Robotics & Automation News

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Neolix inaugurates factory for manufacturing autonomous vehicles

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Neolix, a maker of small autonomous delivery vehicles, has laid the foundation stone to mark the start of building a factory for manufacturing driverless vehicles. 

The company says the new facility in Changzhou will be the first unmanned vehicle mass-production base in the region, and possibly the world.

The plant will produce vehicles which have “Level 4” autonomation, which is described as “full autonomy with human driver” by the SAE. [Read more…] about Neolix inaugurates factory for manufacturing autonomous vehicles

How AI Could Boost Business Customer Service

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From forecasts to spam filters, artificial intelligence has long been used to help companies across industries. Within recent years, it’s begun to play a key role in a major business area: customer service. 

Though it’s widely seen as a human-led sector, this form of tech could simplify a number of B2C tasks, likely boosting overall client experience as a result. In turn, this may very well improve brand reputation as well as profit turnover.

Let’s explore the main ways in which AI stands to enhance customer service within a business. [Read more…] about How AI Could Boost Business Customer Service

Isorg and Sumitomo Chemical partner to develop organic photodetectors

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Isorg, a developer of organic photodetectors and large-area image sensors, and Sumitomo Chemical, a provider of OPD materials production and other fields, have agreed a partnership to develop new OPD products for use as smartphone fingerprint sensors and hybrid organic CMOS image sensors.

This agreement expands the existing collaboration between Sumitomo Chemical and Isorg that began in 2013.

Isorg will license its technology processes to its OEMs, while Sumitomo Chemical will manufacture the dedicated organic semiconductor material, as well as support Isorg in terms of production technology and marketing. [Read more…] about Isorg and Sumitomo Chemical partner to develop organic photodetectors

Techman Robot signs up Accu Tech USA as new distributor

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Accu Tech USA, a provider of automation and motion solutions in the US, has signed a distribution agreement with Techman Robot, a provider of collaborative robots and vision technologies.

Under the agreement, Accu Tech USA will provide the complete range of collaborative robots offered by TM Robot to its US customers. Products have been available to order from Accu Tech USA as of last month.

Ed Lee, president of Accu Tech USA, says: “Accu Tech USA has a longstanding history of delivering affordable, cutting edge automation and motion technology to the US market. [Read more…] about Techman Robot signs up Accu Tech USA as new distributor

Mitsubishi Electric to acquire US software company Iconics

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Mitsubishi Electric Corporation is to acquire the remaining shares of Iconics, Inc., a U.S. software company focused on SCADA, IoT, mobile, analytics and cloud software products for the manufacturing, industrial and building-automation markets.

The acquisition makes the company a 100% subsidiary within the Mitsubishi Electric Group.

Mitsubishi Electric aims to enhance its software product lineup to realise e-F@ctory, including edge-computing, by combining Iconics’ software-developing capabilities and Mitsubishi Electric’s factory-automation technology.

e-F@ctory is an integrated solution based on factory automation (FA) and information technologies to reduce the total cost of developing, producing and maintaining products.

[Read more…] about Mitsubishi Electric to acquire US software company Iconics

Geek Plus Robotics to showcase warehouse automation system at Deliver Portugal

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Geek Plus Robotics, a supplier of warehouse automation technologies, is to showcase its “Picking System” at the Deliver Portugal event, at booth C7.

Deliver has been described as “the Davos of the e-commerce world”, although it takes place at various locations, such as London and, in this instance, Lisbon, Portugal, from 5-6 June 2019.

It’s an event that attracts the world’s leading e-commerce companies, as well as many technology providers. [Read more…] about Geek Plus Robotics to showcase warehouse automation system at Deliver Portugal

Mass customization platform KBMax named ‘visual configuration leader’

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KBMax, a company which provides mass customization services to the manufacturing sector, says it has been named “visual configuration leader” by G2 Crowd, a website which collates and presents reviews from users of software.

KBMax mainly offers its services through its website, and primarily categorizes itself as a “CPQ” platform, a well-known term in sales and marketing which stands for configure, price, quote.

Traditionally, CPQ platforms have not included visual configurators, which enable the customization of a product using online 3D computer-aided design software.

[Read more…] about Mass customization platform KBMax named ‘visual configuration leader’

Universal Robots certifies ATI’s new automated tool changer

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ATI Industrial Automation’s QC-11 Automatic Tool Changer, a component of many robotic applications, is now certified to work seamlessly with collaborative robots from Universal Robots.

It joins more than 150 products in the UR+ portfolio featuring plug-and-play solutions for UR cobots.

The QC-11 enables automatic exchange of robotic end-effectors without any manual intervention.

[Read more…] about Universal Robots certifies ATI’s new automated tool changer

Epson Robots signs Smith Power Systems as distributor in south central US

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Epson Robots has signed Smith Power Systems, provider of selling services for its manufacturing partners, as an official distributor for the full line of Epson Robots automation products for the Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas territories.

This includes Epson SCARA, 6-Axis and Linear Module robots as well as integrated solutions such as the IntelliFlex Feeding System, Vision Guide, Force Guide and many other industrial automation products offered by Epson Robots.

Gregg Smith, president, Smith Power Systems, says: “Our partnership with Epson gives us a solid footprint in the factory automation, assembly and robotics field in our territory.

[Read more…] about Epson Robots signs Smith Power Systems as distributor in south central US

Firestone unit opens first facility in Germany

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Firestone Building Products, a subsidiary of Bridgestone Americas, has opened its first greenfield plant in Heinsberg, Germany.

The facility, which broke ground in March 2017, employs a workforce of approximately twenty and is located in the Dremmen District of Heinsberg, Germany.

The new facility represents an opportunity to supplement Firestone insulation production in North America in order to meet the growing demand for complete roofing solutions in a global market.

[Read more…] about Firestone unit opens first facility in Germany