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Sonair raises $6.8 million to develop ‘breakthrough’ 3D ultrasonic sensor

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Sonair has closed a new funding round, led by Skyfall Ventures, to “propel the robotics industry into a new era of sensing technology”.

The investment introduces a completely new category of sensors that will transform a mobile robot’s spatial awareness from 2D to 3D, offering a significantly improved safety performance over traditional vision systems while cutting costs by 50-80 percent.

The company’s Early Access Program now counts AMR manufacturers, automakers, and distributors from across the world. [Read more…] about Sonair raises $6.8 million to develop ‘breakthrough’ 3D ultrasonic sensor

SICK’s new multiScan and picoscan LiDAR sensors ‘more powerful, compact, and robust than ever before’

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SICK has enhanced its multiScan and picoScan LiDAR sensors to provide customers with a range of robust, high performance, customisable 2D and 3D sensors that deliver superior object detection, field evaluation and fast data streaming to a huge range of applications

Sensor expert SICK has expanded its high performance multiScan and picoScan LiDAR ranges to make them even more powerful, compact and robust.

With a variety of industry specific software applications that run on-device, SICK is taking LiDAR sensor technology to new levels of performance, reliability and flexibility.

The modular multiScan 100 3D product family and compact picoScan 150 LiDAR sensors are customisable to suit a wide range of applications, with bespoke parameters, operation and integration.

[Read more…] about SICK’s new multiScan and picoscan LiDAR sensors ‘more powerful, compact, and robust than ever before’

Naviq releases magnetic guide sensor to ‘enhance’ mobile robots path following

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Naviq is introducing the MTS160, a “state-of-the-art” magnetic guide sensor for mobile robots, featuring patented angle measurement capabilities with 1-degree precision and position accuracy within 1 mm.

This unique dual functionality provides exceptional orientation and positioning precision, significantly improving the navigation capabilities of mobile robotic systems.

Unlike traditional magnetic line-following sensors that only detect position along a single dimension, the MTS160’s unique angle detection allows robots to assess the curvature of the track. [Read more…] about Naviq releases magnetic guide sensor to ‘enhance’ mobile robots path following

Roborock launches ‘all-in-one’ robot that sweeps and mops

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Roborock, a provider of intelligent home robotics, has launched the intelligent sweeping and mopping all-in-one robot Roborock Qrevo Slim, equipped with an innovative 3D camera module for navigation and obstacle avoidance using the REAL3 Time-of-Flight (ToF) imager by Infineon Technologies.

Time of flight is the measurement of the time taken by an object, particle or wave to travel a distance through a medium.

The technology allows to reduce size and increase reliability. Compared to the body height of traditional sweeping and mopping robots of around 100 mm, the overall height of the Roborock Qrevo Slim is only 82 mm, allowing it to pass through lower and narrower spaces while providing high reliability.

[Read more…] about Roborock launches ‘all-in-one’ robot that sweeps and mops

Looking after your programmable logic controller: A PLC maintenance checklist

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Tom Cash, director at Foxmere, explains how engineers can ensure PLCs last for their expected duration

Programmable logic controllers, or PLCs, can survive for more than 20 years, and it’s something we see regularly here at Foxmere.

Although the component parts of a PLC, such as central processing units (CPUs) and power supply units (PSUs), boast long lifespans, components such as input/output (I/O) modules and communication modules are not so robust.

In fact, about 80 per cent of PLC failures result from field devices, I/O module failure or power supply issues.

[Read more…] about Looking after your programmable logic controller: A PLC maintenance checklist

ATI releases high-speed Ethernet module to enhance robotic tool changer performance

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ATI Industrial Automation (ATI) has developed the GBX 10 Gigabit Tool Changer Ethernet Module, designed to allow smart manufacturing processes to optimize performance and flexibility with timely, accurate communication.

It excels in high-speed data and signal communication with vision, inspection, metrology, motion control, and fieldbus systems.

The new Ethernet Module provides a variety of industries and applications with safe and reliable transmission of high-speed data, signals, and fieldbus communication for advanced automation, AI, and Industry 4.0.

[Read more…] about ATI releases high-speed Ethernet module to enhance robotic tool changer performance

Luxolis completes first investment program

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Luxolis, a 3D vision systems startup from South Korea, has successfully completed the Korea Softlanding Program, an initiative supported by the CIC Institute Tokyo and the Seoul Business Agency (SBA).

This program was designed to foster collaboration and investment opportunities between Korean startups and Japanese enterprises.

The Korea Softlanding Program, which ran from May 20 to August 9, provided comprehensive support to ten innovative Korean startups. [Read more…] about Luxolis completes first investment program

Worldwide silicon wafer shipments increase 7 percent

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Worldwide silicon wafer shipments increased 7.1 percent quarter-over-quarter to 3,035 million square inches (MSI) in the second quarter of 2024 but saw an 8.9 percent decline from the 3,331 million square inches recorded during the same quarter last year, the SEMI Silicon Manufacturers Group (SMG) reported in its quarterly analysis of the silicon wafer industry.

Lee Chungwei, chairman of SEMI SMG and vice president and chief auditor at GlobalWafers, says: “The silicon wafer market is recovering driven by strong demand related to products for data centers and generative AI.

“While the recovery is uneven across different applications, 300mm wafer Q2 shipments indicated 8% quarter-over-quarter growth for the best performance among all wafer sizes. There are a growing number of new semiconductor fabs under construction or ramping production volume.

[Read more…] about Worldwide silicon wafer shipments increase 7 percent

The Most Accurate Way to Select and Purchase Parts: Original Catalogs and 7zap Marketplace

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In the digital age, the automotive parts market has seen a significant shift towards online platforms.

However, with the abundance of options and the risk of counterfeit parts, ensuring the accuracy and authenticity of your purchase is crucial.

One of the most reliable methods is to use original manufacturers’ catalogs and make your purchase through a trusted marketplace like 7zap. This article explains why this approach is the most accurate and reliable way to get the parts you need. [Read more…] about The Most Accurate Way to Select and Purchase Parts: Original Catalogs and 7zap Marketplace

Laundry Robotics and Fizyr develop laundry-feeding solution

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Fizyr, a provider of vision for robotic systems, has extended its partnership with Laundry Robotics, which initially started in 2016.

In the eight years since, the automatic towel feeder solutions, which Laundry Robotics named Robin and Roy, have been deployed in installations across Europe and North America.

Ken Fleming, Fizyr CEO says: “Laundry Robotics has been an amazing company to partner with over the years. [Read more…] about Laundry Robotics and Fizyr develop laundry-feeding solution