optimal levels and the energy consumption is kept to a minimum.
The additional benefit reported by facilities managers includes substantially less damage to shelving, loads, pallets, and other trucks, as they navigate more accurately and safely than manned forklifts. [Read more…] about Rapid Growth of Autonomous Forklifts
Since the 1980s, 3D Printing has become more and more common in the industry. Also known as additive manufacturing, it is basically the process of putting together a three-dimensional object from a computer-generated CAD or 3D model.
Multiple computer-controlled processes are involved. Among the most commonly observed is the layer-by-layer joining of materials and eventual solidification.
3D printing offers a lot of advantages. Among the most frequently cited benefit is its ability to expedite production. [Read more…] about Common 3D Printing Issues (and How to Address Them)
Agilox says its autonomous mobile robots are “substantially saving costs” by applying artificial swarm intelligence.
Swarm Intelligence and bio-inspired computing have attracted great interest in almost every area of science and engineering, including robotics, over the last two decades.
Being an innovative manufacturer of autonomous mobile robots, Agilox directs most of its effort into developing one of the most unique robotic material handling features on the market – completely decentralized autonomy. [Read more…] about Agilox applies artificial swarm intelligence to its warehouse robots and makes ‘substantial’ cost savings
ATI Industrial Automation and 3M will co-present a free webinar, Three Pillars of Successful Material Removal, on Thursday, May 14, 2020 at 12pm ET.
The event, hosted by the Robotics Industries Association, will identify key concepts for successful robotic material removal.
The presentations by Dan Merritt, ATI’s material removal product manager, and Sarah Mullins, 3M global applications engineer, will feature real-world examples of the benefits of robotic material removal and illustrate how common challenges are overcome with the right application design. [Read more…] about ATI partners with 3M to present webinar about material removal tools
MakerBot, a 3D printing company and subsidiary of Stratasys, has expanded the materials portfolio for its “Method” 3D printer with two new materials – PC-ABS and PC-ABS FR.
The addition of these new materials brings the number of MakerBot materials for Method to 10, underscoring the company’s efforts to deliver a wider range of industrial-grade solutions to open more additive manufacturing applications for engineers.
PC-ABS (polycarbonate-acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) has high heat resistant properties and high tensile strength, which make it optimal for use across automotive, rail, and electronics industries. [Read more…] about MakerBot adds specialty materials for functional 3D printing prototypes
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