The soaring demand on productivity is a significant factor for increasing investments in robotization. Many companies now acquire robots to solve problems, assist humans and support production. Moreover, the lack of labour power is currently the biggest motivation for operating robotization in workplaces in order to achieve customer requirements, and reduce the time from order to implementation. But while the adoption of robotization is increasing, most robots remain out of reach for the small and medium-sized (SME) business due to the high cost. Robotization can make our lives simpler and better, but only if they are affordable. By K.A. Gerardino.
Autonomous driving is considered a key innovation in road transportation in years to come. It sits at the forefront of vehicle technology and presents an opportunity for brand differentiation in a packed automotive market. Demand for autonomous driving is also trickling down the supply chain for systems and components that allow cars to drive and brake without human interaction. By K.A. Gerardino.
While the use of exoskeletons in industry is still at the lower end of the spectrum, there is growing awareness about the benefits of exoskeletons in industrial applications.
The concept of the smart factory has been steadily evolving over the past few years as its moves towards the goal of providing harmonious communication between shop-floor devices and enterprise-wide management systems. Ultimately, the ambition is to ensure productivity and quality are maximised, from quotation and order, to manufacturing and dispatch. Such a transition also provides the perfect opportunity to address a sometimes overlooked aspect of smart factory operations: energy efficiency.
Europe has taken an early lead when it comes to implementing Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) or Industrie 4.0 as the Germans prefer to call it, with companies having invested in IoT technologies at higher levels than their US counterparts. The latest update to the Worldwide Semiannual Internet of Things Spending Guide from International Data Corporation (IDC) forecasts total spending on IoT solutions in Europe to increase by 19.8% year on year to reach $171 billion in 2019. Of this, the share of discrete manufacturing is $20 billion, which can be attributed to IIoT.