Innomotics, a Siemens Business, has partnered with Anglo American, one of the world’s leading mining companies, to develop a digital mining solution for Quellaveco copper mine, in Peru. In this context, Innomotics has provided a suite of Siemens technologies, to help Anglo American engineer, monitor, manage and run the mining operations from the earliest stages of design through commissioning and into production.

Linear guides, bushings, ball screws, stages, tables and motion control systems continue to evolve to meet the needs of factory automation, machine tools, and mechatronics. These components will continue to add sensors, electronics and software to meet new industrial requirements. We've spent time on the trade show circuit recently to report on new innovations in linear motion technology.

In major ports around the world, there is a growing need for autonomous goods handling. The vehicles in the ports, which are operated around the clock and have largely been manually operated.

ABB Robotics launched OmniCore, an intelligent automation platform that is faster, more precise and more sustainable, to empower, enhance and futureproof businesses. 

Nord Drivesystems recently celebrated the grand opening of their new, state-of-the-art production facility in McKinney, Texas. This factory marks the fourth U.S. production location of the global gear motor and control products manufacturer, with established facilities located in Corona, CA, Charlotte, NC, and the 291,700 sq. ft. U.S. corporate headquarters in Waunakee, WI.

Intralogistics solutions provider Kardex appeared at Automate 2024, North America’s largest robotics and automation event in Chicago (May 6-9), demonstrating the fastest order fulfillment solution per square foot on the market. Kardex FulfillX is a warehouse execution system (WES) purpose-built to allow new AutoStore systems to ramp up faster and is capable of meeting or exceeding business cases in as little as six months. It has been specifically created by experts at Kardex, a global AutoStore partner, to maximize the capabilities of AutoStore robotic cube storage systems for manufacturing customers. 

ABB has announced the launch of its 2024 Robotics AI Startup Challenge, a global competition designed to accelerate the development of artificial intelligence (AI) solutions in robotics. The challenge is part of ABB’s ecosystem for innovation, with a previous challenge resulting in the acquisition of Sevensense in January 2024, a Swiss-based start-up and leading provider of AI-enabled 3D vision navigation technology for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). ABB Robotics' latest challenge will foster innovation and collaboration between ABB and pioneering startups and scaleups worldwide. 

Regal Rexnord Corporation recently displayed its solutions for the metals industry at AISTech 2024.

Firmly committed to Industry 4.0 and the future of manufacturing, KUKA Robotics will highlight an innovative solution for educating the next generation of workers and its collaboration with three universities on cutting edge Mixed Reality (MR) demonstrations at Automate 2024, May 6 – 9 at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois.

If you’ve recently purchased a Nord Drivesystems gear motor, you may have noticed a new sticker with a QR code located on the unit. Quick Response (QR) codes can store a wide range of data and enable the user to access information almost instantly. These stickers are a new development in Nord’s expansive digital services and provide users quick access to product specifications, documentation, and service requests on-the-spot via their mobile device. The codes can be scanned using a photo app or QR code app and will bring the user to Nord’s digital service webpage with their respective country’s language and contacts.