Robotics & Automation News

Market trends and business perspectives

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Hanwha Robotics and Wipro team up on Indian cobot market 

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Hanwha Precision Machinery’s Robot Business Division has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Wipro Infrastructure Engineering (WIN) to establish a local sales and operations office in India.

The partnership combines the core competencies between the two companies: Hanwha’s cobot manufacturing and development capabilities and WIN’s Automation Solutions business and broad sales network in India.

Through this partnership, Hanwha Robotics will be able to sell its factory automation cobots to WIN’s customer base through its sales network.

[Read more…] about Hanwha Robotics and Wipro team up on Indian cobot market 

Universal Robots opens authorised training centres in North America

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North American distributors of Universal Robots are now opening Authorized Training Centers (ATCs), offering classes spanning basic to advanced programming of UR cobots. The first four ATCs have been launched, with another nine to follow by end of 2019.

Universal Robots says it is committed to making collaborative robots (cobots) in the workplace accessible to all. The company is now building on the popular online modules offered through the UR Academy by enabling its sales channel to open ATCs.

Through hands-on classes hosted by UR trained teachers, the ATCs will broaden users’ understanding of the UR cobots’ range of use cases, while providing opportunities for hands-on practice in real-life applications.

[Read more…] about Universal Robots opens authorised training centres in North America

Toyota and Subaru to jointly develop battery electric vehicles

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Toyota Motor Corporation and Subaru Corporation are to jointly develop a platform dedicated to battery electric vehicles (BEVs) for midsize and large passenger vehicles and to jointly develop a C-segment-class BEV SUV model for sale under each company’s own brand.

The two companies will combine their respective strengths, such as Subaru all-wheel-drive technologies and Toyota vehicle electrification technologies,  to create attractive BEVs.

Ever since concluding an agreement on business collaboration in 2005, Toyota and Subaru have been deepening their cooperation in various fields, including development, production, and sales.

[Read more…] about Toyota and Subaru to jointly develop battery electric vehicles

AI driving actionable sales intelligence in manufacturing

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By Barrett Thompson, Zilliant Business Solutions

The manufacturing plant floor has been automated and optimized for years; yet revenue and profit growth remain stagnant.

Seemingly everything has been process-improved with lean manufacturing principles; however, the cost of doing business remains high and the C-Suite continues its demands for an increase in revenue per transaction and gross margins.

Two functions at manufacturing organizations are prime for process improvement:

  • selling; and
  • pricing.

A closer look at the selling function reveals that despite reducing labor costs via transformational automation solutions, sales teams still manage large, antiquated portfolios. They are expected to increase their book of business while retaining current customers. [Read more…] about AI driving actionable sales intelligence in manufacturing

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’

OnRobot opens Singapore office for its robot end-of-arm tools

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OnRobot, the Danish end-of-arm tooling specialist, is opening regional headquarters in Singapore.

OnRobot says it will closely focus on the growing demand of end-of-arm-tooling (EOAT) in robotics automation in Southeast Asia.

OnRobot specializes in EOAT for collaborative applications, where machines and humans come together to automate, for faster and cost-effective production. [Read more…] about OnRobot opens Singapore office for its robot end-of-arm tools

Super Micro to avoid Chinese components amid US-China trade war

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Super Micro Computer, one of the world’s largest server manufacturers, has decided to avoid using components manufactured in China, according to a report on Nikkei.

Nikkei reports that Super Micro has instructed its suppliers to move production out of China.

Super Micro says the move is a consequence of the trade dispute between the US and China, in which security concerns raised by the US have also affected other Chinese companies such as Huawei.

[Read more…] about Super Micro to avoid Chinese components amid US-China trade war

Okuma and Hartwig open tech centre in Houston

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Okuma America Corporation, a world leader in CNC machine tool manufacturing, and Okuma distributor Hartwig, have opened a new Okuma Tech Center at Hartwig Houston in Texas, USA.

The 23,000 sq ft showroom which features more than 20 machine tools – including larger machines specifically built for the oil and gas industry.

Wade Anderson, Okuma Product Specialists Sales Manager and Tech Centers Manager, said: “The new space allows us to show the larger machines that are significant to the oil and gas industry, and our customers can see live-cutting applications demonstrated on these Okuma machine tools.”

Toyota premieres own-brand battery electric vehicles

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Toyota unveiled its C-HR and IZOA battery electric vehicles (BEVs) on the opening day of Auto Shanghai 2019.

The C-HR and IZOA will be the first BEVs to launch in China under the Toyota brand. Sales of the new models are expected to start from 2020.

Toyota also displayed other electrified vehicles, such as hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) variants for the RAV4 and the Alphard/Vellfire in China, as well as the Corolla and Levin plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) series, launched in March 2019.

[Read more…] about Toyota premieres own-brand battery electric vehicles

Infographic: How AI is streamlining the supply chain

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Noodle AI has produced an infographic to show how artificial intelligence is changing commerce

Artificial intelligence is everywhere. In fact, you may have interacted with it today and you didn’t even know it.

AI can streamline a lot of our daily business operations, freeing us up to tackle more difficult tasks.

Within the world of e-commerce, AI may be the key to streamlining the supply chain. [Read more…] about Infographic: How AI is streamlining the supply chain