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California Energy Commission awards Liminal $2.75 million grant

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The California Energy Commission (CEC) has approved a $2.75 million grant for Liminal, a battery manufacturing intelligence company, to advance the assembly of its EchoStat platform from manual to mostly-automated factory-ready equipment.

EchoStat is an EV battery cell inspection system that uses ultrasound inspection and machine learning analytics to provide manufacturers with previously unavailable insights into battery quality, reliability and performance.

Andrew Hsieh, CEO of Liminal, says: “To power the global EV transition, battery production needs to expand by 20 percent annually, but challenges with battery reliability have created setbacks for automakers and battery companies. [Read more…] about California Energy Commission awards Liminal $2.75 million grant

Comau supplies ‘highly intelligent’ welding robots for electric automaker

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Comau has supplied Hycan Automotive Technology with a “highly intelligent” welding solution for its framing line. The innovative system ensures multi-model manufacturing of new energy vehicles, high jobs per hour (JPH) and a concrete reduction in production losses. 

Deployed at the Hycan Hangzhou manufacturing base, the flexible automated production system can randomly switch between four different platforms, is fully compatible with the existing manufacturing platforms and is mass producing the brand’s smart, pure electric A06 sedan and stylish, intelligent-driving, pure electric SUV Z03 at a cycle efficiency of 60 JPH.

Hycan Automotive specializes in the development of electric vehicles, with a strategic focus on attracting young generations in the Chinese market. Given the diverse preferences of its target users, the need to develop a rich product range in a short period of time, and the rapid iteration of its offer, Comau engineers made sure the highly flexible welding assembly line could keep pace with the automaker’s evolving manufacturing needs. [Read more…] about Comau supplies ‘highly intelligent’ welding robots for electric automaker

Vanguard to invest $6 million in automaton at Georgia facility

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Briggs & Stratton, one of the world’s largest producers of engines for outdoor power equipment, is making an additional investment of $6 million in its Advanced Battery Manufacturing facility in Tucker, Georgia, to improve the safety, efficiency and production capacity of its Vanguard Lithium-Ion Battery Packs through the addition of automated equipment within its manufacturing process.

The 78,000-square-foot facility opened in 2020 to support a strategic supply agreement with Ingersoll Rand to power Club Car vehicles with Vanguard Lithium-Ion Battery Packs.

The Tucker location includes four production lines with the capacity to accommodate future growth as the demand for battery power continues to grow across the off-highway industry. [Read more…] about Vanguard to invest $6 million in automaton at Georgia facility

Aerospace manufacturer JPB Système reaches ‘production milestone’ of 5 million flight parts

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JPB Système, a manufacturer of technology solutions for aerospace, aeronautic and other industries, says it has manufactured “five million separate flight parts since the start of its production operations over 20 years ago”.

The milestone predominantly comprises component parts used to produce JPB Système’s innovative LULYLOK B-nut self-locking device and borescope self-locking plug, both of which are supplied to global aircraft engine manufacturers including Safran, Rolls Royce, GE and Pratt & Whitney.

The figure also includes a number of other smaller parts, fittings and fasteners produced across the company’s Industry 4.0 enabled manufacturing facilities. [Read more…] about Aerospace manufacturer JPB Système reaches ‘production milestone’ of 5 million flight parts

Comau developing new mobile robot solution for three EU projects

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Comau is designing a “powerful mobile robotics platform” as part of an open, highly collaborative production environment, in the context of three different European Projects.

The integrated solution, which leverages Comau’s proven expertise in IoT-enabled technologies and collaborative robotics, is a natural evolution of the company’s automated workflow optimization systems.

Modular, scalable and completely re-configurable, the platform can be easily adapted to different applications without changing the system’s underlying software or hardware architecture. [Read more…] about Comau developing new mobile robot solution for three EU projects

AutomationWare prepares for future with new robotic joints

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AutomationWare says it is “looking forward” to the rest of 2023 with the new version of its robotic joints (actuators) in J and T versions and UNI EN ISO 9001 certification for the design and production of systems for automation and industrial robotics.

The era of modular and scalable robotics based on AutomationWare’s J&T actuators begins and Robotics becomes Lego
Innovating the world of high-performance actuators.

AutomationWare has chosen a personal approach to the world of robots, producing high-tech actuators, which it uses both to produce robotic solutions itself (especially collaborative arms with special configurations, sizes and payloads) and to meet the demands of customers oriented towards tailor-made, in-house robotic solutions with degrees of freedom necessary for their application. [Read more…] about AutomationWare prepares for future with new robotic joints

Switzerland’s IAR Group establishes new subsidiary in Germany

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The IAR Group from Switzerland, which specializes in industrial automation systems, is expanding and founding a subsidiary in the greater Stuttgart area.

The main objective is to sell its self-developed automation modules for loading and unloading processes as well as automated special machines and robot cells on the German market. To this end, a sales and service team is to be established.

Sébastien Perroud, chairman and CEO of the Zofingen-based IAR Group, says: “I am very pleased about the newly founded subsidiary in the greater Stuttgart area – a milestone in the history of the IAR Group. IAR Deutschland will serve as an important base for us to sell our products and services in the German market.” [Read more…] about Switzerland’s IAR Group establishes new subsidiary in Germany

Jabil to manufacture Sarcos’ robotic systems

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Sarcos Technology and Robotics, an exoskeleton and other robotic systems company, is collaborating with Jabil, a manufacturing solutions provider, to expand Sarcos’ production capacity for its robotic systems and sub-systems.

Under the terms of the agreement, Sarcos will utilize Jabil’s broad manufacturing services to produce a variety of leading-edge robotic systems and sub-systems.

Sarcos also will be able to leverage Jabil’s global footprint, strategic supplier relationships, and state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities to accelerate volume production while benefiting from advanced supply chain, procurement, and component-sourcing solutions. [Read more…] about Jabil to manufacture Sarcos’ robotic systems

Neubility raises 3 billion won investment from Samsung

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Neubility, an autonomous robot services company, has received a 3 billion won ($2.3 million) investment from Samsung Venture Investment.

With this investment, it has achieved about 30 billion won in total cumulative investments, while establishing a bridgehead for its global business by entering major overseas markets, such as Japan, Europe, and the United States, and building a production base in Southeast Asia.

Neubility is rapidly increasing its service competitiveness by accumulating data on urban driving experience from the CES 2023 Innovation Award-winning self-driving robot, Neubie, and the Robot as a Service (RaaS) platform, Neubiego. [Read more…] about Neubility raises 3 billion won investment from Samsung

ABB to invest another $20 million on expanding its robotics factory in US

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ABB has strengthened its commitment to one of its largest customer markets – the US – with construction starting on the expansion of its existing North American robotics headquarters and manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills, Michigan.

The project is expected to be completed in November 2023 and represents an investment of $20 million. The expansion will create 72 highly skilled new jobs in the area and is supported by a $450,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant.

Sami Atiya, president of ABB Robotics and Discrete Automation, says: “Our investment is a significant step in accelerating ABB Robotics’ global leadership in developing and manufacturing cutting -edge robotic solutions in the US, for the Americas. [Read more…] about ABB to invest another $20 million on expanding its robotics factory in US