In order to optimize manufacturing processes and improve the tasks of the production workers, a new strategic partnership of Daimler and Kuka focuses on human-robot cooperation. The technical background is the introduction of lightweight robots, originally designed for use in outer space, to an industrial environment.
We'e all seen a few of those oscillations between full in-house engineering and outsourcing everything. Every few years, management consultants talk owners or CEOs into outsourcing - some times later, when the business went downhill, those consultants' colleagues »save« the companies by convincing the boss of hiring engineering staff again. Then the cycle starts again. A few considerations may help avoiding the most common mistakes.
Machines with moving parts or even moving machines require specially constructed bus connections, often complex and expensive control cabinets and terminal boxes. Getting rid of those makes it neccessary to employ extremely rugged I/O modules.
As I mentioned before, this year's Automatica show was bustling with robots of all kinds. One of the most tedious but nevertheless challenging tasks is material handling, for example in injection molding processes, industrial applications and food processing. This is where the control system is becoming more important than the robot hardware.
An important station of many industrial automation systems is the product packaging - be it in electronic component manufacturing or in food processing. Especially industries with a very diversified product spectrum require flexibility in this area.
While the Scandinavian industrial markets in themselves are more or less negligible, they nevertheless are very interesting as they are considered stepping stones for the North-East European markets. This might be the driving motive behind the acquisiotion of the Finnish company Trimaster Oy by German packaging specialist Multivac.
Strange times: traditionally Hardware-oriented companies are currently looking towards Software. For some, this may be a mistake, but in the area of industrial automation, a fitting software solution might just smoothly top off the portfolio.
Since Henry Ford, car manufacturing lines are automated – for some decades now completely. Even huge trucks are assembled in a totally automated way. That’s about the limit today – until now airplanes couldn’t be assembled on automated manufacturing lines, but this could change.
Since Henry Ford, car manufacturing lines are automated – for some decades now completely. Even huge trucks are assembled in a totally automated way. That’s about the limit today – until now airplanes couldn’t be assembled on automated manufacturing lines, but this could change.
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