According to the German Parcel and Express Logistics Association (Bundesverband Paket und Expresslogistik e. V.), 4.15 billion courier, express, and parcel shipments were sent in Germany alone in 2022. Annual shipment growth to around 4.9 billion is realistic by 2027. Against this backdrop and the generally prevailing shortage of personnel, there is only one solution…

Turck’s HF Read/Write Heads are now available in a compact M12 design. Easy to integrate into confined spaces, these miniature RFID solutions provide precise identification in tooling identification and factory automation. A Bus mode version allows up to 32 HF Read/Write Heads to be connected to a single RFID interface port which effectively reduces the…

Emerson has introduced the DeltaV Flex System, a subscription service that combines the DeltaV PK Flex Controller, term-based software licensing, and product support in a turnkey solution. The result, according to the company, is more flexibility for OEMs and process manufacturers that create small standalone systems, such as research and development labs, pilot programs, or…

Industrial engineers spend a lot of time writing code for programs that will run machines in the plant, on the packaging line, or in a warehouse. The problem is, however, there’s no standard best practices for version control or disaster recovery. Copia Automation, a four-year-old start-up, is changing that by applying IT-based DevOps to the…

A “compact automation” is a mechatronic system that performs consecutive production steps autonomously. Compact refers to the millimeter and centimeter-sized range of dimensions of the products to be processed. Designing and constructing such systems is one of the core activities of the Austrian machine manufacturer STIWA. Its modular system LTM-CI has been optimized for small…

Discrete automation with motion systems and complementary forms of warehousing technologies remain core to reshoring and making supply chains more robust in the years since COVID-19. We recently asked several industry experts about trends they’re seeing in this space. Here’s what they had to say. Meet the Experts Brian Burke | Product manager III •…

Save the date for Eplan L!VE, May 7, 2024, from 2:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. After its successful premiere last year, the online event is having a second go of it. This time it will be a live report from the factory floor at Sejfo, a Swedish system integrator and supplier of machines and automation…

• ABB to celebrate 50 years of robotic innovation with new AI-powered technologies that help companies become faster, more flexible and resilient • Exhibit on Booth #2239 features the first AI-powered ABB AMR with Visual SLAM navigation, and the global launch of an expanded ABB large robot portfolio ABB Robotics will celebrate 50 years of…

ADC’s test systems for sporting equipment cut $4,000 in hardware costs per machine using integrated PC-based control and expandable measurement tech from Beckhoff. Thomas Bitsky, Jr. often sees machine design like coaching. That is, it’s like coaching a team of athletes with disparate skills and from backgrounds that don’t often mesh. As Vice President and…

Hannover Messe is taking place in Hannover, Germany, from April 22 to 26. At the event, Schneider Electric is presenting its vision for automation and showcasing its latest innovations, including industrial software, artificial intelligence (AI), and digital twin technology. These solutions will be demonstrated through the lens of a digital and sustainable life science campus.…

When Mercedes-Benz wanted to expand its AGV installation, they called HMS. HMS provided the wireless expertise, products, and hands-on support to ensure the AGVs moved efficiently and safely around the factory. Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz, a globally recognized automotive manufacturer, is renowned for its innovative technology, craftsmanship, and luxury design. At their state-of-the-art automotive factory in Ludwigsfelde,…

NFI Industries, founded in 1932, is one of the oldest and largest privately held and family-owned 3PLs in North America. The company serves a variety of segments, including food and beverage, retail and e-commerce, manufacturing, and consumer packaged goods, offering everything from transportation, distribution, brokerage, port drayage, intermodal, global logistics, and real estate. To accommodate…

The markets are changing, and thus so are the requirements of the process manufacturing industry. Whether it is fluctuating demand, more customized products, or smaller batches, manufacturers need to respond more quickly and flexibly. Here, Bradley McEwan, business development manager at automation and control technology specialist Beckhoff UK, discusses how software and modular hardware enable…

The flexibility of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), which use a wireless navigation system to guide them around a facility, is the reason these self-sufficient machines are so popular in warehouse environments. However, 50 AMRs on the floor will overload the traditional WiFi network. That leads to network latency and interrupts communication between AMRs and the…

Components from maxon are integral to the spaceMIRA surgical robot, which recently completed its first demo test surgeries in zero gravity on the International Space Station (ISS). The spaceMIRA, developed by Virtual Incision and researchers at the University of Nebraska, is a compact, lightweight surgical robot sent to the ISS on a SpaceX Falcon 9…

Festo introduced a heavy-duty Cartesian gantry for palletizing with a lift capacity of up to 440 lb, Z-axis stroke lengths exceeding 8 ft, and a speed of up to 5 ft/s. With free online design tools, off-the-shelf servo drives, motors, and other components, and quick assembly kits, this Festo palletizing solution shortens project time and…

Packaging machinery uses cutting-edge automation, and it’s no wonder. Facilities that parcel products need to deliver high throughput, but modern consumers demand smart packaging in the form of no-fuss containers that protect everything from M&Ms to patio furniture. What’s more, there’s a continuous drive to customize packages and let consumer-facing companies wrap products for bulk…

· Equipped with Visual SLAM, ABB’s AMR T702 trolley robot offers increased speed, accuracy, and autonomy in navigation and logistics. · Integration with ABB’s AMR Studio software allows new users to easily configure AMR routes and jobs. · Intuitive Visual SLAM and user-friendly AMR Studio together can reduce commissioning time by up to 20 percent.…

Mitsubishi Electric Automation Inc. and Shaltz Automation supported a custom machinery company, ARL Service, in an aspiration that was deemed “crazy” to consider — replacing physical cams with digital cams for a machine that grinds carbide inserts. The metal cams were produced based on specific requirements from a third party, resulting in a time delay…

Refit will support customers and ABB’s leadership in growing US robotics segments, including Packaging & Logistics, Food & Beverage, Construction, Lifesciences & Healthcare, and Automotive electric vehicle production. New factory serves as US hub, developing and manufacturing AI-enabled technology to help businesses respond to labor shortages, global uncertainty, and the need to operate more sustainably.…

TL Aerotek, a small job milling shop customer, experienced an influx of orders. They sought a solution to keep up with demand that would alleviate labor uncertainty and help to grow the business. TL Aerotek turned to their long-time supplier of milling machines for support, Expand Machinery. Expand discovered an opportunity to automate the process…

This year’s Hannover Messe trade fair (said to be the world’s largest industrial trade show) takes place from April 22-26 in this northern German city, and some may say the outlook for manufacturing is uncertain. For sure, in his opening remarks, Dr. Jochen Köckler, Chairperson of the Managing Board, Deutsche Messe AG listed many reasons…

What’s an AS/AR implementation project really like? This Q&A reveals tips and unexpected challenges when switching from manual to automated. Warehouse automation technology is gaining traction in the U.S. to strengthen supply chains, reduce reliance on labor, and manage peak seasons and unforeseen events more efficiently. However, companies are still relatively slow to adopt and…

Mobile robot technology is moving fast, and generative AI is pegged to transform AMR vision systems to enable more integrated solutions. Advanced machine learning and visual processing are major trends in automated mobile robot (AMR) development. According to Gartner’s Emerging Tech Impact Radar, advanced computer vision and AI acceleration will be among the most important…

NewTek’s smart NTC-6000 Signal Conditioner takes out the complexity of setting up a signal processing system while protecting against operating failures and cybersecurity hacks.  Both intuitive and user-friendly, the NTC-6000 Quik-Cal supports AC-operated LVDT, RVDT, or LVRT half-bridge sensors in converting unconditioned position feedback into a choice of voltage, current and digital outputs including 4-20mA, 0-5V, […]