Robotics & Automation News

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Construction robotics: Okibo brings painting robot to America

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Okibo, a developer of construction robotics, is opening its US headquarters in Englewood, New Jersey, and the official launch of its EG7 robot in the American market.

After establishing its US base in 2024, Okibo’s fully autonomous, AI-guided painting and drywall finishing robots are already active on major American construction sites, having covered more than one million square feet in Europe.

The EG7 is a next-generation, battery-powered robot requiring zero site preparation, external references, or technical expertise to operate. Unlike systems that depend on external markers or BIM tools, the EG7 uses a patented AI-driven 3D scanning and real-time modeling algorithm for navigation and execution. [Read more…] about Construction robotics: Okibo brings painting robot to America

Dürr to install 120 industrial robots at Chinese auto giant BYD’s first plant in Europe

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The giant Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD Auto is building its first European passenger car plant. To equip it with painting technology, BYD selected Dürr.

Over the coming months, the German mechanical and plant engineering company will send more than 120 robots to Hungary for various painting lines. These robots, fitted with EcoBell3 atomisers, deliver outstanding quality and support sustainable painting.

BYD Auto Company Limited, one of China’s largest vehicle manufacturers and ranks among the market leaders in electric vehicle sales. Now, the company is becoming one of the first Chinese car manufacturers to build a European car factory, located in Szeged, Hungary. [Read more…] about Dürr to install 120 industrial robots at Chinese auto giant BYD’s first plant in Europe

Dürr unveils new painting technology for vehicles

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Industrial robotics company Dürr has unveiled new painting technology for vehicles.

Dürr’s latest development enables mixed 2-component paint systems to be fed directly in the return system within the atomiser for the first time.

This eliminates volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions in the paint booth during flushing processes and colour changes. The new solution has been successfully deployed in two top coat lines for over a year.

[Read more…] about Dürr unveils new painting technology for vehicles

Sotheby’s auctions painting by a robot for $1.124 million

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The New York branch of Sotheby’s, one of the world’s most prestigious auction houses when it comes to fine art and artefacts, has just sold a painting by a robot for more than $1.124 million.

The painting, called “AI God – Portrait of Alan Turing”, was produced by the humanoid robot Ai-Da, which readers of this website will probably know from our previous coverage, and which has its own website.

The estimated sale price of the mixed-media work was listed as being between $120,000 to $180,000 by Sotheby’s, which clearly did not accurately predict how much revenue the work would generate.

[Read more…] about Sotheby’s auctions painting by a robot for $1.124 million

ABB launches new paint atomizer for efficient and sustainable paint shops

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ABB has launched the RB 1000i-S paint atomizer to revolutionize automotive paint shops. The new paint atomizer mounted on top of the ABB robot improves transfer efficiency by upwards of 10 percent, and can significantly reduce paint waste by a minimum of 30 percent along with carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, compared to its predecessor, the RB 1000i.

In addition, major efficiency and cost saving benefits have the potential to deliver significant financial savings.

Marc Segura, president – robotics division at ABB, says: “Major automotive manufacturers have committed to carbon neutral factories by 2035, leaving no stone unturned in their mission to achieve these targets. [Read more…] about ABB launches new paint atomizer for efficient and sustainable paint shops

How Automotive Robotics is Transforming the Auto Industry

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Our century is seeing a new change in industrialization where robotics have become the new norm in production and manufacturing. The automotive sector is one of the main industries that has experienced a lot of transformation.

From conducting auto auctions online to make it easier to buy cars from the comfort of your home to robotics that are widely used for painting, welding, and assembly.

What is most loved about automated technology is the fact that they are precise and move relatively fast and repetitively; all this translates to much faster production times and high-quality products. [Read more…] about How Automotive Robotics is Transforming the Auto Industry

PaintJet raises $10 million in Series A funding

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PaintJet, the robotics company bringing automation to industrial painting, has raised $10 million in Series A funding to bring critical automation technology to the construction industry and address widespread labor shortages.

The latest round of funding was led by Outsiders Fund with participation from 53 Stations, Dynamo, Pathbreaker Ventures, MetaProp and VSC Ventures. This brings PaintJet’s total funding to $14.75 million.

Every single commercial building needs to be painted for protection from the natural environment, but the American painting sector is in crisis, lacking 100,000 laborers that are needed to meet today’s project demands. [Read more…] about PaintJet raises $10 million in Series A funding

PaintJet launches new robotic painting solution for commercial buildings

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PaintJet, a developer of robotics for painting, has unveiled its latest innovation for the industrial painting industry: the Bravo robotic painter and Alpha Shield paint, a “full stack solution” to paint commercial buildings “faster, more precisely and with more protection for worsening climate impacts”.

PaintJet says every warehouse and commercial building “must be painted for protection against the environment”. This would create a $250 billion industry which, the company says, is primed for opportunity.

However, due to an ongoing labor shortage, the US currently lacks “the 100,000 painters that are needed to complete these jobs”, claims PaintJet, and 41 percent of this workforce is expected to retire by 2031. [Read more…] about PaintJet launches new robotic painting solution for commercial buildings

How Are Robots Used in Car Manufacturing?

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Have you ever been at an auto show or a vehicle auction and seen amazing cars that left you wondering how they created such intricate shapes and precise details on that many cars?

The answer is quite simple: they use robots. Robots were introduced in the automotive industry in the sixties by General Motors.

Since then, car manufacturers have used them to keep up with the increased car demand. This has made it easier to make more cars and at a cheaper cost. [Read more…] about How Are Robots Used in Car Manufacturing?

Carolina Handling creates ‘world’s largest pallet painting’

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Carolina Handling set the record for creating the world’s largest pallet painting on October 10 in Greenville, South Carolina when it completed a 26,235-square-foot portrait of Lady Liberty.

Presented in partnership with pallet provider 48forty Solutions, The Patriotic Pallet Project featured 2,500 wooden pallets painted 16 different colors and placed in a grid like pattern to reveal the iconic likeness of Lady Liberty. Assembly of the painting was recorded for a video to be released on Veterans Day, November 11.

Donna Waldrep, Carolina Handling director of marketing, says: “We realize that what we do every day is probably not that exciting to those outside our industry. [Read more…] about Carolina Handling creates ‘world’s largest pallet painting’