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manufacturing

Universal Robots partners with Nissan to increase manufacturing productivity through collaborative robots

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Universal Robots says Nissan has simplified processes, reduced relief worker costs and stabilised production output through deployment of the company’s UR10 cobots

Universal Robots says the Nissan Motor Company has successfully deployed Universal Robots’ UR10 robot arms at its Yokohama factory. 

The automaker joins other global automotive manufacturers including BMW and Volkswagen who are using Universal Robots’ collaborative robots (cobots) to automate their processes.

Universal Robots says that through the deployment of its cobots, Nissan has enhanced its production processes, resulting in a higher level of output and stability as well as time and cost efficiencies. Nissan’s ageing workforce also enjoy a reduced workload, and were redeployed to less strenuous tasks.  [Read more…] about Universal Robots partners with Nissan to increase manufacturing productivity through collaborative robots

ABB makes SafeMove2 control software available on the IRB 1200 industrial robot

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ABB IRB 1200 Robot

Monitoring and control software now comes with company’s smallest material and machine tool handling robot 

ABB Robotics says SafeMove2 is now also available for IRB 1200, the smallest ABB robot to feature its advanced safety-certified monitoring and control software.

SafeMove2 enables people to work safely alongside ABB robots with payloads ranging from 6kg to 800kg without compromising productivity.

It also provides an optimum level of collaboration and flexibility to higher speed and throughput applications which typically require more insular, intrusive levels of safety.  [Read more…] about ABB makes SafeMove2 control software available on the IRB 1200 industrial robot

World’s oldest consultancy claims new car tech will change auto manufacturing

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Arthur D. Little, which claims to be the world’s first consultancy company, predicts how future mobility solutions will affect automotive manufacturing.

In a new report, The Future of Automotive Mobility, the company says – somewhat surprisingly – that the future vehicle technology will depend less on consumer preferences than government regulations.

The company draws its conclusions on a global survey of 6,500 participants, including customers, industry players and regulators. Its research examines how the megatrends of electric mobility, car sharing and autonomous driving are likely to impact on the global automotive ecosystem and future original equipment manufacturing sales.  [Read more…] about World’s oldest consultancy claims new car tech will change auto manufacturing

Awesome infographic: Autonomous car market to reach $77 billion in 2025

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jaguar art biennale

Get Off Road claims cars will see the most amount of technological change in the next few years

Ever wondered, what will be our world like in 2025?

In next seven or eight years, we will be witnessing some dramatic changes around us, mostly in the field of technology, because we live in such times that technical revolutions happen every day.

And the greatest impact of this will be on cars. There will be lot more autonomous cars on the roads in next 10 years then we have ever predicted.

Get Off Road has designed an infographic showing the growth of autonomous car market which we have also republished below.

In this infographic, you will discover some important facts about autonomous cars including:

  • the history of autonomous cars;
  • challenges tackled by engineers while manufacturing;
  • the design of a car; and
  • the predicted figures of the market.

The Growth Of The Autonomous Car Market

Healthcare’s digital revolution: Technologies transforming medicine

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Jonathan Wilkins, marketing director of obsolete parts supplier, EU Automation discusses technologies that are revolutionising healthcare in the 21st century

Doctor Crawford W. Long conducted the first surgical operation under anaesthetic in 1841 in Jefferson, Georgia.

In 1841, general anaesthetic had not yet been invented, so Dr Long used diethyl ether, a chemical most commonly used to start internal combustion engines, in its place.

The surgeon pressed an ether-soaked towel to the patient’s face to put him to sleep before removing a tumour from his neck. He billed the patient two dollars for the whole procedure.  [Read more…] about Healthcare’s digital revolution: Technologies transforming medicine

Dealing with legacy systems in industry

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upgrade your phone

Nick Boughton, sales manager at Boulting Technology, discusses best practice for obsolescence management from a systems integrator point of view

The control system in a factory is what a motor is to a car, and when something is amiss, the systems integrator will analyse, design, fit and test, to make sure the system is better than ever and raring to go. However, there’s a topic that we’re finding crops up time and again.

The debate between upgrade vs repair is by no means a new one, but it has become prevalent as most industries look to squeeze margins. Certain sectors have long had to carefully manage obsolescence due to their delicate nature.

For example, pharmaceuticals manufacturing is well known for being heavily regulated and so sourcing spare parts instead of committing to a systems upgrade generally means saving time, money and a whole lot of paperwork.  [Read more…] about Dealing with legacy systems in industry

Trump policy on China: Playing hardball

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By Edward Tse, Gao Feng Advisory

Donald Trump’s recent appointment of Peter Navarro to head his newly formed White House National Trade Council has sparked controversy.

Navarro is known for his hawkish views on China and many believe that, by appointing him, the US president-elect is signalling that he will play hardball with China on trade when he takes office.

Navarro has written a number of books and filmed a documentary in which he criticised China for unfair trade practices, especially with the US. He has called China “a cheat”, “brutal” and “amoral”.

Instead of launching a trade war, collaboration is the way to go.  [Read more…] about Trump policy on China: Playing hardball

Renishaw 3D printing technology increases Land Rover BAR’s performance

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land rover bar

Like many other cutting edge technologies – artificial intelligence, big data analytics – additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, has been incorporated into daily use at Land Rover Ben Ainslie Racing with the help of the team’s Technical Innovation Group.

In this case, TIG partner Renishaw, a global metrology firm which manufactures metal additive manufacturing machines, as well as working with the more familiar 3D printing in plastics for its own prototyping.

TIG project manager, George Sykes of PA Consulting, says: “We use 3D printing at three different levels within the team. The simplest level is as a prototyping and visualisation tool. We manufacture a large number of custom parts and 3D printing allows us to make full size prototypes in-house before we commit to a design.”  [Read more…] about Renishaw 3D printing technology increases Land Rover BAR’s performance

Omron launches website to promote AI-equipped mobile robots

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Omron has unveiled a promotional website for the artificial intelligence-equipped autonomous vehicles for logistics. 

The Omron Mobile Robot LD Series is a family of what the company calls “autonomous intelligent vehicles”, or AIVs, which it says is a “significant step towards achieving human-machine harmony in manufacturing”.

Since the LD Series was announced in October last year, customers from a number of industries, ranging from automotive and electronics to foods and pharmaceuticals, have begun deploying the mobile robots in their manufacturing facilities.  [Read more…] about Omron launches website to promote AI-equipped mobile robots

SPX Flow launches ‘multi-million-dollar’ European manufacturing facility 

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Company says its new, “multi-million-dollar” European plant enhances process equipment manufacturing capability 

SPX Flow has expanded its manufacturing capability in Europe.

The company – which offers an extensive range of hygienic valves, plate heat exchangers, pumps, homogenizers and process systems designed for use in dairy, food, beverage, pharmaceutical and personal care production – says the expansion is part of its “continued commitment to excel in service, quality and delivery”.

The new SPX flow facility in central Europe is designed for “manufacturing excellence” in terms of efficient production of high quality products with reliable and competitive lead times, says the company.  [Read more…] about SPX Flow launches ‘multi-million-dollar’ European manufacturing facility