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Ondas Holdings Inc. today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire American Robotics Inc. for about $70.6 million. The companies said the acquisition will lead to the integration of Ondas' proprietary, software-based wireless broadband technology with American Robotics' fully automated commercial drone systems. The combination of automation, data collection, and artificial intelligence-powered analytics will facilitate maintenance, monitoring, and operation of critical infrastructure, they said. “We are excited to bring American Robotics into the Ondas fold,” stated Eric Brock, chairman and CEO of Ondas. “At the end of the day, the drone industry’s product is data, not…
Bright Machines Inc., which describes itself as a “leader in intelligent, software-defined manufacturing,” announced today that it has agreed to merge with SCVX, a special purpose acquisition company or SPAC. Upon completion of the transaction, which is expected to occur in the second half of 2021, the combined company will operate as Bright Machines and be a publicly traded company. “Our industrial automation platform, powered by proprietary software and AI-driven solutions, allows even the most traditional manufacturing companies to quickly and easily deploy flexible automation solutions at scale,” stated Amar Hanspal, co-founder and CEO of Bright Machines. “We believe that…
The warehousing industry is a major contributor to the growing demand for robotics, and with new technological advances, the variety of warehouse robots to choose from keeps increasing. This does not exactly make it any easier for warehouses to decide which robot to deploy for specific applications. The difference between AGVs and AMRs There are two main types of warehouse robots: automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). The main difference between these two lies in their navigation technologies. AGVs typically use rail navigation, magnetic tape navigation, or wire-guided navigation to move around a facility, meaning they follow…
Kurt Workholding last month announced the launch of its new RV36 Robotic Gripper—a two-finger parallel gripper featuring a patent-pending design that allows automated finger/end effector changes without changing the gripper body itself. Quick change jaws allow customers to save on gripper-body expenses and create greater part-holding flexibility, said the Minneapolis-based company. “We saw an opportunity to increase gripper automation efficiency and to save money for customers with a quick-change finger system using pull-stud technology,” said Steve Kane, a sales and marketing manager at Kurt Workholding. “Our unique product is the first robot gripper with the ability to automatically change gripper…
If ever a time was ripe for robotic lift truck sales to take off, right now might be it. With the COVID-19 pandemic accelerating e-commerce demand for many types of goods, factories and fulfillment centers need to move a high volume of pallets to keep stores stocked and e-commerce order-picking systems or manual pick locations topped off with goods. Vendors say that return on investment (ROI) in two years or less is possible for automated lift trucks, but some complexities are involved, like knowing how to phase them into an operation and identifying automated or semi-automated applications that make the…
Automation anxiety is an undercurrent of modern labor. Will a robot take over and run me right out of a job? When it comes to metalworking, robotics is supplementing labor without displacing it. In fact, highly skilled workers can supervise robots that are safe, fast, and efficient. The U.S. will have a shortage of 400,000 welders by 2024, predicts the American Welding Society, as workers age out and young people are reluctant to enter the profession. When manufacturers add advanced robotics to human workers, they can benefit from increased productivity, quality, and the ability for employees to focus on other…
As more warehouses and distribution centers add robots to keep up with e-commerce demand and compensate for staffing turnover and shortages, new challenges have arisen. Who should manage them, how will they communicate with enterprise systems and one another, and what happens when people and robots from different vendors must collaborate? Many autonomous mobile robot (AMR) makers now offer software and remote operations centers to manage warehouse fleets. As robots become more specialized, the ability to effectively deploy them is becoming a greater differentiator than the hardware. “When people think about self-driving vehicles or robots moving something from Point A…
Engineer
Mitsubishi Logisnext Americas Inc. today announced that it has partnered with Phantom Auto to enable operators who are sitting up to thousands of miles away to remotely operate unmanned tuggers, pallet jacks, and other equipment. The companies said their joint offering can improve worker safety, supply chain resilience, and enterprise agility. “Remote operation unlocks amazing operational efficiencies for our customers,” said Brian Markison, senior director of automated guided vehicle (AGV) sales at Mitsubishi Logisnext Americas (Marengo). “Our partnership with Phantom enables them to achieve unprecedented oversight and control over their material handling equipment, even with the vehicle operators located states…
FANUC America Corp. today announced that it has expanded its line of high-performance SCARA robots, offering more reach and payload options to companies with assembly, packaging, pick and place, and inspection processes. “FANUC’s SCARA robots provide great solutions when speed and repeatability are essential,” said Eric Potter, director of FANUC’s general industry and automotive engineering segments. “Our SCARA robots are designed to help customers increase productivity in a number of industries including consumer electronics, auto components, plastics, food and beverage, lab automation, appliances, and medical device manufacturing.” FANUC widens range of SCARA robots FANUC America said its family of four-axis…
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