Robotics & Automation News

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Commercial vehicle maker MAN selects Magazino robot for warehouse work

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The robotics company Magazino wins commercial vehicle maker MAN as a customer for a pilot project with the SOTO robot.

The mobile robot SOTO automates the material supply between the warehouse and the assembly line, by handling and transporting small load carriers (KLT) completely autonomously.

The pilot operation started at the Nuremberg site in the engine production for trucks and offers both sides the opportunity to gain experience with the robot for a future live operation. [Read more…] about Commercial vehicle maker MAN selects Magazino robot for warehouse work

Industrial robot costs to drop by half in the next three years

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Karthee Madasamy, founder and managing partner at MFV Partners

According to ARK Invest research, industrial robot costs will drop by 50-60 percent by 2025. This dramatic drop in costs, combined with other factors such as the global pandemic’s acceleration of industries embracing automation, has resulted in a situation where interest in robotics has reached a fever pitch.

In fact, in the first year of the pandemic venture firms poured $6.3 billion into robotics companies, up nearly 50 percent from the $4.3 billion they invested over the same period a year earlier.

Further, in North America, industrial robot sales had their strongest year ever in 2021. With this activity it’s not surprising that the global market is forecasted to reach $31 billion by 2028. [Read more…] about Industrial robot costs to drop by half in the next three years

Comau selects Jaggaer as partner for digitalized procurement

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Comau has selected Jaggaer as its partner for eSourcing.

With headquarters in the industrial city of Turin, a strong presence in 13 countries around the world, and a wealth of expertise and experience spanning more than 45 years, Comau is a leading global player in the field of industrial automation, renowned for its groundbreaking and high-quality systems and products.

In the automotive sector the company boasts partnerships with some of the world’s leading and most forward-looking brands. Comau’s solutions also meet the needs of organizations in a wide range of sectors, including renewable energy and logistics. [Read more…] about Comau selects Jaggaer as partner for digitalized procurement

Amazon launches $1 billion industrial innovation fund

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Amazon is investing $1 billion into the industrial sector to “spur supply chain, fulfillment, and logistics innovation and further improve the customer and employee experience”.

The $1 billion venture investment program is called the Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund (AIIF).

As customers increasingly shop online and look for even faster delivery, Amazon says it is continuing to invent new ways to raise the bar on customer and employee experience while working with other companies focused on those fields. [Read more…] about Amazon launches $1 billion industrial innovation fund

Boston Dynamics’ makes its warehouse robot available for commercial purchase

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Boston Dynamics, one of the most innovative developers of mobile robotics, has made its warehouse robot available for commercial purchase.

“Stretch” is Boston Dynamics’ newest robot, and is designed specifically for warehouses and distribution centers.

The company says Stretch is part of a “new generation of mobile robots”, and is “one of the most advanced robots in the world today”. [Read more…] about Boston Dynamics’ makes its warehouse robot available for commercial purchase

Panasonic launches new factory automation systems

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Panasonic Factory Solutions Europe has introduced its NPM G Series, an integrated range of Surface Mounted Technology production systems designed to respond in real-time to customer supply and demand changes through continuous, autonomous updates – helping to make the autonomous factory a reality.

The Panasonic NPM G Series offers flexibility and customisable options to address production needs and extend automation in manufacturing.

Many production sites still rely on their employee’s knowledge and manpower – the so called 5M (Human, Machine, Material, Method, Measurement) method. The new Panasonic NPM G Series uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automated production to improve the process. [Read more…] about Panasonic launches new factory automation systems

RightHand Robotics raises $66 million in Series C funding

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RightHand Robotics, a startup developing autonomous robotic picking solutions for order fulfillment, has secured $66 million in a Series C financing.

The funding round was led by investors Safar Partners, a technology venture fund; Thomas H. Lee Partners, an investor in automation and supply chain; and SoftBank Vision Fund 2, which is part of the SoftBank Group.

Zebra Technologies, Epson and Global Brain also join this round, along with previous investors GV, F-Prime Capital, Menlo Ventures, Matrix Partners and Tony Fadell’s Future Shape. Previous rounds were led by Menlo Ventures and Playground Global. [Read more…] about RightHand Robotics raises $66 million in Series C funding

Almost 50,000 robots expected to be shipped to warehouses by 2026

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More than 47,000 collaborative robots are expected to be shipped to warehouses by 2026, according to ABI Research, which included the estimate in its report, 38 Technology Stats You Need to Know for 2022.

The Covid-19 pandemic quickened the pace of digital transformation, placing technologies at the very center of how people live and work – and that pace shows no signs of slowing down.

In its new white paper, 38 Technology Stats You Need to Know for 2022, global technology intelligence firm ABI Research has identified and highlighted the most impactful forecasts that illuminate the direction in which digital transformation is truly heading. [Read more…] about Almost 50,000 robots expected to be shipped to warehouses by 2026

Nike ‘transforming its supply chain’ with 1,000 collaborative robots

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The world’s biggest sportswear brand, Nike, says it is “transforming its supply” to meet the needs of its customers globally.

The company says that, in the wake of the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic in the past two years, Nike has “risen to the challenges and is seizing the opportunity to accelerate a transformation in its operations”.

To that end, Nike has been accelerating the opening of several regional distribution centers across the United States and Europe, largely because “consumers across all segments immediately shifted to digital engagement” because of lockdowns and other problems in visiting brick-and-mortar shops. [Read more…] about Nike ‘transforming its supply chain’ with 1,000 collaborative robots

Universal Robots reports record revenue of $311 million

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Universal Robots, the Danish producer of collaborative robots, has reported record annual revenue of $311 million, 41 percent up on 2020 and 23 percent up on pre-pandemic results in 2019.

Kim Povlsen, the company’s president, says: “Universal Robots has had a great year. In a company like ours, which manufactures sophisticated hardware to high quality standards, this sort of growth requires tremendous commitment from all involved.

“Our production team in Denmark has broken internal records for the number of cobots built, producing 400 cobots in a single week in Q4. Our supply chain experts have worked hard to keep our business running smoothly despite global supply challenges.” [Read more…] about Universal Robots reports record revenue of $311 million