Robotics & Automation News

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productivity

Apptronik and Terex to jointly develop robots for commercial use

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Apptronik, a maker of general-purpose robots, exoskeletons and humanoids, has received an equity investment from Terex Corporation and has reached an agreement with Terex to co-develop “first-of-a-kind robots” to work alongside workers to support safety, productivity, and efficiency of industries that power the economy and are essential to building infrastructure.

Robots have long held the promise of solving labor shortages and productivity issues, but until recently have been limited to performing repetitive tasks within structured environments such as warehouses or factories.

While robots have proven useful at completing dull and repetitive tasks in controlled environments, they have not been leveraged for more complex tasks in unstructured environments. [Read more…] about Apptronik and Terex to jointly develop robots for commercial use

Forvia increases logistics productivity with fleet of MiR robots

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Forvia, an automotive technology company, says it has increased its logistics productivity, strengthened stability of production processes and decreased safety risks with a fleet of robots from Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR).

The return of investment from the 14 autonomous mobile robots (AMR) working in the Faurecia Clean Mobility plant in Písek, Czech Republic, was less than two years.

Seven of Forvia’s heavy duty MiR robots, mainly MiR600s, work in finished goods, bringing empty pallets to the assembly lines and picking up full pallets to transport to the logistics area. The second area, where MiR250 robots operate, moves components from the warehouse to assembly lines. The robots in the plant work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, covering all three operation shifts. [Read more…] about Forvia increases logistics productivity with fleet of MiR robots

SafeAI raises $38 million funding to develop autonomous heavy equipment

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SafeAI, a developer of autonomous solutions for heavy equipment, has raised $38 million in its Series B round of funding with key investors including Builders VC, McKinley Management, George Kaiser Family Foundation, and Energy Innovation Capital.

Additionally, Moog Inc joined the round as a strategic investor. SafeAI retrofits construction and mining vehicles with aftermarket hardware and proprietary autonomy software that delivers significant gains in increased worksite productivity, safety and cost savings.

The company will use the funding to accelerate their autonomous vehicle technology roadmap, and to scale operations globally to service and deploy their growing customer base. [Read more…] about SafeAI raises $38 million funding to develop autonomous heavy equipment

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

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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

Rockwell Automation launches FactoryTalk Design Hub

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Rockwell Automation, which claims to be the world’s largest company dedicated to industrial automation and digital transformation, has launched FactoryTalk Design Hub.

FactoryTalk Design Hub is intened to enable industrial organizations to transform their automation design capabilities with a more simplified, productive way to work powered by the cloud.

Teams of all sizes, skillsets, and locations can work smarter through enhanced collaboration, improved lifecycle management, and on-demand access to cloud-based software. The result is increased design productivity, faster time to market, and systems that cost less to build and maintain. [Read more…] about Rockwell Automation launches FactoryTalk Design Hub

Sarcos demonstrates robotic technologies for shipyard operations

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Sarcos Technology and Robotics, a developer of highly dexterous exoskeletons and robotic systems that augment humans to enhance productivity and safety, says it has executed field trials demonstrating improved worker safety and productivity for shipyard operations.

Sarcos robotic systems are designed to carry out maintenance, inspection, and repair activities, on and around ships that are underway and pier side, creating safer and more effective shipyard operations and improving the efficiency of sailors and shipyard workers.

In September, the company completed a successful field trial for the US Navy at the Repair Technology Exercise (REPTX) at the Naval Base Ventura County in Port Hueneme, California. [Read more…] about Sarcos demonstrates robotic technologies for shipyard operations

BMC selects Zebra to automate operations

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Zebra Technologies, an industrial automation company, says Bespoke Manufacturing Company, an apparel manufacturer, has selected S&H Systems and Zebra’s Fetch autonomous mobile robots and fixed industrial scanners to improve visibility and productivity.

Zebra’s solution will improve BMC’s workflow visibility from the initial printing and cutting of fabric to the final phase of packing and shipping, increasing efficiency and productivity and allowing the manufacturer to scale up to meet growing demand.

BMC selected Zebra’s end-to-end industrial and robotics automation solution to enable front-line workers to focus on production. Its entire workflow logistics are delegated to Zebra’s Fetch AMRs and fixed industrial scanners which move, trace and direct workpieces to their destinations. [Read more…] about BMC selects Zebra to automate operations

SRI unveils autonomous digger for construction sites

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SRI, a technology development company founded in 1946 by Stanford University, has unveiled an autonomous digger for construction sites and other similar heavy-duty applications. (See video below.)

The “smart excavator” can be operated remotely and comes with an augmented reality system which makes the process secure, more convenient, and “as easy as playing a video game”.

SRI likens it to the Nintendo Wii, saying the control system only takes “a couple of minutes to master”, adding that, by giving excavators a “robotification upgrade”, the operator doesn’t need to be in the driver’s seat and can even “operate the machinery from anywhere around the world”. [Read more…] about SRI unveils autonomous digger for construction sites

634AI to install 200 autonomous mobile robots in Musashi manufacturing facilities worldwide

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634AI, the developers of Maestro, an artificial intelligence-enabled control tower for indoor mobility management, and Musashi Seimitsu, a global tier-1 auto part manufacturer, have signed an agreement to install 200 autonomous mobile robots, powered by Maestro, across Musashi Seimitsu’s 35 manufacturing facilities worldwide.

634AI’s Maestro powered AMRs will be used to automate Musashi Seimitsu’s intra logistics operation and increase the safety and efficiency of activity on its manufacturing floors.

Musashi Seimitsu, a global transmission gear manufacturer, is a major shareholder in 634AI. After two years of testing 634AI’s Maestro in live manufacturing facilities in Japan, Musashi Seimitsu will be rolling out 634AI’s AMRs under the management of Maestro over the next four years. [Read more…] about 634AI to install 200 autonomous mobile robots in Musashi manufacturing facilities worldwide

Nachi-Fujikoshi launches new ‘high-speed, high-precision’ robot series

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Japanese industrial robot giant Nachi-Fujikoshi has launched what it describes as a series of “high-speed, high-precision robots”.

The company says it developed the new robots “in response to customer demands for higher precision, further improving productivity, and miniaturizing electrical and electronic components”.

The three new robots are the MZ07F and MZ07LF with higher speed and precision MZ07. [Read more…] about Nachi-Fujikoshi launches new ‘high-speed, high-precision’ robot series