Robots are gaining momentum in both traditional and new industries, with sectors in which robots had so far failed to get an ‘arm’ in the door now investigating automation out of sheer necessity. Schaeffler offers a number of innovations to support this growth.

When equipment has to be placed outdoors, it’s not just one factor that has to be considered. Unlike indoor applications there are so many more variables for outdoor enclosures that need to be taken into account, as the experts at Rittal explain.

Manufacturing’s recovery from the pandemic, combined with market trends and predictions for the next few years, all place increasing importance on digital transformation. Jason Andersen, vice president of strategy and product management at Stratus Technologies, highlights how Stratus solutions provide the foundation for transformation and where the company’s platforms fit in the IIoT space.

Having supplied end-of-arm tooling (EAOT) for automotive powertrain manufacturing and assembly for over 30 years, Zimmer Group is now at the forefront of the technological transition to electromobility, including the pro-active development of a number of modular solutions for EV vehicle manufacturing.

In manufacturing, there are increasing opportunities to improve the eco-footprint of products, with the joining processes that are used as part of the manufacturing process being a good example. We ask Alexander Müller, head of the joining systems business unit at Kistler, how choosing the right joining system can influence a product’s CO2-footprint.

Paul Holding, solutions architect at IT integration provider Ripley Solutions, explores IT obsolescence and the importance of obsolescence management.

SMC is engaging with OEMs to prepare for the 4 bar landscape, asserting that end users can cut their energy costs by up to 29% in some instances, which creates a powerful USP for the OEM.

Due to the constant update in both winding and magnet technologies, motors can go into NRND (‘not recommended for new designs’) status and become obsolete. John Walters, technical engineer at Maxon, explores the key parameters to consider when integrating new motors into legacy designs.

Breakthrough solutions that overlay 3D machine vision with AI are enabling tasks such as vegetable and fish processing to be performed with unprecedented accuracy and repeatability. Scorpion Vision is at the forefront of this movement with its 3D+AI technology.

Whether it’s effortlessly operating the seatback and tray table on an airline flight, or just slightly adjusting the card reader terminal at a convenience store checkout, small access hardware mechanisms from Southco play a vital role in how the commonplace tools and devices we interact with every day operate in a smooth but functional manner.