Robotics & Automation News

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Tesla releases stunning videos showing car production facility

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Tesla, the electric car maker, has released a number of visually stunning videos showing its car production line in Berlin, Germany.

The facility is Tesla’s Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg and some of the robots used include its so-called “Godzilla” robot and “Giga Berlin”.

Tesla has made a number of videos available to view on Twitter, and most of them seem to use drone footage quite liberally, making for some amazing shots travelling through the factory. [Read more…] about Tesla releases stunning videos showing car production facility

Merger of Velodyne and Ouster creates $550 million lidar giant

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Velodyne and Ouster have merged to create what could be described as a “lidar giant” at a time when interest in lidar – light detection and ranging – sensors are at an all-time high because of their applications in so many robotic and automated machines. 

Ouster and Velodyne describe their successful deal as a “merger of equals”. The combined company will keep the name Ouster and continue to trade on New York Stock Exchange under the ticker “OUST”. The two companies have a combined market capitalization of more than $550 million.

The merger creates a lidar powerhouse with over 850 customers spanning the automotive, industrial, robotics, and smart infrastructure industries supported by a robust product portfolio of innovative hardware and software solutions in addition to top-tier engineering and commercial teams. [Read more…] about Merger of Velodyne and Ouster creates $550 million lidar giant

Supply chain robotics company Symbotic reports $12 billion in orders

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Symbotic, a provider of AI-enabled robotics technology for the supply chain, has released financial results for its first fiscal quarter ended December 24, 2022.

Symbotic posted revenue of $206.3 million, a net loss of $68.0 million and an adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) loss of $16.3 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2023.

In the same quarter of fiscal 2022, Symbotic had revenue of $77.1 million, a net loss of $23.1 million and an adjusted EBITDA loss of $21.3 million. [Read more…] about Supply chain robotics company Symbotic reports $12 billion in orders

North American robot sales on track for another record year for 2022

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North American robot sales in the first nine months of 2022 reached record levels, with all indications pointing to 2022 ending with the highest number of robots sold in a year for the second year in a row.

According to the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), from January to September 2022, North American companies purchased 35,804 units valued at $1.875 billion, up 24 percent for units ordered and 27 percent for revenue over the same period in 2021.

Jeff Burnstein, president of A3, says: “Ongoing labor shortages, easier-to-use robotic solutions and new industries embracing robotics, such as restaurants, retail, construction and even agriculture, have led to record units sold here in North America this year. [Read more…] about North American robot sales on track for another record year for 2022

Robot sales reach record high in North America for third consecutive quarter

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For the third-straight quarter, robot sales in North America hit a record high, driven by a resurgence in sales to automotive companies and an ongoing need to manage increasing demand to automate logistics for e-commerce.

According to the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), of the 12,305 robots sold in Q2 2022, 59 percent of the orders came from the automotive industry with the remaining orders from non-automotive companies largely in the food and consumer goods industry, which saw a 13 percent increase in unit orders over the same period, April through June, in 2021.

Jeff Burnstein, A3 President, says: “While automotive entities have long been the frontrunner in deploying robotics and automation, the last few years have seen food & consumer goods, life sciences and other industries grow at even higher rates. [Read more…] about Robot sales reach record high in North America for third consecutive quarter

Industrial robot sales in North America ‘continue record surge into 2022’

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North American companies started the year by purchasing “the most robots ever in a single quarter”, with 11,595 robots sold at a value of $646 million.

According to the Association for Advancing Automation, these Q1 numbers represent growth of 28 percent and 43 percent respectively over the first quarter of 2021 and 7 percent and 25 percent respectively over the previous best quarter, Q4 of 2021. Each industry segment experienced double-digit growth over the same quarter of 2021. [Read more…] about Industrial robot sales in North America ‘continue record surge into 2022’

Global semiconductor equipment sales grow 5 percent to $25 billion

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Global semiconductor equipment billings grew 5 percent year-over-year to $24.7 billion in the first quarter of 2022, according industry association SEMI.

The figures were revealed in SEMI’s Worldwide Semiconductor Equipment Market Statistics Report. Quarter-over-quarter billings in the seasonally soft first quarter declined 10 percent.

Ajit Manocha, SEMI president and CEO, says: “Year-over-year first quarter equipment revenue growth is in sync with positive forecasts for 2022 as the semiconductor industry continues its robust increase of fab capacity. North America and Europe logged healthy quarter-over-quarter rises in equipment spending as they intensify efforts to bolster domestic chipmaking.” [Read more…] about Global semiconductor equipment sales grow 5 percent to $25 billion

2020 saw ‘significant organizational growth and progress in autonomous vehicle market’, says industry group

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2020 saw “significant organizational growth and progress” in the autonomous vehicle market, according to the Autonomous Vehicle Computing Consortium, a global group of automotive and technology industry leaders cooperating to help accelerate the delivery of automated and assisted driving compute solutions.

AVCC members have finalized two key foundation documents, new working groups have kicked off work, and critical topics such as cybersecurity are now being addressed. Additional work and liaisons are kicking off in 2021, and new members are invited to help drive these initiatives forward.

Armando Pereira, president of AVCC, says: “The need for AVCC’s guidance for autonomous vehicle computing has gained importance over the past year, and we are proud of our technical committees’ work to unite and build consensus around industry recommendations. [Read more…] about 2020 saw ‘significant organizational growth and progress in autonomous vehicle market’, says industry group

Toyota boss calls for transformation as profit plunges 74 percent

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The president of automotive giant Toyota has called for the transformation of company amid a 74 percent decrease in profit, mostly as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Toyota this week has reported a profit of approximately $1.5 billion for the most recent quarter, which is down from more than $6 billion in the same quarter the previous year.

Japanese news outlet Asahi Shimbun reports that Toyota ’s sales went in “all markets”, with the company warning that huge uncertainties remain over the pandemic. [Read more…] about Toyota boss calls for transformation as profit plunges 74 percent

Coronavirus expected to cut industrial robot revenue by more than 8 per cent this year

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By Maya Xiao of Interact Analysis

The coronavirus pandemic which has devastated economies worldwide is expected to reduce revenues in the industrial robot market by more than 8 per cent, according to a study by Interact Analysis.

“After a weak 2019, we originally expected the 2020 robot market to recover strongly, but Covid-19 changed the market revenue growth forecast from 4.8 percent to -3.6 percent,” writes Maya Xiao, automation market expert at Interact Analysis.

Global industrial robot shipments experienced negative growth for four consecutive quarters from mid-2018, she says. At the end of 2019, recovery signs appeared, and the mid-term growth rate turned positive. This turnaround happened in the context of a continued slowdown in general global manufacturing activity, which led to weak spending on machinery and automation equipment. [Read more…] about Coronavirus expected to cut industrial robot revenue by more than 8 per cent this year