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Trapo looks ahead to a busy Spring season for logistics

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Spring is approaching, making it the busiest season in plant logistics. When dealing with plants, there are many challenges – from correct handling of sensitive organisms to short turnaround times, so that the goods arrive fresh at the traders.

Volmary, an internationally operating vegetable- and flower-growing company in Münster, Germany, grows herbs, vegetables and flowering plants for wholesale.

The company turned to Trapo AG for the automation of intralogistics processes, who installed a high-capacity picking system, tailored to the individual requirements of Volmary.

[Read more…] about Trapo looks ahead to a busy Spring season for logistics

50,000 warehouses to use 4 million robots by 2025, says report

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More than 4 million commercial robots will be installed in over 50,000 warehouses by 2025, according to a report by ABI Research.

The 50,000 figure represents a massive expansion of the market from the current situation in which an estimated 4,000 warehouses were found to be using robots in 2018.

ABI says the rapid rate of adoption will be driven by the need for flexible, efficient, and automated e-commerce fulfillment as same-day delivery becomes the norm.  [Read more…] about 50,000 warehouses to use 4 million robots by 2025, says report

BMW creates 2,000 jobs as it starts production of new autonomous electric car

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BMW’s Dingolfing plant director announces the expansion of e-drive production, as well as preparations for series production of the fully electric and “highly automated” BMW iNext

The mobility of tomorrow is being turned into reality to a large extent in BMW’s Dingolfing production plant, in Lower Bavaria, southern Germany.

Ilka Horstmeier, the new director of the plant, is convinced of this. “We want to, and will, emerge as a winner in our industry’s technological transformation,” she says. “And we will continue to pioneer future topics such as e-mobility and autonomous driving.”

In this context, the plant director announced that “we will increase the number of Dingolfing-based jobs in the production of e-drive components several times over in the next few years – to a total of up to 2,000”.  [Read more…] about BMW creates 2,000 jobs as it starts production of new autonomous electric car

Could an IoT security domino effect derail robotics before it ever goes mainstream?

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By Eric Jensen, head of IoT product management at Canonical

2019 will be a big year for robotics, as we begin to see the expansion of automation technologies into new markets.

But with IoT security still a weak spot, one major attack within robotics could have a domino effect on the entire industry.

Add to this the verticals that robots are beginning to infiltrate – healthcare and agriculture for example – and the threat becomes immediate and very real.  [Read more…] about Could an IoT security domino effect derail robotics before it ever goes mainstream?

E-commerce to accelerate application of droids and drones, says Zebra study

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The e-commerce sector is accelerating the need for droids and drones, according to a new report, which adds that seven in 10 enterprises say e-commerce is also “driving the need for faster field operations”.

Zebra Technologies, a business technology provider, has published the results of its latest vision study on the Future of Field Operations.

The study reveals mobile technology investment is a top priority for 36 percent of organizations and a growing priority for an additional 58 percent to keep up with rapidly evolving and increasing customer demand. [Read more…] about E-commerce to accelerate application of droids and drones, says Zebra study

Autonomous space robots to debut at Hannover Messe 2019

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Today, robots in space are mostly either passive observers or controlled by humans from Earth. Soon they will have to operate independently and over long periods of time under extreme conditions.

In order to meet the high demands on the systems, the Robotics Innovation Centre of the German Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) is developing innovative hardware and software concepts that it is testing on Earth as part of so-called analogue missions.

The scientists will be presenting their research as well as robotic space systems at the DFKI booth at the Hannover Messe from 01 to 05 April 2019.

[Read more…] about Autonomous space robots to debut at Hannover Messe 2019

Fraunhofer to showcase wireless high-speed communication solution at Automate event

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The Fraunhofer Institute will showcase a contactless and fiber-free high-speed optical communication solution at the Automate Show.

Instead of radio frequency, the solution uses light to transfer data wirelessly.

Automate 2019 is scheduled to be held at McCormick Place in Chicago from 8-11 April.  [Read more…] about Fraunhofer to showcase wireless high-speed communication solution at Automate event

EPHJ: High-precision industry meets in Geneva

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The annual EPHJ-EPMT-SMT Show is one of a kind, unique, in that it is the only trade fair dedicated to microtechnology.

The event is known worldwide for the quality of the exhibiting companies and for the diversity of innovations presented.

Leading companies in three sectors – watchmaking, jewelry, micro-technologies and medical technology – meet every year in Geneva to confront the market and present their products or services to some 20 000 professionals visitors from five continents.  [Read more…] about EPHJ: High-precision industry meets in Geneva

Hannover Messe to showcase modular production systems

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This year’s Hannover Messe will feature a showcase on modular production.

For the third year running, manufacturers, users and module providers will demonstrate the ability of interface standardization to significantly increase production plant flexibility in process manufacturing.

The key is to have end-to-end modularization and make greater use of intelligent, decentralized automation, say the experts.  [Read more…] about Hannover Messe to showcase modular production systems

Making Agile More Successful: 3 Tips for Selecting the Best Automated Test Tools

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Seventy percent of US businesses are engaged in Agile projects

Finding a way to successfully manage a large scale software development project can be extremely difficult.

If you fail to provide your team with the latest tools and technology on the market, it is only a matter of time before problems start to occur.

Instead of letting outdated tools and methodologies affect your software development business, you need to embrace the Agile way of doing things.  [Read more…] about Making Agile More Successful: 3 Tips for Selecting the Best Automated Test Tools