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The Digital Silk Road: Exclusive interview with Citic Telecom CPC boss

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About a week ago, a Chinese company called Citic Telecom CPC formally announced that it had completed its acquisition of a European company called Linx Telecommunications. 

While the story may be interesting in and of itself, it’s just one piece of a much larger jigsaw puzzle China’s Premier Xi Jinping wants to piece together.

A couple of years ago, Jinping sketched out a roadmap of what has come to be known as the “One Belt, One Road” project, often shortened to Obor.  [Read more…] about The Digital Silk Road: Exclusive interview with Citic Telecom CPC boss

Dr Robot: Robotics and automation in the medical sector

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Robotics in the healthcare and pharmaceutical sector has a relatively long history, having started with a robot called the Puma 560 in 1985, according to All About Robotic Surgery.

Now, however, a number of robotic and automation systems have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for operation in healthcare environments, and the market is probably set to grow exponentially in the next few years as they become fully commercialised.

While robotic surgery systems such as Intuitive Surgical’s da Vinci may be the most photogenic of the systems, gaining a lot of publicity in recent years, there are numerous other systems being developed, with some already being used in healthcare.  [Read more…] about Dr Robot: Robotics and automation in the medical sector

Midea’s new robots could replace 400,000 pharmacists in China

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Midea, the Chinese giant manufacturing giant which makes household appliances such as washing machines and refridgerators, is launching robot pharmacists which would put 400,000 humans out of work. 

That may sound unlikely in the short term, but market analysts quoted by Bloomberg estimate that robots will account for 20 per cent of all pharmaceuticals sales by 2020.

Moreover, Midea chairman and CEO Paul Fang acknowledges the potential revolution the company’s robots could start.  [Read more…] about Midea’s new robots could replace 400,000 pharmacists in China

Foundational insights: Exclusive interview with Deloitte’s manufacturing leader

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Some sectors of technology change so fast it can be bewildering for people whose jobs and livelihoods depend on keeping up with new innovations and developments which can mean the difference between profit and loss, success and failure. 

Traditionally, larger companies have been wary of the threat of smaller, more nimble and more flexible competitors launching more innovative products and services faster and at a lower price point and taking away their market share.

It doesn’t always happen, but it does sometimes. Corporate history is littered with many stories of successful companies which went from being the dominant market leader to being an also-ran, or worse.  [Read more…] about Foundational insights: Exclusive interview with Deloitte’s manufacturing leader

Industrial consolidation: Emerson Electric tries to buy Rockwell Automation for $27 billion

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Emerson Electric, a company with a market capitalisation of more than $40 billion, is trying to buy Rockwell Automation, which has a market cap of about $26 billion. 

Emerson has reportedly offered more than $27 billion for Rockwell, but has been rejected.

Not apparently because of the money, but because Rockwell is said to be “fiercely independent” by CNBC, which says the acquisition bid was met with a “terse rejection”.  [Read more…] about Industrial consolidation: Emerson Electric tries to buy Rockwell Automation for $27 billion

ROS celebrates 10 years as it looks forward to an expanding market

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The Robot Operating System is marking its 10th anniversary since launch, and with 10 million downloads a month, the market for ROS is set for “significant expansion”, according to a report by Transparency Research

The Robot Operating System is a collection of software tools and libraries used by robot programmers for developing applications.

ROS itself is not an operating system but uses an operating system’s user interface, file system, process management system, and programming utilities.  [Read more…] about ROS celebrates 10 years as it looks forward to an expanding market

Graphene: A primer on the miracle material

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Graphene is sometimes described as being two-dimensional, or 2D, which is probably more a reflection of the enthusiasm people feel about the material rather than a statement of fact since graphene is actually one atom thick. 

It may only be one single atom, but it’s still there, which means that graphene is, in fact, three-dimensional.

Another interesting thing about graphene is that the naturally occurring composite mineral it’s extracted from – graphite – has been in use for thousands of years in such things as ceramic paints, and it’s been used in pencils for decades. But only now has graphene been extracted from it and suggested for a wide array of applications.  [Read more…] about Graphene: A primer on the miracle material

An introduction to product design and development for manufacturing

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Many people have ideas, but actually producing something – sketch, prototype, then final product – from those ideas, and having it mass-manufactured, is a hugely complex, time-consuming and expensive process.

If that product is an electronic and semiconductor technology-based hardware-and-software product, which is increasingly in demand these days, then that’s an even higher level of complexity and stress.

This article tries to provide a starting point, or introduction, for those interested in industrial design or product development, and maybe have ideas for products and want to know how to start the process of getting them manufactured.  [Read more…] about An introduction to product design and development for manufacturing

As good as a lifelong guarantee: Interview with Fanuc America boss

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Exclusive interview with Neil Dueweke, general manager, automotive new domestic and automotive components group, Fanuc America

Industrial robotics and automation is a complex area for a someone with no background in engineering or any related disciplines. 

Which is why it’s always interesting to ask for the observations of experts who work within the sector.

Fanuc has a greater number of industrial robots installed worldwide than any other company – some 400,000 at last count. By that measure, it’s the biggest industrial robot company in the world.

And as Neil Dueweke (main picture), general manager, automotive new domestic and automotive components group, Fanuc America, explains in this exclusive interview with Robotics and Automation News, installation is by no means the end of the relationship with a customer.  [Read more…] about As good as a lifelong guarantee: Interview with Fanuc America boss

Silicon value: An overview of the semiconductor market

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The manufacturing of semiconductor-based technologies is arguably the most advanced of human endeavours in terms of engineering. 

Semiconductor materials include silicon, which can either act as a conductor of electricity or as an insulator, stopping the flow of electricity.

This strange duality, along with other features, has made semiconductors the most valuable commodity in electronics, and enabled it to form the basis of today’s technological, increasingly computerised machines and gadgets.  [Read more…] about Silicon value: An overview of the semiconductor market