Predictive maintenance increases manufacturing efficiency, saves on maintenance costs, and contributes to a healthy bottom line. By Milton D'Silva.

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.

The HyFlexyBot project born from the partnership signed between the Venetian mechatronics company Automationware and the Modenese innovation hub Crit: an integrated solution that will improve and make more efficient the production and logistics of the food industry. The HyFlexyBot project is in the top ten of the Agrobofood-Horizon2020 community program and will be funded with 300 thousand euros.

The smart factory is still a work in progress, but the building blocks are already in place. A report.

An interview of Dr Stefan Assmann, Business chief digital officer, Industrial Technology business sector, Bosch Connected Industry. By Milton D'Silva.

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.

Baumüller will be presenting numerous new products at the SPS 2019.

The cool-flow technology is another milestone in the hydraulic expansion technology from SCHUNK: The coolant jet is immediately forwarded through the slim precision toolholder to the tool.

For the first time ever, SCHUNK is offering a robust mechatronic long-stroke gripper for machine tool loading specifically for the lightweight robots of Universal Robots CB and e series. The gripper stroke of 42.5 mm per finger is freely programmable and makes variable gripping forces between 50 N and 600 N possible.

B&R brings track technology to enable the adaptive machine at Texas Medical Center Innovation Campus.