Manufacturing Technology

OnRobot has launched OnRobot Sander, an all-electric random orbital sander for automated finishing applications, including sanding and polishing. Traditional sanding automation solutions often require a background in robotics to implement and maintain. With the launch of OnRobot Sander, manufacturers now have access to a complete out-of-the-box sanding tool that’s easy to use with all major collaborative and lightweight industrial robots. The complete Sander package incorporates everything OnRobot customers need to get their sanding application started quickly and easily: a plug-and-play sanding tool, a variety of standard sanding and polishing pads, easy-to-use programming software, an optional force/ torque sensor and a Grit Changer that enables automated switching between different sanding grits without operator intervention. Taking usability a step further Programming simple surface finishing applications on Sander is easy thanks to the intuitive built-in software. But OnRobot takes usability a step further with the addition of a “Save Position” button on the tool that allows users to set waypoints manually without using the robot’s teach pendant. The Sander software comes with different path planning options – handguide, shape and points, and allows users to adjust rotation speed, optimising cycle time and consistency. “OnRobot is committed to providing small and medium-size businesses with affordable, application-centered solutions that are easy to set up and maintain. OnRobot Sander is a versatile sanding tool that provides all the features and benefits our customers expect of automated sanding technology, but without all the hassle and cost traditionally associated with automated sanding tools,” says Enrico Krog Iversen, CEO of OnRobot. OnRobot Sander supports flat, curved and uneven part geometries and comes with replaceable standard pads that can be used on a wide range of materials. Adding a force / torque sensor enables the sander to adapt to surface variations or part misalignment, while improving consistency and quality and […]

SKF’s global technical press days to outline how bearing technology is speeding up industrial digitalisation and creating new business models. Entitled ‘Bearings 2.0: What the future holds’, SKF’s virtual technical press days will take place on 7-8 October, 2020. Expert speakers will address industry trends and illustrate how SKF’s innovations in bearing and rotating machinery will change the way end-users and manufacturers operate. Both days will include keynote addresses on topics such as the future role of bearings in industrial applications, how digitalisation is driving development around the rotating shaft and how these developments combine to enable the growth of outcome-based business models. Within the expert sessions that follow, the role of modelling, artificial intelligence and machine learning in enabling the improvement of bearing design, performance, lifespan and predictability will be explored. In particular, there will be a focus on: prognostics and the benefits of accurately predicting bearing performance; life models, such as SKF’s GBLM (Generalized Bearing Life Model) which can now be applied to selection of hybrid bearings; the circular economy and the demand for bearing remanufacturing and recycling of bearing-related materials. The latest developments within deep groove ball bearings and their applications within electric vehicles will also be presented.

Hitachi Elevator Asia Pte. Ltd. has successfully clinched another large contract for the supply and installation of lifts from the Housing & Development Board (HDB) of the Republic of Singapore (Singapore). Hitachi Elevator Asia has been awarded the 30th term contract to supply and install another 300 lifts at HDB blocks in Singapore. This is the largest single contract for Hitachi group for the second time; the first was the 28th term contract. Hitachi Elevator Asia aims to maintain their position among the top 3 in the new installation market of Singapore with the contribution of this contract in FY2020.   Hitachi Elevator Asia was awarded the 28th term contract in 2019, which was the largest single order for the Hitachi group’s lifts and escalators business in Singapore at the time. Apart from HDB blocks, Hitachi Elevator Asia has also provided lifts, escalators and moving sidewalks for major facilities and buildings like the National University of Singapore, Changi International Airport and Guoco Tower, the tallest building in Singapore. In 2019, an advanced lift remote monitoring and maintenance service was introduced in Singapore, where real-time operational data about the lifts and implementation of preventive maintenance are provided. Moving forward, Hitachi will continue to broadly use cutting-edge digital technology, including the Internet of Things (IoT) and globally provide safe, secure and comfortable elevators and escalators as well as services that help resolve customers’ issues in urban spaces to contribute to the realisation of a sustainable society.

Frost & Sullivan’s recent analysis, Opportunities of Emerging Sensor Technologies Impacting the Future of Smart Cities, reports that digitisation and advancements in Internet of Things (IoT) are driving the large-scale adoption of sensor technologies across cities. Combined with key enabling technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and high-speed internet networks, integrated sensor networks in cities are driving the creation of a connected city ecosystem to enable the optimal use of public resources. The scope of the research includes acoustic, lidar, radar, 3D camera sensors, environmental sensors, flow sensors, gas sensors, and humidity and temperature sensors and also addresses adoption scenarios in key smart cities across the globe. “The need for a smart city is primarily driven by a requirement for a safe, secure, and sustainable environment that allows for effective population management while providing services to citizens in a satisfactory manner,” said Krithika Shekar, TechVision Senior Research Analyst at Frost & Sullivan. “An integrated sensor system aids in establishing a seamlessly interconnected network with an anchor application and a centraliz sed platform. Such a sensor network established for one purpose, such as street lighting, can enable several other connected applications, such as environment monitoring, public safety, and waste management. A centralised network will help reduce duplicated capital costs and eliminates the need for several individual complex networks.” Major investments by top smart city governments in Singapore, New York, and Tokyo show rapid pace of adoption of smart solutions. The rise of smart cities has not only created growth opportunities for sensor makers, but has also accelerated the adoption of several supporting technologies such as 5G, robots, AI, and edge computing, creating endless growth opportunities for smart city applications. For further growth opportunities, smart cities should leverage the following sensor technologies: Electronic sensors are deployed in environmental surveillance sensors and speedometer […]