igus, the Germany-based motion plastics technologies company — has announced the opening of its new “enjoyneering” center in the Detroit Metro area. Located in Bloomfield Hills, this state-of-the-art facility will serve as a hub for innovation, customer support, and training, all centered around igus’ expertise in motion plastics. The grand opening of the igus enjoyneering…
Beckhoff USA expands California operations with new LA office
Beckhoff Automation opened an office in Greater Los Angeles to further grow the company’s presence on the West Coast. With a spacious layout spanning more than 4,100 ft2, the new office will function as a collaborative workspace and a hub for events, seminars, and customer meetings. Los Angeles’ diverse ecosystem of high-tech industries offers opportunities…
ABB opens refitted state-of-the-art U.S. robotics facility
ABB today opened its refitted U.S. robotics headquarters and manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills, Michigan, which will support ABB Robotics’ global leadership in developing and manufacturing cutting-edge robotic solutions in the US, for the U.S. and the Americas. The expanded facility reflects ABB’s commitment to long-term growth in the U.S. market, which is predicted to…
Norway is Hannover Messe’s partner country for 2024
With special emphasis on clean energy and industry 4.0, a selection of companies will demonstrate Norway’s ambitions for a low carbon society and its key role in developing solutions necessary to transform the industry and reach net-zero. Norway is honored to be Partner Country at Hannover Messe. Norway’s highly skilled work force, advanced industry and…
Nearly $147K raised in first stage of PTDA Foundation’s fundraising campaign
The PTDA Foundation is off to a strong fundraising start in 2024, raising nearly $147,000 during the first three months of its 2024 Fund Drive campaign. Contributions support the PTDA Foundation in empowering PT/MC (power transmission/motion control) industry employers to be more successful in their recruitment and retention efforts. “Our industry plays a crucial role…
Hannover Messe: igus ramps up its AI app
At last year’s Hannover Messe, igus CEO Frank Blasé showed off the company’s brand-new igusGO app, a brilliant use of AI to help customers identify where igus products could be implemented on a particular machine. He demonstrated taking a photo of a nearby bicycle, which the app correctly identified, and then showed the various bearing…
Hannover Messe: Altair’s multi-pronged approach
At the upcoming Hannover Messe in April, Altair will focus on a theme of “The Science of Possibility,” highlighting the company’s technologies for simulation, high performance computing (HPC), data analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI). Areas of interest will include: Simulation-driven design AI-powered engineering Digital twins, and AI on the factory floor We spoke to Mirko…
Recycled wind turbine blades make artful furniture for public spaces
According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), more than 72,130 wind turbines and 210,000 blades were deployed as of July 2022. The DOE expects up to 9,000 blades to be retired annually through 2026, and up to 20,000 will be retired annually by 2040. Blade waste could reach up to 370,000 tons per year…
Technical thinking: Experimental vehicles
By Mark Jones My initials were visible on the structure protruding from the roof of the white Jaguar as it approached. The car pulled up and the app signaled I could unlock the door. With a tap, the door handles extended. I entered for my first ride in a fully autonomous vehicle. I found myself…
Solar eclipses: When 99% is simply not good enough
I’m going to veer off the normal engineering focus of this column for a month to dabble in a scientific field that’s close to my heart: astronomy. We’re a month out from this year’s big heavenly spectacle in the U.S., the total solar eclipse on April 8th. This eclipse will sweep across the country from…
ABB and CERN find energy-saving opportunity in heating and ventilation motors
ABB and CERN, the European Laboratory for Particle Physics, have identified significant energy-saving potential through a strategic research partnership focused on the cooling and ventilation system at one of the world’s leading laboratories for particle physics institutes, located in Geneva, Switzerland. The study included energy efficiency audits which have helped to identify a savings potential…
CDP honors Delta with double A scores for contribution to climate change and water security
Delta Electronics Inc, a global provider of IoT-based Smart Green Solutions, today announced it has achieved double “A” scores in the 2023 Climate Change and Water Security reports of CDP for the third time. This year’s double “A” score was granted to only 61 companies out of over 21,000 worldwide based on their superior contribution…
Aerotech invests in Korean manufacturing facility
Aerotech Inc., a global leader in precision motion control and automation, is expanding its partnership with Korean distributor ANI Motion Tech. Their latest joint venture is a new manufacturing and research facility that will be located in Korea’s Songdo Knowledge Information Industrial Complex. The new facility, which will be owned and operated by ANI Motion…
DigiKey launches Season 3 of its “Farm Different” video series
DigiKey, a leading global commerce distributor offering the largest selection of technical components and automation products in stock for immediate shipment, has launched season 3 of its “Farm Different” video series, sponsored by Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI) and Amphenol Industrial. Season 3 features three episodes that provide a look into the future of farming to…
Trends in artificial intelligence for 2024
According to Gartner’s research, up to 25% of organizations surveyed annually since 2019 said they plan to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) within the next 12 months. However, only up to 5% have deployed AI to production. Companies know that generative AI can dramatically improve operations, but inexperience and potential risks postpone the benefits. Predictive maintenance,…
Advances beget advances in laboratory automation
Meet the Experts: Ankur Tomar, Manager — Technical marketing • Newark (an Avnet Company) | Sam Stoney, LifeTech Industry Segment manager • Festo | Dave Beckstoffer, industry manager • Portescap. | Patrick Varley, Product marketing manager — robotics • Mitsubishi Electric Automation Inc. | Brian Dengel, General manager • KHK USA Inc. | Paul Denman,…
Trends: Drives and controls incorporate more safety and feedback
The last decade has seen advancements in controls and motor drive technologies to boost efficiency, safety, and ease of use. Now commonplace are drives that: Let end users leverage autotuning functions for faster commissioning Detect and correct for vibration issues — including the shaping of power into motors to avoid resonances Spur increasingly compact motors…
Emerson switching things up for Hannover Messe 2024
Emerson is changing some things up for this year’s Hannover Messe trade fair, scheduled for April 22-26 in northern Germany. The engineering and automation company is moving to Hall 11, known as the Automation, Motion & Drives area, to better represent its vast product and solution range. Last year, Emerson invited attendees to see how…
PTDA welcomes three new members
The Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA), the association for the industrial power transmission/motion control (PT/MC) distribution channel, welcomes three new members. PTDA Distributor Pacific International Bearing Inc. has been a leading supplier of bearings and related products to OEMs in the aerospace, miniature, commercial, military, and industrial sectors for more than 30 years. The company…
Beckhoff looking to AI advancements at Hannover Messe
At the official Press Preview for the 2024 Hannover Messe tradeshow this week, Dr. Fabian Bause, Product Manager, Beckhoff Automation GmbH & Co. KG was the keynote speaker, discussing how AI in automation is something that will affect the entire manufacturing process. Bause noted that AI is simply a tool that can be used to…
Technical thinking: We still don’t know everything about ice
I recently saw my first icicle of the year. It was a small, wiggly thing. I know why thanks to some of the ice-related discoveries of the past year. Written by Mark Jones In an example of curiosity driven research, the observation that icicles aren’t perfect cones led researchers to ask why. No one had…
Motion to acquire two Canadian fluid power companies
Motion Industries Inc. signed a definitive purchase agreement to acquire the operating assets of Perfetto Manufacturing and SER Hydraulics. Subject to customary closing conditions, the transaction is expected to be finalized at the end of February. The affiliated organizations are well-established, with Perfetto in business since 1986 and SER Hydraulics since 1978. Located in Sudbury,…
Hannover Messe focusing on AI’s impact for 2024 trade fair
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…
DigiKey to highlight power solutions from leading suppliers at APEC 2024
DigiKey, a leading global commerce distributor offering the largest selection of technical components and automation products in stock for immediate shipment, will be highlighting the latest in power solutions from leading suppliers at APEC 2024, Feb. 25-29 in Long Beach, Calif. Conference attendees can visit DigiKey at booth #1821 for demos of innovative power technology…
Cybertruck — not Tesla’s best design
When the first deliveries of Tesla’s long-awaited Cybertruck began last November (and frankly even well before that point), it was widely panned across social media. People called it ugly, expensive or overpriced, even useless. Some of the funniest observations were that it looked like something a grade schooler would draw when assigned to design a…