Omron Automation Americas Opens Advanced Motion R &D Center in California

Omron Automation Americas has opened the Omron Advanced Motion Research and Development Center in Chatsworth, Calif. The new center offers industrial motion-control systems and systems integration capabilities, said the company yesterday.

The state-of-the-art facility will enable top engineers to continue the pioneering work of Delta Tau Data Systems, said Omron, which acquired Delta Tau in 2015. Curt Wilson, senior director of engineering and advanced motion, leads a team of 40 experts who can address customers' most complex and computationally demanding applications, according to the company. The R&D center will also include a production area.

“With Omron’s continued investments and focus on resources, we’re continuing to lead in innovative solutions in the field,” said Wilson. “For decades, Delta Tau has been a world leader in high-performance motion and machine control, combining high precision – to the sub-nanometer level [and at] high speeds – allowing thousands of programmed moves per second, and exceptional flexibility in a variety of cost-effective configurations."

Omron continues expansion

Omron Corp. creates, sells, and services fully integrated automation systems that include sensing, control, safety, vision, motion, robotics, and more. Established in 1933 and currently headed by President Yoshihito Yamada, the Kyoto, Japan-based company said its 30,000 employees help businesses in more than 110 countries creatively solve problems.

Omron's Asia-Pacific group this week announced its "innovative-Automation" manufacturing concept, based on its "three I's" or innovations of digital engineering transformation, letting machines do what they can do beyond human abilities, and advanced collaboration with people.

Omron Automation Americas is based in Hoffman Estates, Ill. In November 2021, the industrial automation provider acquired a 10% stake in collaborative robot maker Techman Robot and opened a proof-of-concept center in Novi, Mich.

California center to work on controllers

Omron said its California expansion enables it to develop highly precise, high-speed motion technology that fits the needs of customers in the semiconductor, medical, packaging, scientific research, and other industries.

The Omron Advanced Motion R&D Center will also allow engineers to further innovate in the field of advanced motion control design, developing what Omron called "the world’s highest-level programmable multi-axis controller," or PMAC.

PMAC can achieve nanoscale precision control for applications including high-speed synchronous control of 3D printing and additive manufacturing, including laser modulation, synchronization with XY stages, and numerical control (NC)-type trajectory processing, the company claimed.

"Today, we’re excited to continue this work together, developing elite motion-control systems that control some of the world’s most complex and demanding applications," Wilson said.