EXAIR’s new 1/2 NPT No Drip Internal Mix Atomizing Spray Nozzles work like standard atomizing nozzles but have the added benefit of positively stopping liquid flow when compressed air is shut off. Internal Mix Atomizing Spray Nozzles mix liquid and air inside the nozzle and produce the finest atomization of liquids up to 300 centipoise.…
Omron Automation Americas 2018 Distributor of the Year award winners
Automation solutions provider Omron Automation Americas recently announced the regional winners of their 2018 fiscal year’s Distributor of the Year awards. This prestigious distinction recognizes Omron’s top channel partners for excellence in revenue growth, local engagement, expertise and solution selling. Winning distributor: Southern Controls (United States) Southern Controls, a company specializing in automation and control…
Better Together: Human and Robot Co-Workers
More and more processes are being automated and digitised. Self-driving delivery vehicles, such as forklifts, are finding their way into many areas – and companies are reporting potential time and cost savings. However, an interdisciplinary research team from the universities of Göttingen, Duisburg-Essen and Trier has observed that cooperation between humans and machines can work…
The Robot Workforce Grew Around the Globe in 2017
Last year, the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) revealed its industrial robot report for 2016. Now, the 2017 numbers have been released—how do the stats compare? In 2016, there was an average number of 74 installed industrial robots per 10,000 employees in the manufacturing sector. The global average rose to 85 robots in 2017. In…
The Most Endangered Jobs in America
The workforce is changing with the times as it responds to the latest tech on the market and automated tasks. This begs the question—which jobs are on the chopping block? To help find an answer, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released a chart that lists the number of employees of different occupations in 2016, the…
The Productivity Benefits of Autonomous Machine Vision
Research from the University of Warwick found that happiness made individuals twelve percent more productive. Having a happy workforce may be the first step to improving productivity, but proper tools and advanced technologies will take productivity significantly further, particularly for industrial manufacturers. Here Nir Zamir, VP of Marketing at Inspekto, explains how manufacturers can improve…
Machine Vision and the Evolution of Image Sensors
The rapid proliferation of vision technology in embedded systems has led to ultra-high-speed imaging solutions for automotive safety, machine vision, and motion analysis. That, in turn, translates into a significant boost in performance and imaging capabilities via more powerful image sensors and smaller pixel architectures. Machine vision technology uses image-recognition algorithms to identify the object…
Virtually Reality: Future Factories Run by Digital Twins
A*STAR has built a testbed for digital twins, the virtual counterparts of real manufacturing equipment. These factory innovations could help companies save huge amounts of time and money by predicting and adjusting for their partner machine’s condition on the go. Imagine that a manufacturing giant has a machine on one of its factory floors in…
New 3D Nanoprinting Strategy Opens Door to Revolution in Medicine, Robotics
Engineers at the University of Maryland (UMD) have created the first 3D-printed fluid circuit element so tiny that 10 could rest on the width of a human hair. The diode ensures fluids move in only a single direction — a critical feature for products like implantable devices that release therapies directly into the body. The…
Robot Delivery Comes to Another College Campus
College students across the country can rejoice as another wave of robot delivery vehicles makes their way to another campus. Earlier in the month, PepsiCo put self-driving robots to the test at the University of Pacific in Stockton, Calif. Now, Starship Technologies is bringing a fleet of 25 mini robots to the George Mason University…
Zoom Through Your Commute with Self-Driving Scooters & Bikes
Move over autonomous cars and delivery trucks, self-driving scooters and bikes are coming through. Uber is currently working on the development of autonomous scooters and bikes that can drive riders to their destination and bring itself to charging stations. 3DRobotics CEO Chris Anderson tweeted the news that they are hiring engineers for “Micromobility Robotics,” a…
Amazon’s Safety Vest Prevents Robots from Running into Humans
As the workforce becomes a mix of man and machine, Amazon is looking to up human worker safety with a new wearable currently found at 25+ of its sites, according to TechCrunch. With more than 100,000 robots under Amazon’s employment, it’s a design with a growing necessity. Called the Robotic Tech Vest, its built-in sensors…
Autonomous Haulage System
Komatsu America Corp., a leading global heavy equipment manufacturer, today announced the FrontRunner Autonomous Haulage System (AHS) has qualified to operate on private long-term evolution (LTE) mobile broadband technology. This is the mining industry’s first AHS enabled to run on private LTE in commercial operations, making way for ultra-high system availability and reliability, while adhering…
Should We be Worried About Robots Taking Our Jobs, Report Says No
Are robots are taking over our jobs is the debacle and question of recent technological talk. According to ManpowerGroup’s report, Humans Wanted: Robots Need You, it seems just the opposite is happening. The report found that 87 percent of employers were in fact planning to increase or maintain headcount as a result of automation for…
3D Printing Turns Plastic Waste Into Furniture
When plastic came onto the market and steadily grew to popularity during 1960, the technology changed the way we stored things. Plastic was made to endure, but when you use a plastic item, you’re more likely to get rid of it than you are to keep it. Print Your City launched Zero Waste Lab in…
New Technologies in Development to Aid Disaster Relief
When disaster strikes, picking up the pieces is one of the most important aspects of moving on and trying to deal with the chaos. This last year, California was hit with devastating wildfires, and Puerto Rico was still trying to recover from Hurricane Maria. Natural disasters often take the hardest toll on rescuers, aids, fire…
Association for Advancing Automation (A3) Announces Call for 2019 Automate Launch Pad Startup Competition
The Association for Advancing Automation (A3), the leading global advocate for the benefits of automating, today announced a call for startup companies in robotics, machine vision and motion control to enter the 2019 Automate Launch Pad Startup Competition. The competition gives the industry’s most innovative young companies the chance to vie for a $10,000 cash…
Industry’s First Mobile App to Securely Manage Robotic Process Automation Bots
Automation Anywhere®, the leader in Robotic Process Automation (RPA) today released the industry’s first mobile app to securely manage RPA bots built using its intelligent RPA platform. By empowering business users to automate and control bots and their digital workforce from the palm of their hand, the new Automation Anywhere Mobile App will expand the reach of RPA and accelerate…
Danger to Users & Targets of 3D-Printed Guns
Guns and weaponry are a hot topic for debate among many. Whether it be tragic school shootings or other senseless violence, gun use has divided our country. There are those who question, “How do people get ahold of these weapons?” or “Were they licensed to carry?” and even, “Did they get a background check before…
Disruptive Technology to Predict Faults on Train Tracks and in Stations
Train delays could be a thing of the past, thanks to a system that predicts when part of a train track, signaling equipment or other devices at a station are likely to fail. It does this by using thousands of sensors and 3D modeling that taps into big data. The system, currently in development, will…
AI, Robotics, Automation: The Fourth Industrial Revolution Is Here
For Chinese guests at Marriott International hotels, the check-in process will soon get easier. The hotel giant announced last summer that it’s developing facial recognition systems that will allow guests to check in at a kiosk in less than a minute via a quick scan of their facial features. Half a world away, fearful of…
Elon Musk to Unveil Underground Tunnel, Transport Cars
Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk is set to unveil an underground transportation tunnel on Tuesday that could move people faster than subways. Musk also plans to show off the autonomous cars that will carry people through the test tunnel, which runs about 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) under the streets of Hawthorne, California, Musk’s SpaceX headquarters. He’s…
HarshIO Industrial Ethernet I/O Modules for Motorized Drive Rollers
Molex introduces new HarshIO Industrial Ethernet I/O Modules, allowing programmable logic controllers to connect to motorized drive rollers over an Ethernet fieldbus. This is done without requiring a proprietary system specific to one MDR manufacturer, pending the application and MDR type in use. This product is designed for system builders, integrators and end-users designing conveying…
Cruiser Checkweighing Scales Deliver Powerful Performance for Industrial Applications
Adam Equipment is introducing its new Cruiser bench checkweighing scales. Cruiser checkweighing (CKT) scales feature seven built-in applications and are ideal for production, warehouse or field use in various industries. The new Cruiser checkweighing range includes models with standard, high-resolution, and ultra-high resolution readabilities from 0.0002lb/0.1g to 0.001lb/0.5g and capacities from 8lb/4kg to 100lb/48kg. With sturdy construction and…
Researchers Devise 3-D Printer That Can Make Energetic Materials Safer, More Environmentally Friendly
Purdue University researchers have devised a method of 3-D printing that can produce energetic materials with fine geometric features faster and with less expense than traditional methods, while also being safer and more environmentally friendly. Jeffrey Rhoads, a professor in Purdue’s School of Mechanical Engineering, and Emre Gunduz, a former research assistant professor at the…