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Special report: Robotics and automation in automotive manufacturing and supply chains

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in association with SICK AppSpace

The automotive industry is undergoing the most fundamental transformation in its history and, as this article suggests, a flexible approach to software development will become essential to companies that want to stay competitive.

As well as applications development, industry is experiencing the impact of other key technologies such as:

  • robotics and automation;
  • supply chains, warehousing and logistics;
  • digitalisation;
  • electric engines;
  • autonomous systems; and
  • connectivity, or the internet of things.

Clearly, it would be almost impossible to go into any great depth in a 2,000-word article, but we will at least bring to your attention the new technologies that are already changing the automotive landscape. [Read more…] about Special report: Robotics and automation in automotive manufacturing and supply chains

MWES develops robotic system to increase case packing speed

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With good labor getting harder to find and retain, Midwest Engineered Systems has found that automating the more redundant production processes has become a necessity.

Automating these tasks allows the transfer of valuable labor resources to more important tasks.

MWES’s robotic case packing solution does just that for bagged products that have previously proven difficult to automate. [Read more…] about MWES develops robotic system to increase case packing speed

Continental builds new US plant to make advanced driver assistance systems

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Continental is to build a new plant to make advanced driver assistance systems.

The new plant will be located in New Braunfels in the US state of Texas.

The purpose of the new building is to expand its capacity for the production of radar sensors, says Continental. [Read more…] about Continental builds new US plant to make advanced driver assistance systems

8 Trends in 3D Printing

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HP has released its list of predictions for 3D printing and digital manufacturing in 2020.

Informed by extensive interviews with a team of experts, this year’s research identifies top trends that will have a major impact on advancing Industry 4.0 such as the need for more sustainable production, how automation will transform the factory floor, and the rise of data and software as the backbone of digital manufacturing.

Pete Basiliere, founder, Monadnock Insights, says: “The year ahead will be a time of realizing 3D printing and digital manufacturing’s true potential across industries. [Read more…] about 8 Trends in 3D Printing

Essentium and Vorum partner to develop 3D printing solution for prosthetics

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Essentium, a provider of 3D printing solutions for manufacturing industries, and Vorum, a CAD/CAM processes company specialising in the orthotics and prosthetics market, have agreed an exclusive global partnership to develop 3D printing for the medical sector.

Essentium + Vorum, a 3D print solution for O&P customers worldwide, offers practitioners a “SurePath” to success for the production of mass-customized O&P devices at speed and scale, say the companies.

It also provides a proven transition methodology including proof of concept mapped to individual customer business goals, design, deployment path, training, installation and support. [Read more…] about Essentium and Vorum partner to develop 3D printing solution for prosthetics

AGCO to expand manufacturing facility in France with €40 million investment

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AGCO, an agricultural machinery giant, is to further expand its manufacturing site in Beauvais, France.

Martin Richenhagen, CEO of AGCO, made the announcement at the Choose France summit, led by French President Emmanuel Macron.

Richenhagen said: “We are delighted to keep our promise, made exactly one year ago at the Beauvais 3 Logistic Centre opening event, to announce the acquisition of the 15.7 hectares of the next door ex-Froneri Site, effective from 19th September 2019 to consolidate our presence in Beauvais. [Read more…] about AGCO to expand manufacturing facility in France with €40 million investment

Omron opens new automation center in Tokyo

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Industrial automation giant Omron has opened a new automation center in Shinagawa, Tokyo.

The facility, dubbed an “ATC”, is designed for customers to work with Omron to find solutions to their manufacturing issues.

The 37th ATC facility in the world, ATC-Tokyo is Omron’s flagship factory automation technology center, where model production floors are built within the world’s largest ATC facility to allow customers to experience and test state-of-the-art factory automation that integrates artificial intelligence, internet of things, robotics, and other cutting-edge technologies. [Read more…] about Omron opens new automation center in Tokyo

Danfoss supplies automation drives to limestone quarry

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Fearless of the difficult applications – dust and bad weather – the Danfoss VLT AutomationDrive FC 302 was chosen to ensure efficient production of 800,000 tons of hard limestone at the Roussas quarry (main picture).

With an annual cement production capacity of 60 million tons and 42 cement plants across four continents, Italcementi Group is a leading global supplier of construction materials.

The group is a major player in the French building-material market; in the cement business through Ciments Calsia, in the ready-mix concrete sector through Unibéton and in aggregates production and supply with GSM. [Read more…] about Danfoss supplies automation drives to limestone quarry

Opinion: ‘Scale’ is the magic word for digital transformation in 2020

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By Keith Higgins, vice president of digital transformation for Rockwell Automation

In 2019, we saw a 400 percent growth in digital transformation projects moving through the post-implementation stage, according to a recent study by Rockwell Automation.

The maturation of digitization projects will continue throughout 2020, and with this trend, the industry will evolve from exploring the primary benefits of data-driven solutions to understanding how these projects can be used as a resource to help scale smart factory initiatives.

Digital transformation has reached its inflection point. As organizations move their initiatives from project roll-out to continuous process improvement in 2020, scaling becomes a key topic of conversation. [Read more…] about Opinion: ‘Scale’ is the magic word for digital transformation in 2020

Severstal invests in robotics to automate advanced composites manufacturing with Airborne

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Severstal, one of the world’s largest vertically integrated steel and mining companies, has invested in Dutch company Airborne, a developer of robotic and digital automation platforms for the production of composite parts and products with integrated composites.

Severstal joins other investors in this investment round, including Pangaea Ventures, the leading advanced materials venture capital fund, and SABIC, the world’s third largest diversified chemical company.

Airborne has developed and brought to market a unique set of digital technologies that increase the efficiency of carbon fiber composite production by automating the production process. [Read more…] about Severstal invests in robotics to automate advanced composites manufacturing with Airborne