Engineering

Revolutionary battery launch a significant milestone

The upcoming launch of a revolutionary battery series called Jumbo-Power (JP series) during the 37th China International Hardware Fair on March 20 2024 is a significant milestone. It represents Ampace’s groundbreaking advancements in new and sustainable energy technologies for the power tool industry, propelling the world forward and empowering a better quality of life. By the end of 2024, cordless power tools are projected to capture over 70% of the market share. The rapid advancement of power tools necessitates batteries that meet increasingly demanding criteria, including higher power output, reduced dimensions, and lighter weight. Li-ion batteries are anticipated to maintain their pivotal role in the ongoing evolution of power tool technology. Nevertheless, conventional Li-ion batteries encounter significant obstacles such as sustained high-current discharge capabilities, runtime limitations, suboptimal performance in lower temperatures, lifespan concerns, and charging speed constraints. As a key player in the power tool industry’s upstream sector, Ampace is dedicated to overcoming these bottlenecks through innovative technologies. A prime illustration of this commitment is the JP40, one of the flagship products in the JP series, which has successfully achieved widespread global production and is currently empowering a wide array of top-tier brands with its impressive power output.

Mariya Prempeh, Singapore's RA Country Manager ASIA MN

Interview: Mariya Prempeh, country manager, Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei, Rockwell Automation

Tell readers what it is that you do? I am the country manager for Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei at Rockwell Automation. My team and I primarily work with manufacturers in industries such as life sciences, semiconductors, and oil and gas, helping them to be more productive and more sustainable. My responsibilities also include enhancing the team’s capabilities to accelerate our growth in the region, capitalizing on the increasing demand for smart manufacturing solutions. Where are opportunities for growth for the company? I am based in Singapore, where the country’s strategic location and advanced infrastructure make it a hub for automation and Industry 4.0 technologies. Leading in robotics, predictive analytics, and now artificial intelligence (AI), the nation is spearheading technological advancements. The adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies, such as automation, IoT, and the latest industrial revolution, are reshaping the manufacturing landscape in Singapore and improving efficiency. According to our State of Smart Manufacturing Report, close to half (44%) of APAC manufacturers plan to adopt smart manufacturing within the next year; out of this, China (80%), Australia (60%) and India (59%) are already using some components of smart manufacturing. We are also seeing interest right across the region from companies looking to improve the sustainability of their manufacturing operations or exploring their suitability for World Economic Forum ‘Lighthouse’ status. How is Rockwell Automation integrating AI into its product range? At Rockwell Automation, our solutions such as AI-powered systems can optimize manufacturing processes by adjusting parameters in real-time to maximize efficiency and product quality. One of our solutions in the Life Sciences industry, FactoryTalk PharmaSuite®, tailors its optimization strategies according to different stages of a process and ensures users achieve results efficiently. With its flexible design and smart upgrade mechanism, it offers a strong framework for expanding capabilities in both continuous and separate […]

Smart Production Solutions Guangzhou 2024 introduces ‘Hosted Buyer Programme’

Smart Production Solutions Guangzhou from 4-6 March is committed to building a platform for the manufacturing sector to discover the latest technologies in smart production. Nearly all of the exhibition space at the show’s 2024 edition has been claimed, reflecting the event’s widespread recognition within the industry. To streamline interactions between exhibitors and buyers and ensure mutually beneficial exchanges, the event organisers have launched the ‘Hosted Buyer Programme’. This scheme is designed to facilitate effective business matchmaking, helping participants to expand their business network and nurture new opportunities. Under the programme, VIP buyers can also expect to receive a wide range of exclusive benefits and privileges. As it enters 2024, China’s manufacturing sector is poised for a new era of advancements. Policy initiatives are steering the sector into an era of advanced industrial practices and intelligent production solutions, with the objective of maintaining the country’s leadership in global manufacturing. On New Year’s Day, a government article was released, emphasising the importance of ‘new industrialisation’ – a national development strategy focused on upgrading and modernising the country’s manufacturing sector – as a path to achieving a higher standard of economic growth. The article proposed seven key initiatives, including the deployment of new smart manufacturing projects, a heightened focus on developing smart products and equipment, and the further enhancement of smart factories and supply chains. In alignment with this recommendation, the Central Economic Work Conference on 11 December 2023 stressed the need to stimulate industrial innovation by fusing technological advancement with a committed focus to new industrialisation. The conference called for the acceleration of artificial intelligence development and the transformation of the country’s traditional industries. Meanwhile, a separate government conference held the same month reaffirmed that 2024 would be a decisive year for the implementation of the national new industrialisation plan. Reflecting […]

FPT Joins SAP Regional Strategic Services Partner Initiative in Asia Pacific Japan

FPT and SAP’s strategic partnership signing ceremony was attended by FPT Chairman Truong Gia Binh, SAP Asia Pacific and Japan President Paul Marriott, RWE AG CIO Edgar Aschenbrenner, and other senior executives. HANOI, Vietnam – Global IT services provider FPT has joined the SAP Regional Strategic Services Partner (RSSP) initiative, established by SAP Asia Pacific Japan (APJ) to expand the capabilities and reach of established partners in the APJ region that are on a rapid growth trajectory. Through the RSSP initiative, SAP will provide eligible partners with strategic support, which may include coordinated industry-aligned solutions, a joint go-to-market strategy, and access to SAP regional and market unit industry expertise. The RSSP initiative will enable FPT to scale its SAP practice more rapidly across the APJ region and work more closely with SAP to drive joint customer success. Unlike SAP’s existing Global Strategic Services Partner (GSSP) programme, which includes a select group of the company’s most strategic global consulting, infrastructure, and technology partners, the RSSP initiative is designed to facilitate collaboration within partner organisations based in the region that demonstrate capabilities and capacity requirements specific to the needs of APJ customers. FPT’s SAP implementation and maintenance services are built on a strong foundation of a vast pool of certified and experienced SAP resources and well-established project management frameworks, with over 900 certifications and a dedicated team of SAP consultants. “At FPT, we are passionate about building a happier future for individuals, fostering success for organizations, and prosperity for nations. The 20 years of partnership between SAP and FPT has been a journey of happiness, because we shared a purpose – the purpose to enable enterprises in Vietnam and worldwide to manage their resources with efficiency, with transformation and with growth and expansion”, said Dr. Truong Gia Binh, FPT Chairman. “We […]

Profet AI launches lifecycle management platform for AI governance

Taipei -Profet AI, an enterprise AI application provider for the manufacturing industry, has announced the official launch of AILM (AI LifecycleManagement Platform), the world’s first enterprise platform for AI governance. AILM enables manufacturers to control, manage, and propagate their core domain know-how, both internally within the company and externally to facilitate expansion to other countries orlocations. AILM aids enterprises in the early stages of the AI lifecycle by standardising the process of identifying and selecting the most suitable problems for applying AI to. It also improves the transparency of the implementation process which aids effective cross-organisational collaboration. After completing a project, it facilitates the dissemination of these AI paradigms throughoutthe organisation.AILM is the world’s first platform of its kind and positions Profet AI, as well as Taiwan, to establish the rules and standards for governing AI applications in manufacturing. The Need for AI Governance in Manufacturing Manufacturing leaders universally recognise the pressing need for AI adoption. However,according to the “Manufacturing Leadership Council’s 2023 Industrial AI in 2030 survey1,”only around 29% of companies have integrated their AI initiatives into formal plans orstrategies, despite 96% of manufacturers planning to increase investments in AI. Drawing from their experience of working with more than 160 manufacturing clients, Profet AIhas identified four common challenges that enterprises face when adopting AI:1.There is no standardised way of choosing the right problems to apply AI to.2.There is a lack of transparency in the way AI is implemented throughout It is difficult to effectively disseminate AI knowledge throughout an entire company. Although many customers already utilise AI, often departments use different methods, and this experience and knowledge are not shared. There is a lack of incentivised reward systems that encourage employees to take the initiative in learning and sharing AI implementation experiences.The motivation behind developing AILM was to assist […]

Machine learning techniques improve X-ray materials analysis

Analysis of materials can be done quicker and with less expertise with the help of proven machine learning techniques established in biomedical fields. Researchers of RIKEN at Japan’s state-of-the-art synchrotron radiation facility, SPring-8, and their collaborators, have developed a faster and simpler way to carry out segmentation analysis, a vital process in materials science. The new method was published in the journal Science and Technology of Advanced Materials: Methods. Segmentation analysis is used to understand the fine-scale composition of a material. It identifies distinct regions (or ‘segments’) with specific compositions, structural characteristics, or properties. This helps evaluate the suitability of a material for specific functions, as well as its possible limitations. It can also be used for quality control in material fabrication and for identifying points of weakness when analyzing materials that have failed. Segmentation analysis is very important for synchrotron radiation X-ray computed tomography (SR-CT), which is similar to conventional medical CT scanning but uses intense focused X-rays produced by electrons circulating in a storage ring at nearly the speed of light. The team have demonstrated that machine learning is capable in conducting the segmentation analysis for the refraction contrast CT, which is especially useful for visualising the three-dimensional structure in samples with small density differences between regions of interest, such as epoxy resins. “Until now, no general segmentation analysis method for synchrotron radiation refraction contrast CT has been reported,” says first author Satoru Hamamoto. “Researchers have generally had to do segmentation analysis by trial and error, which has made it difficult for those who are not experts.” The team’s solution was to use machine learning methods established in biomedical fields in combination with a transfer learning technique to finely adjust to the segmentation analysis of SR-CTs. Building on the existing machine learning model greatly reduced the amount of […]

AutoStore launches new R5 Pro Robot

AutoStore’s new R5 Pro Robot for large-scale operations frees up space for additional products in the warehouse and improves Robot efficiency at a reduced lower total cost of ownership. AutoStore now has available the R5 Pro Robot, the latest version of the company’s field-proven R5 Robot. This new robotic solution is designed to address the specific demands of large-scale e-commerce operations, emphasising better space usage, higher performance, and reduced total ownership costs for companies running multishift operations at scale. The R5 Pro offers an edge by augmenting productivity per Robot during extended operations, optimising space usage, and reducing the total cost of ownership, ultimately enhancing the customer experience while boosting profitability. The R5 Pro is designed to meet the needs of e-commerce organizations with large-scale multishift operations. Key features and benefits of the R5 Pro Robot include: Enhanced productivity: By deploying the R5 Pro at a large AutoStore site, customers can reduce the number of Robots required on the same grid by up to 15%, when compared to using the R5 Robot, enabling better routing and enhanced system efficiency. Continuous operations: The use of an LTO (Lithium-Titanium Oxide) battery in the R5 Pro allows rapid charging, improving individual Robot availability during multishift operations. Space and Cost Optimisation: Up to 86% fewer chargers required with the LTO battery allows for more efficient use of warehouse space, accommodating additional SKU storage or reducing the required footprint. In addition, customers achieve significant cost savings related to electrical infrastructure.

Secutech returns in April 2024 with a strong focus on AI and IoT

Secutech, is Asia’s ultimate business and technology platform for security, loT and AI integration. Together with facial recognition, big data, 5G or cloud computing, these security technologies continue to advance at a rapid pace – and Secutech remains one of the most influential platforms to reflect these trends. The 25th edition will be held from 24 – 26 April 2024 at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Centre. More than 300 local and international exhibitors will showcase their innovations across 15,120 sqm of exhibition space. In the pursuit of digital transformation and technological innovation, almost all major industries are focusing on IoT and AI based technologies. In the security industry, AI in particular holds great potential to help professionals identify and prioritise risks, safeguarding people, property, and assets. These applications can provide real-time monitoring, threat detection, and proactive responses. Estimated to reach a total market size of USD 62 billion in Asia by the end of 2023, the applications of AI are continuing to expand, while its influence on the security industry continues to provide scalable solutions across various vertical markets. Drone implementation, IOT deployment, AI image recognition implementation and cloud platform integration are widely used in Taiwan’s public sector, with great potential to grow in the private sector too. This evolving landscape is creating opportunities for Taiwanese manufacturers, who are globally acclaimed for their high-quality security hardware and software. Its security market size is currently valued at over USD 5.86 billion. Meanwhile, the overhaul of public projects necessitates a substantial number of new intelligent (IP) security systems, which can be utilised in government utilities, critical infrastructure, and police agencies. The three-day fair will allow exhibitors and visitors to discuss new technology solutions and generate meaningful business connections across four main themes: AI-empowered security – intelligent monitoring / gate control / security solutions, […]

IBASE Edge AI Computing System wins 2024 Taiwan Excellence Award

IBASE Technology Inc.’s SI-624-AI edge AI Computing System has won the 2024 Taiwan Excellence Award. It’s the twenty-fifth product to win the prestigious award seven years in a row. Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs invited more than 140 experts in various fields to conduct a comprehensive selection. The winning products excelled in four key areas: research and development, design, quality, and marketing, fully demonstrating the innovative value of emerging technologies that integrate energy conservation and carbon reduction for a sustainable future. The product that stands out this time is the industrial-grade SI-624-AI edge AI computing system that recently won the Best in Show award from the industry’s leading media Embedded Computing Design at the Embedded World 2023 Exhibition in Germany. It is equipped with the 13th/12th Gen Intel® Core™ processor and integrates the NVIDIA Ampere architecture MXM GPU card with up to 5888 CUDA cores / 17.66 TFLOPS. The system leverages powerful computing capabilities for advanced image processing and is suitable for deployment in edge computing environments to run AI algorithms locally. It features OOB (Out-of-Band) management and PDPC (Peripheral Device Power Control) functions to effectively manage devices in case of OS crashes, malfunctions, or external device issues. The built-in graphics card of SI-624-AI is provided in the form of MXM module, making it easy to upgrade and replace. Users can choose NVIDIA MXM GPU with different performance and power consumption according to their needs. It incorporates several energy-saving features, including IBASE’s proprietary iSMART green technology that enables power on/off scheduling with power resume capabilities, and the Observer utility that remotely monitors system voltages and temperature to ensure the system is operating efficiently while minimizing energy consumption and downtime. The powerful, compact and rugged system meets the needs of high-performance requirements in space-constrained harsh environments. Its TPM 2.0 helps safeguard […]

Clearing Misconceptions and Achieving Sustainable Development Goals with Automation in Logistics

The United Nations developed 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the assault of a series of problem seen globally. The problems—ranging from ending poverty and improving health, to improving education and economic growth, aim to be tackled while fighting climate change. When looking at climate change, one significant contributor to global emissions is the logistics industry. According to reports, the transport and logistics sector accounts to about a quarter (24%) of all global carbon emissions. The alarmingly high value is only set to increase, with the European Environmental Agency predicting that global logistics will cause 40% of global carbon emissions come 2050, if no measures are put in place. In working towards achieving the SDGs set by the UN, automation might not be the first ally many in the logistics sector would think of when “going green”. The Misconception of Automation Big, power-hungry industrial robots are what most would associate industrial automation with. Those robots unsurprisingly consume loads of energy, thus not aiding the logistics sector with achieving their SDGs. However, recent developments in automation have allowed for sustainable solutions to be used within the sector. Take AutoStore’s R5 robot for example. These little robots are busy workers aiding human workers with storage and retrieval within warehouses. Despite this, ten of these robots use approximately the same amount of energy as a single vacuum cleaner operating for the same amount of time. Other innovations within the space allow these robots to not only recharge themselves at the right time to avoid excessive charging, but also have regenerative energy functions to recharge their batteries whenever they store/retrieve or reduce speed. In totality, they only consume 100 Watts of energy during operation, allowing businesses within the logistics sector to reduce their […]

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