(Narrated Smart Manufacturing magazine article)
Vecna Robotics’ David Clear and SVT Robotics’ TJ Fanning go into reasons manufacturers might want to consider automation and AI. They also look at how to test assumptions and scale with so many variables changing moment by moment. The adage “change is the only constant” has never been more apropos. So, it’s a great time to hear what separates a complex system from a complex adaptive system.
Catalytic CEO Sean Chou explains the difference between process automation and robotic automation, as well as what it looks like to use automation to augment existing workflows. Importantly, he describes how manufacturers can use automation to do more with less—to lessen supply chain pressures that have grown because of globalization and the Covid-19 crisis. And he details which processes manufacturers can automate to optimize resources and productivity.
The measuring and inspection arm of Japanese camera giant Nikon, Nikon Metrology, debuts APDIS, a Laser Radar inspection system the company claims is up to 10 times faster than conventional measurement tools, saving production lines time and money.
Siemens and Ingersoll Machine Tools said they have expanded a digital enterprise partnership.
Mazak Optonics has confirmed expansion plans for its North American headquarters in Illinois.
NSK America Corp. has upgraded its Ultrasonic Polisher with the Sheenus ZERO. Enhanced features of the Sheenus ZERO Ultrasonic Polisher include an improved, user-friendly design and high efficiency power, according to the company.
Teenaged Jamie Yelle daydreamed as he pushed a broom across the floor of his father’s machine shop. As he cleared a path through aluminum chips, filings, and scraps of metal around the machinery, he imagined what the company would look like if he were at the helm.
Christoph Fedler, project director for equipment management at Rolls-Royce Germany, was facing a challenge: He needed to increase the available capacity of the prime discipline at the Oberursel facility, namely micrometer-precise grinding of curvic couplings.
As businesses across the globe are returning to work amid the COVID-19 pandemic, many manufacturers are reconsidering policies and procedures to ensure worker safety and adhere to new regulations in the post-pandemic environment.