Siemens Digital Industries Software recently announced that Panasonic Corporation (“Panasonic”) has started to adopt its Teamcenter X software, a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) cloud product lifecycle management (PLM) solution from the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio of industry software to accelerate its digitalization in product development and design.

The manufacturing industry often sets the trends for technology adoption in industrial settings. For example, the automation journey began a half-century ago with the first industrial robot — a 2,700-pound behemoth Unimate prototype — installed in a GM factory in 1959. Since then, robotics technology has significantly evolved and expanded beyond traditional manufacturing. Today, robots are integral to various industries, undertaking tasks like automated bricklaying in construction, efficient goods handling in logistics and warehousing and critical functions such as dispensing medication within hospitals.

Siemens Digital Industries Software offers Zel X software, a next generation browser-based engineering app for streamlining manufacturing and shop-floor operations. Zel X consolidates software for manufacturing, operations, collaboration, design and simulation into a comprehensive, yet lightweight browser-based solution that delivers value instantly.

Fanuc America has officially unveiled its new 650,000 square foot West Campus facility in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The expansion increases the footprint in Michigan to over 2 million square feet and is part of Fanuc America’s strategic investment plan to support and advance industrial automation in North America. The West Campus represents a $110 million investment built on 67 acres of land.

Siemens Digital Industries Software announced that Emotors, an independent e-drive manufacturer, has taken advantage of test solutions from the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio of industry software to aid in the development and constant improvement of its e-drive systems for hybrids, plug-ins and full electric vehicles (EVs).

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. 

The OPC Foundation, a global organization dedicated to interoperability in industrial automation, announces the formation of a new working group focused on leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI). This initiative marks a pivotal moment in the convergence of AI and manufacturing, promising to redefine how engineers interact with data and systems to build cutting-edge solutions.

Norway is the official partner country of Hannover Messe 2024. Under the headline “pioneering the green industrial transition”, Norway will showcase digital technology and sustainable solutions for manufacturing. There will also be a strong focus on clean energy, including renewables, hydrogen, ammonia and CCS.

Festo is working hard to equip its automation components with a digital twin – a digital representation in the form of administration shells. The company has joined forces with other German automation partners and the Industrial Digital Twin Association because standardization is what machine and system builders expect.

Servo Technology has gone through various key stages of evolution, from the Power Transistors (Servo 1.0) and DSP/Microprocessor (Servo 2.0) to the Integrated Packaging (Servo 3.0) and Industrial Network (Servo 4.0). We are now entering the new era in servo evolution called Servo 5.0, where the intelligence and connectivity, in align with the emerging Industry 4.0 effort, are now required in the traditional servo control products.