Celera Motion, a business unit of Novanta Corporation, announces the acquisition of Ingenia, which develops and manufactures servo drives and control software. This acquisition considerably enhances Celera Motion's accuracy motion capabilities.
 
Celera Motion, A Novanta Company, announces the acquisition of Ingenia, developer of high performance servo drives and control software.
 
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Based in Barcelona, Spain, Ingenia offers original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) with personalized motion control solutions based on high performance and high power servo drive technology. Celera Motion provides medical and advanced industrial OEM customers with accuracy optical and inductive encoders, motors and actuators, and mechatronics solutions.
 
'Ingenia's products complement the Celera Motion products, and we're excited to bring these gifted and innovative teams together,' said Leane Sinicki, Precision Motion Group President, Novanta. 'This acquisition expands and enhances our offering as we help our customers solve their most complicated motion challenges.'



This article is originally posted on Tronserve.com

CHICAGO - April 18, 2019 - Ultra Consultants, Inc., an independent research and enterprise solutions consulting firm serving the manufacturing and distribution industries, presents an useful webinar session meant to project teams from the manufacturing and distribution sectors who are assessing an active ERP project. With unique guest SYSPRO USA, the one-hour webinar is titled ERP Grows Up: How the Right ERP Software Can Attract the Next Generation Workforce and takes place Thursday, May 2, 2019 at 2 p.m. ET (1 p.m. CT).
 
The present digital shift in the manufacturing and distribution industries motivates decision-makers to inspect a new way of conducting business that fits a multigenerational talent pool. Engaging a millennial workforce through digital transformation initiatives — while continuing to aid the team that helped build the business — can be overwhelming.
The webinar is fashioned to encourage a cross-generational team to appear the caliber of data that aids your next-generation customer base.
Attendees will leave the session with the following takeaways:
•              What next-generation ERP engagement looks like through a live software demonstration
•              How to identify if your ERP system acts as a true system of engagement
•              Insight on how Industry 4.0 technologies such as social collaboration, AI, and Bots drive customer success
•              Why choice and flexibility in the workplace are vital to attracting and maintaining next-generation talent
•              How the ability to surface meaningful data and actionable business insights will boost business and stimulate profits
Register to attend and receive an archived recording of the event.



This article is originally posted on Tronserve.com

The cost and risks for little to mid-sized enterprises (SMEs) to train employees as well as implement and deploy robots for immediate impact is still too high.
 
04/11/19, 09:07 AM | Industrial Robotics | Business Development
As companies struggle to attract and keep needed talent, they are switching to automation to make up for the shortfall. In their 2018 Industry Report, MHI, the nation’s prominent materials handling logistics and supply chain association, showed that over 70% of manufacturers surveyed plan to adopt robotics technology into their supply chain operations in the next five years. A recently published video by MHI titled “ Robotics as the Solution to the Workforce Challenge ” further shows this shift.
 
While technological advances and decreased hardware costs are encouraging drive this growth, small to mid-sized enterprises (SMEs) are mostly being left behind in this trend. The cost and risks for SMEs to train employees as well as implement and deploy robots for prompt result is still too high. Until ease-of-use and accessibility are the number one priority of robotics manufacturers, widespread automation and adoption will not happen.
 
 Robotics Accessibility is Key to Workforce Competitiveness
At Waypoint, we believe that designing robots for the people who actually put them to work is crucial to eliminating barriers to adoption. Building powerful tools for the workforce helps them do more and go home at the end of the day with more energy for their families. With these user-friendly robots, the workforce expands its capabilities and the company grows by  leveraging years of invaluable experience, loyalty, and know-how.
 
We have a responsibility to deliver great robots for the workforce. Automation is the way of the future, and our easy-to-use robots will help get you there. Currently, empowering the existing workforce with technology to close the skills gap appears to be an under-vocalized idea, but one we hope is gathering momentum in the industry.
 
We agree that robotics can be a solution for the workforce challenge but until robots are as easy to use as an elevator, adoption for the average small to medium-sized business will be slow.



This article is originally posted on Tronserve.com

Supply chain automation as a technique to maintain up with consumer demand and lessen costs is no new concept.  What is new, however, is the handiness of the latest generation of robotics and automation solutions. At the moment, 72 percent of enterprises use robotic automation, and usage is increasing, accelerating deployment of intelligent machines across manufacturing, warehousing and distribution to a record pace.
 
The babble effect is a host of new opportunities and challenges for supply chain organizations, the most significant of which is protecting the skills required and changing the way people work in a more digitized industrial environment.
 
Each chapter of the Industrial Revolution reveals a normal ebb and flow in the number and makeup of jobs. As early as the steam engine, innovation displaced specified workers with new ones who, for example, had cognitive skills like creativity and problem-solving. This continues with robots. According to the World Economic Forum, by 2022, the shifting labor division between humans, machines and algorithms will result in 75 million dropped job roles, but also an addition of 133 million job roles, netting 58 million.
 
Amazon exemplifies this dynamic. The company had about 45,000 employees when it launched robots in 2014. Now, with upwards of 80,000 robots in operation, Amazon employs more than 600,000 workers. Similar results have been found across the organizational spectrum, from big multi-national employers to small manufacturing companies.
 
Out With the Old, in With the New
 
As technologies advance through each industrial revolution, jobs—and job titles—have shifted to mirror newly required skills. Actually, the latest MIT study concluded that in the past decade, occupations boasting a 10 percent increase in job titles also increased 5 percent faster. Many unheard-of job titles, as an example, emerged through the rise of cell phones, mobile apps, social media and cloud-based services.
 
This development is well underway in the automation age. Job roles characterized as task- or manual process-based are turning down, and even potentially to fade away, in the next few years. Concurrently, traditional jobs, for instance machinists, welders and technicians, are spawning new job roles like “mechatronics,” which combines mechanics and systems design.
 
The quick emergence of new roles presents a huge challenge to companies’ pursuit of automation implementation—and an ever-widening skills gap.
 
It’s Not a Gap… It’s a Chasm
 
Never before has technology disrupted American society at such a rapid clip. The talents gap is projected to leave 2.4 million jobs unfilled between 2018 and 2028, with a potential economic impact of $2.5 trillion, according to Deloitte. Furthermore, 80 percent of manufacturers report a shortage of experienced applicants for skilled production positions, which could result an 11 percent loss in annual earnings. Even as 80 percent of manufacturing managers are willing to pay more than market rate to fill positions influenced by the skills gap, 60 percent of those positions remain unfilled.
 
New Ways of Learning
 
Experienced individuals are key to corporate success and global economic development. Then again what skills are needed for a future of automation? As Deloitte puts it, digital skills like programming and technology must marry human skills such as for example critical thinking, emotional intelligence and creativity. But if there is one skill to encourage among future workers, it’s the ability to keep learning and adapting.
 
Between 75 and 375 million force out employees may need to change occupational categories and learn new skills by 2030. For the supply chain’s automation age, learning can take different shapes:
 
•             AR and VR can display information across a worker’s field of vision to mimic real-time.
•             Companies can use simulation training for highly complex tasks or dangerous jobs where errors can be lethal.
•             More learning systems will migrate online.
 
The changes will keep coming in the age of robots. Some may perhaps be evolutionary, as workers switch to new technologies, while others will be revolutionary, leading to new industries and job roles. The goal, however, continues to be the same: ensuring that the evolution of our human skills keeps pace with automation.
 
This article is originally posted on tronserve.com

The Federal Reserve said Wednesday the economy was extending at a moderate pace in March and early April, despite uncertainty caused by trade tensions and severe flooding in the Midwest.
 
In its newest report on economic conditions around the country, the Fed said that some districts reported a slight strengthening following a slowdown this winter. But weakness remained, especially in sluggish consumer spending, which accounts for two-thirds of economic activity.
 
The Fed report, called the beige book, said that charges required on imports, higher shipping costs and rising wages had all added to some rise in input costs.
 
The report found prices continued to be low for various farm products, with several districts including St. Louis, Minneapolis and Kansas City voicing concerns about what recent flooding might do to crop production this year.
 
The beige book conclusions will form the basis for discussion when central bank officials meet on April 30-May 1 to discuss interest rates. The Fed said that reports from the Fed's 12 districts were mixed on consumer spending and yet mentioned that home sales were stronger.
 
The Fed said the outlook had developed for manufacturing 'although contacts in many districts noted trade-related uncertainty.' Most districts said that home sales were stronger although some districts reported lower demand for higher-priced homes.
 
With jobless near a 50-year low, the report said that there have been shortages of skilled workers in manufacturing and construction as well as some technical and professional positions.
 
Many districts reported that firms were offering perks such as for example bonuses and expanded benefit packages in an effort to attract and retain well-qualified workers.
 
The central bank boosted its policy rate four times in 2018 and in December indicated it expected two more rate hikes in 2019. Those rate increases motivated sharp attacks from President Donald Trump and contributed to a steep drop in the stock market the later part of last year.
 
Beginning in January, the Fed has done an about-face on policy and now says its plans maintain rates on hold for the entire year. Trump, however, has kept up his pressure saying the central bank needs should be cutting rates now. Some economists are predicting the Fed's next step could well be a rate cut later this year if the economy does not pickup.
 
This article is originally posted on tronserve.com

Munich-based startup Sono Motors plans to start the very first large produced solar electric vehicle in Sweden, starting up next year.
 
Sono Motors and National Electric Vehicle Sweden announced Wednesday they've signed a proposal to make the self-charging Sion at a former Saab plant in Trollhattan.
 
National Electric Vehicle Sweden, or NEVS, acquired Saab in 2012 and is actually using the site to build components for other vehicles.
 
Sono said it wishes to manufacture 260,000 vehicles in Trollhattan over eight years.
 
The Sion is coated with solar panels that may supply enough electricity each day to drive up to 34 kilometers (21 miles), with a maximum range on a full battery of about 255 kilometers.
 
Sono declares it has taken 9,800 orders and the vehicle will sell for 25,500 euros ($28,828).
 
This article is originally posted on tronserve.com

The future of modern manufacturing depends on more than next-generation technologies to enhance the factory floor. Engaging and empowering the next-generation workforce is important to undergoing a successful digital transformation, and it starts off with rethinking underlying business processes and human resources (HR) policies.
 
The labor force is a significant part of the digital transformation, not merely a beneficiary of it. Manufacturers can digitize their plants with all the technology they like, but unless business leaders consider the expectations and needs of employees - both hourly and salaried - as part of a holistic digital transformation strategy, manufacturers may find their workforce uninspired and unprepared to drive innovation and bring the business results they expect.
 
It is essential for manufacturers to know the dual-importance of fostering a tech-friendly work environment and investing in their people resources. As an example, a recent survey from The Workforce Institute at Kronos indicates there's an undeniable demand from the workforce for technology to get better daily tasks like scheduling and shift swapping. Close to half (47 percent) of employees have had a time-off request rejected by their employer within the last year, with manufacturers typically rejecting vacation requests. At the same time, a staggering 90 percent of employees worldwide presume their organization can improve scheduling - which would inherently result the work-life balance of the impacted workforce.
 
By including HR in upfront discussions about their organization’s digital transformation, manufacturers are going to have a greater sense of what the future of work entails, and what is required to give a modern and engaging employee experience as the foundation for a successful digital transformation.
 
Understanding Employees’ Workplace Expectations
 
Workplace technology was once alot more innovative and better than anything that was available for consumer use, but the opposite is true today: approximately half of manufacturing employees (49 percent) agree it's easier to look for new movies on Netflix than to check the details of their employee benefits, according to another recent survey by The Workforce Institute. Just about half of employees (48 percent) would like their workplace technology performed just like their personal technology, and 35 percent (and 39 percent of Gen Z employees) consider their job is harder than it ought to be because of outdated processes and legacy technology.
 
Upset with how long it takes managers to grant time-off and schedule requests, more than 25 % of employees (28 percent) wish their organization would embrace self-scheduling, permitting them to build their own schedules or select preferred shifts that make it easier to manage personal responsibilities outside of work. Large and by, employees want solutions that make it easier to work their way: swapping shifts, seeking coverage from colleagues, and opting into open shifts for more hours- particularly via a mobile phone or tablet.
 
In the age of digitization, manufacturers that offer employees with responsive solutions that match the simplicity of use and real-time nature of the applications they use in their personal lives can build an engaging employee experience and maintain their efforts to recruit and retain talent - which remains a top concern across the industry. However,, if manufacturers fail to prioritise the needs of their workforce while undergoing a digital transformation, meeting the expectations of employees will become increasingly difficult.
 
Including HR in the Transformation Conversation
 
In most cases, employees want to do well by their employer, and vice versa. However, without ample communication with stakeholders across the organization, it may be easy for organizations to undermine their own employee experience with antiquated attitudes about manpower management and HR processes.
 
When doing digital transformation, manufacturers should think about the technological and people-centric upgrades that will facilitate the work force to operate at full capacity. This may possibly include real-time labor analytics that can help managers make informed operational decisions; intelligent self-scheduling and shift-swapping technology; and real-time performance data that can assist managers have constructive conversations and provide transparency to employees about what is expected of them to advance in the organization.
 
Involving HR throughout the digital transformation will help to ensure that manufacturers’ most valuable resource—their people—remains a top priority throughout the process. Basically, digital upgrades that emphasize a positive employee workplace experience are one of the most vital differentiators for recruiting and retaining top talent.
 
Employee-centric solutions powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning are not simply transforming the future of smart factories—they’re making great advances in engaging employees as a core component of business success from the outset. By investing in the workforce today, organizations can begin to fundamentally increase engagement and drive productivity, both of which are essential parts of any manufacturer’s digital transformation.
 
This article is originally posted on tronserve.com

The manufacturing industry has been one that's content with a satisfactory status quo. There's a defined way of operating within the supply chain that has performed well enough, at the moment, leading many manufacturers to consider digitization unnecessary.
 
With product lifecycles becoming shorter and competitors tightening among industries (even among players within the supply chain), manufacturers can't leave well enough alone for a lot longer. However, many are choosing complacency over improvement, partly the result of a number of widespread myths about what it means to accept digitization, how manufacturers can profit, and whether the cost-benefit scales tip in manufacturers’ favor.
 
Here are the top four most common misconceptions - and why they don’t hold true.
 
No. 1 - Our Current Way of Working is Fine As-Is
 
Manufacturers, as well as distributors, wholesalers, and retailers, have struck an apparently perfect balance. Each partner carries their share of the production, distribution and sales operation, and in turn, gets a share of the profits.
 
The landscape of B2B buying, however, is changing. Customers desire more self-service options, more competitively priced products, and a shorter time-scehdule from purchase to delivery. By shorter, they don’t mean marginally faster; they have perhaps expectations molded by “The Amazon Effect” and they want their products as close to instantly as is possible.
 
Today, before a B2B buyer ever contacts a potential supplier, they've already done as much as 70 percent of the buying process (beginning with online research). This means that your internal team is mostly getting cut out of the equation, and you have to find new approaches to serve to customer needs during the first three-quarters of the buyer journey. The obvious answer is e-commerce.
 
No. 2 - E-Commerce is An Unnecessary Risk (and Cost)
 
With e-commerce, you can put your business back in the forefront of your customers’ minds. Inspite of this potential, however, many manufacturers keep on being unconvinced. Unsure that e-commerce might be a lot more than an extraneous part of their business strategy, a significant number of manufacturers disagree that the expense of implementing and maintaining an e-commerce experience is way too high. They also disagree that this cost may not be justified. What gain can they be guaranteed from launching a web store?
 
The successes of manufacturers who do have a web store can speak for themselves.
 
Resulting from direct-to-consumer (D2C) e-commerce sales, 82 percent of manufacturers selling directly to consumers enhanced their buyer relationships, and 76 percent improved customer experience.
 
During the past year, at least one-third of B2B consumers purchased straight from a brand manufacturer’s website, particularly due to more comfort, better product quality and a lot faster, more reliable shipping.
 
What this tells us is that there's definitely a gap to fill. E-commerce can not only make you money, but it helps make you the go-to choice for customers who are dissatisfied with retailers’ and resellers’ e-commerce experience. That is an excellent advantage.
 
By selling online as a manufacturer, you're satisfying the increasing number of clients who already want a way to bypass third-parties and resellers, and that you're giving your consumers a way to engage with and interact with your brand on-demand any time.
 
No. 3 - Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) Sales Will Hurt Our Channel Partner Relationships
 
When looking at the distribution of profits within the supply chain, the reality is that in most cases, distributors make a significant share of the overall revenue. With third-party retailers also marking up the price of goods, it is very clear that the supply chain has started to be a unit of businesses looking out for their individual best interests. Unfortunately, it also means manufacturers are getting the short end of the stick from the start, and then not making anymore profit from the products they have been creating, even when there is more end-revenue up for grabs.
 
There's definitely a way to keep the supply chain harmonious, profitable, and efficient, and it begins with getting D2C sales right. Thankfully, some manufacturers have already gotten started (and are already reaping the benefits). This does not mean, however, that channel partners can’t win, too.
 
Within the supply chain, distributors, manufacturers, and retailers have to work together, make profit individually, and offering a strong product and experience for the end-consumer. Fortunately, there are countless ways they can do so, and they've already begun to strike this balance.
 
Close to half of manufacturers feel that a D2C model has enhanced the flow of incoming leads for their channel partners and has resulted in a growth in sales. The key to success is to know the most efficient use case for each channel partner. Boost effectiveness and profitability by transferring order fulfillment for larger orders through to distributors and retailers. Let manufacturers fulfill sales for lower-volume inventory items or test the success of new products before passing them along to retailers. Comprehend where your players’ strengths are and act accordingly for the best outcome.
 
No. 4 - Emerging Technologies, Like the IoT and M2M Innovation, Are A Better Fit for B2C
 
It's true that B2C brands, specifically retailers, are usually the first to ride the digital innovation train. They're often the forerunners for developing emerging and unperfected technology into the core of their sales strategies in hopes of capitalizing on the bulk of early-stage profits. This does not mean, however, that manufacturers don’t have a strong use case—and perhaps even a better use case—to do the same.
 
The Internet of Things, 3D printing, cloud-based technology and artificial intelligence (AI) can help in with supply chain visibility, with the eradication of organizational siloes, with forecasting for product production schedules, and with automating processes (especially in warehouse management).
 
Intelligent technology encourages intelligent, informed, and purposeful business. Use these growing technologies to create a digital ecosystem of real-time and predictive data. Then, use that ecosystem to find out the streamlining of the latest processes and shape future methods to product development and distribution.
 
Like most businesses dabbling in a trial-and-error approach to a strategy that’s not a surefire quick win, it's possible that many manufacturers adopting emerging technologies won’t succeed straight away. None the less, taking the first step to digitization is critical to establishing the foundation for a future-facing approach to manufacturing. Getting a head start on being even a single beat ahead of the competition, in such a tight race, can make all the difference — and it all starts off with the right investment (financial or otherwise) in digital.
 
This article is originally posted on tronserve.com

A recent report from ABI Research, presented this year at Hannover Messe, indicates the biggest changes in industrial trends through 2018. Here are the key takeaways:
 
•             The marketplace is nonetheless focused on step one of connection — bringing assets online and retrieving data — not the second step, studying that data and making use of it to make decisions.
 
•             As often happens, automotive technology is moving into the industrial space, becoming a “lighthouse segment” for digital platforms. Technology utilized in automotive is trickling down to tier 1 and 2 providers.
 
•             5G and LTE are believed to be more advantageous than wireless, but 5G is among the many technology solutions which are in starting stages and not anywhere near practical use.
 
•             consumers are torn over whether cloud or edge computing are good for mission critical data, but it is steadily becoming more trusted and integrated.
 
Artificial intelligence remains a big part of conversation in industrial applications. Intelligence for most of these companies is considered machine learning, complex automation, and predictive maintenance, areas whereby traditional industrial providers are bumping up towards new companies committed to the AI space specifically. For instance, robot maker ABB is using the reinforcement learning toolsets it has had in development for eight years for machine training and digital twin work. Up to now, ABB has used it in the field on crane systems but not offered it publically. In the meantime, augmented reality remains to be a better talking point than it is a practical part of industrial applications, with more offerings than applied, practical use cases.
 
Autonomous material handling and autonomous robots are also part of the conversation, but ABI finds that “there was very little evidence this has been integrated into the actual workspace.” key reasons for this are the difficulty of using robots over wireless connections and the alterations required to integrate them into existing workflows.
 
Security continues to be a concern for the Internet of Things. Demonstrating another challenge to broad adoption, the report says IoT players presented “a relatively confusing and fragmented mix of technologies and approaches,” which “the critical need for standardization was not addressed sufficiently.” in general, the field remains in transition, with a disconnect between offerings and practical solutions.
 
This article is originally posted on tronserve.com

According to the 4th annual State of Manufacturing Technology Report, the use of analytics and data is predicted to progress over the next five years. As the level of connectivity and digitalization is still growing during the fourth industrial revolution, manufacturers will be able to connect and integrate all pieces of their business: from materials planning and logistics to shop floor output and training. The obvious byproduct is the generation of more and more data. Nonetheless, simply hoarding data is not only ineffective, it's expensive. Manufacturers need to make that data earn its keep!
 
Applying Data in an Inventive Way
 
Among the numerous ways data can be used, three stand out in particular.
 
1.            Improving Inventory Management
One of the worthwhile ways data can be leveraged is to optimise inventory management by predicting and managing demand. In accordance with the Institute of Supply Management, in February 2019, customer inventories were considered very low for 29 consecutive months, reaching “their lowest level since December 2010” and signifying that the industry is trying to cope to understand and keep up with incoming demand.
 
Katie Kean, a global consumer industry CTO, argues that as a way to “meet the needs of the consumer even before they know they want it, technology is needed to combine multiple types of data — from both inside and outside of the organization to uncover new, actionable insights.” proficiently managing inventory will impact your bottom line, preventing wasted resources with too much inventory and poor customer experiences with too little inventory.
 
Manufacturers could also gain a competitive advantage with smarter inventory strategies guided by data. For example, by tracking your current assets and collecting information about the types of products available, average number of days on the floor and where products are transported you can establish models to project customer demand. It is a lot simpler - and more worthwhile - to base shipping decisions on data rather than gut feeling.
 
2.            Engaging your Employees
 
A recent report from Deloitte unveiled that the number of unfilled jobs in the manufacturing industry could grow to as many as 2.4 million in the next decade, leading to a possible $2.5 trillion loss for the industry.
 
Given this shortfall, it’s incumbent on manufacturers to use data to boost employee engagement, productivity, and recognition. Organizations many times believe that simply offering rewards for better performance will keep employees satisfied but blindly applying feedback mechanisms without an understanding of your workers and how they work has proven ineffective, says Michael Wu, chief scientist at Lithium Technologies. However, with access to vast oceans of data, you can analyze which areas of the business need development and how exactly to drive a workforce’s intrinsic competitive nature to drive efficiency and productivity across the floor.
 
Like for example, with data as simple as shop floor output, you can discover who the top performers are and who is coming up short. By leveraging the results, you can hold a training session where the top performer can give guidance as to where improvements can be made. This in addition increases efficiency on the floor and, just as importantly, provides recognition to someone who has done well.
 
3.            Ensuring Safety on the Manufacturing Floor
 
More than 100,000 manufacturing workers are injured on the job on a yearly basis; the most common accidents include coming into contact with machinery or falling down. While not all injuries can be avoided, you can strengthen staff to take safety into their own hands with data. Data provides manufacturers the opportunity to greatly help their workforces understand best practices around safety by finding patterns in the history of past occurences and accounting for that in training material.
 
When organizations require to spend less, a lot of the changes made affect workers’ safety. Damages result not merely in direct costs, such as medical expenses and indemnity pay, but also indirect costs, such as plant floor interruptions, which can account for anywhere between three to ten times an accident’s direct costs. Taking the time to enforce best practices regarding safety improves profits, grows productivity and creates a better workplace. Better data allows you to do just that.
 
Manufacturers have a big opportunity to benefit from data-based insights. Those that can analyze and leverage data will be able to make better decisions that propel their organizations to success in a highly competitive climate.
 
Investing in Data-Driven Initiatives
 
Only 18 percent of participants in a recent PwC research rated their data analytics capabilities as “advanced,” which means there is still a long way to go before the majority of the manufacturing industry can use data analytics effectively. This is important to see that data-based innovations must be deployed in a collaborative process across departments if business processes are to be transformed. New tools and analytics could be useful but they will fail otherwise supported by initiatives that are endorsed by the entire organization.
 
The hard truth is that manufacturers who fail to invest in data analytics will fall behind and in the course of time become outdated. The manufacturing industry will continue to undergo digital transformation well into the future, so your best bet is to fully embrace the coming changes as data-driven insights shape the future of the industry.
 
This article is originally posted on tronserve.com

The number one reason laborers leave a company is mainly because of company culture, not money, said Andy Paulson, director of customer success from labor management system company TZA. At ProMat/Automate on April 11, he and TZA President Andrew Recard presented familiar data about how to attract today’s workers. They pointed out several of the gaps between what warehousing and logistics companies are offering and what workers want, and also giving an illustration of how one company reduced turnover.
 
Today’s individuals want to be well-compensated, and they’re also determined to make a point their company culture lines up with their ethics. Amazon raised its wages to at the very minimum $15 per hour for all staff members, and large-scale operations like Amazon and Tesla are making themselves competitive with their pay. Quite often smaller companies need to pay higher so that they can compete, even as the idea jeopardise their bottom line.
 
Recard noted that this conversation isn’t new, but is more at the forefront than before. Millennial workers want to be treated, he said, but those rewards are not solely tangible — often times, they have been common sense management.
 
“Treat them well, take care of them, engage them, make sure they’re happy, make sure they’re productive,” Recard said. Workers want mentoring, feedback, and acknowledgment. “This is not an option anymore,” he said. “This is something people are demanding.”
 
Where labor management in manufacturing and warehousing might once have been about finding the people who will not be productive and bringing them up to speed, more companies are finding now that they get better results by encouraging their best people. One company TZA quoted set up conversations between employees and their manager once a month, with the hope of ensuring that that each employee was in the role which most suitable them. Managers were urged to ask whether employees like what they're doing, have any interest in cross-training, or would like to a leadership position.
 
Other companies have shifted to more creative physical rewards — Recard highlighted an important manufacturing company which puts workers who have perfect attendance between Thanksgiving and Christmas into the running for a $10,000 lottery. But is that well worth the cost of working over the holidays? Employees with children or close families might not think so.
 
Drawing in millennial workers may be hard due to the perception of manufacturing and warehousing work as boring, unskilled, or difficult. Common causes of high turnover in industry are ineffective management, little to no recognition or reward for valued employees, undesirable work environments (dirty, hot/cold), and weekend and holiday work. Finding ways in order to avoid these things not forgetting keeping up with an increasingly high-speed, high-demand environment may be a challenge for companies.
 
Generation Z employees can be even more determined to avoid these things than Millennials. According to TZA, Generation Z employees are very familiar with changing jobs at intervals and highly value meaningful interpersonal interactions.
 
“We have to take care of the people we do have, because there are not ten people in line who are going to show up,” Paulson said.
 
With a low population growth rate and more jobs than workers, companies will need to treat their people well in order to make sure loyal employees.
 
This article is originally posted on tronserve.com

Robots provide an opportunity to enable people to exist safely and comfortably in their homes as they grow older. In the near future (we’re all hoping), robots will be able to help us by cooking, cleaning, doing chores, and generally taking care of us, but they’re not yet at the point where they can do those sorts of things autonomously. Putting a human in the loop can help robots be useful more quickly, which is specifically significant for the society who would profit the most from this technology—specifically, folks with disabilities that make them more reliant on care.
 
The interface is structured around a first-person perspective, with a video feed streaming from the PR2’s head camera. Augmented reality markers show 3D space controls, provide visual estimates of how the robot will move when commands are executed, and also give feedback from other nonvisual sensors, like tactile sensors and obstacle detection. One of the finest difficulties is how to sufficiently represent the 3D workspace of the robot through a 2D screen, but a “3D peek” feature overlays a Kinect-based low resolution 3D model of the environment around the robot’s gripper, and then simulates a camera rotation. To keep the interface obtainable to users with only a mouse and single-click control, there are many different operation modes that can be selected, including:
 
Looking mode: Displays the mouse cursor as a pair of eyeballs, and the robot looks toward any point where the user clicks on the video.
 
Driving mode: Allows users to drive the robot in any direction without rotating, or to rotate the robot in place in either direction. The robot drives toward the location on the ground indicated by the cursor over the video when the user holds down the mouse button, and three overlaid traces show the selected movement direction, updating in real time. “Turn Left” and “Turn Right” buttons over the bottom corners of the camera view turn the robot in place.
 
Spine mode: Displays a vertical slider over the right edge of the image. The slider handle indicates the relative height of the robot’s spine, and moving the handle raises or lowers the spine accordingly. These direct manipulation features use the context provided by the video feed to allow users to specify their commands with respect to the world, rather than the robot, simplifying operation.
 
Left-hand and right-hand modes: Allow control of the position and orientation of the grippers in separate submodes, as well as opening and closing the gripper. In either mode, the head automatically tracks the robot’s fingertips, keeping the gripper centered in the video feed and eliminating the need to switch modes to keep the gripper in the camera view.
The grippers also have submodes for position control, orientation control, and grasping. This kind of interface is not going to be the fastest way to control a robot, but for some, it’s the only way. And as Henry says, he’s patient.
 
In a study of 15 disabled participants who took control of Georgia Tech’s PR2 over the Internet with very little instruction (a bit over an hour), this software interface proven both easy to use and effective. It’s truly not fast—simple tasks like picking up objects took most participants 5 minutes when it would take an able-bodied person 5 seconds, but as Kemp and Phillip Grice, a recent Georgia Tech Ph.D. graduate, point out in a recent PLOS ONE paper, “for individuals with profound motor deficits, slow task performance would still increase independence by enabling people to perform tasks for themselves that would not be possible without assistance.”
 
A split study with Henry, considered to be an “expert user,” demonstrated how much opportunities there is with a system like this:
 
Definitely, a PR2 is probably overkill for many of these tasks, and also not likely to be around to most people who could use an assistive robot. But the interface that Georgia Tech has developed here could be applied to countless different kinds of robots, including lower-cost arms (like UC Berkeley’s Blue) that wouldn’t necessarily need a mobile base to be effective. And if an arm could keep someone independent and comfortable for hours instead of a human caretaker, it’s possible that the technology could even pay for itself.



This article is originally posted on Tronserve.com

Stuttgart, April 17, 2019 - The European 'Bionic Aircraft' research project has achieved yet another milestone for additive manufacturing: For the first time ever, components can be printed directly from the CATIA V5 CAD system. This is made possible with the interface developed by CENIT. With it, there is no motivation to leave the development environment. All process steps, including post-processing, can be mapped in CATIA V5. Now, perfect data is available in CATIA V5 for removing the support structures during 3D part post-processing - elaborate reconstructions of the model and the support structures are a thing of the past.
 
Future users will be able to lower their time and costs resulting from the closed process chain for additive manufacturing, because now the improvement process for a part until series maturity has become considerably leaner. Jochen Michael, Senior Consultant at CENIT, provides background information: 'Support structures of additive manufactured components should not be eliminated manually in series production, but in exchange with NC machines. When creating NC programs of this category, the STL format, which in the past was used mainly for the representation of component and support structures in the 3D print data chain, is inadequate, because it can only serve the geometry imprecisely. In that case, the model and support structures must be reconstructed for refinishing, resulting in unnecessary expense. We can block this with the 3D print from CATIA V5 instantly, because the exact geometry data for this post-processing is already available.'
 
In order for the 3D print to be effective via CATIA V5, CENIT provides support to the engineer in the preparation of data from topology optimization. During topology optimization, in a computer-aided process, the material for the component is decreased to the amount that is definitely required to meet the requirements. The CATIA V5 Slicer, newly developed by CENIT, then slices the component into layers. The contours of these slices are sent promptly to the 3D printer via the post-processor developed by CENIT.
 
New support structures from Fraunhofer IAPT
Another positive interim result of the Bionic Aircraft project: The Fraunhofer Institute for Additive Production Technologies IAPT, has evolved optimized support structures. Support structures provide the wanted support to additive manufactured components at specified areas, for example at overhangs, and must be removed after the 3D print. 'Thanks to an optimized geometry, the new support structures do not need as much powder. We were inspired by nature, which is identified for its material efficiency. The hierarchically branched structures with gradients that were introduced as a result reduce powder consumption by 70 to 90 percent as reviewed to conventional support structures. This enables us to save material and reduce production costs at the same time', says Melanie Gralow of Fraunhofer IAPT. 'An additional benefit is that they can be removed easier than conventional support structures. This makes post-processing faster, reducing the risk of harm to the component when they are removed.' The optimized structures are set up in CATIA V5 directly.
 
Bionic Aircraft: Less Emissions in Aviation
Since 2016, the objective of the 'Bionic Aircraft' research project financed by the European Commission (grant number 690689) has been to lower emissions in the aviation industry. Ten international consortium partners from industry, research and development, among them also the IT specialist CENIT and Fraunhofer IAPT, are collaborating to come up with new practices and concepts. In this project, 3D print and bionic design play an imperative role in efforts to reduce the weight of aircraft components, thus reducing fuel consumption.



This article is originally posted on Tronserve.com

FRANKLIN, WI (April 16, 2019) - Hermle AG will welcome over 1,000 companies and 3,000 visitors from across the globe to its annual Global Open House event in Gosheim, Germany from May 8-11, 2019.
 
Visitors will have the opportunity to interact with more than twenty machine models in various configurations and with complementary equipment from high-tech industries to demonstrate the massive range of capabilities supplied by Hermle products.
 
The 2019 Open House will also be the debut of Hermle's new robot system, the RS 05-2. This second generation of the RS 05 can be modified frontally (C 250, C 400 and C 32) or laterally (C 12 and C 22) to the Hermle machining centers. With a footprint of roughly 21 ft², the robot system is massively compact. The system can be equipped with a large variety of different storage modules according to personal needs or requirements.
 
'Every year we look forward to our Global Open House event in Germany because it's our luck to put our best technology on display to people from every corner of the world,' says Manuel Merkt, President and Chief Operations Officer of Hermle USA. 'Our industry is evolving so rapidly but we really feel Hermle has remained ahead of the curve with our advancements and continuously improving capabilities of our machining centers.'
 
Another highlight of the show is the unique exhibit that will take place with more than fifty well-known exhibitors from the fields of clamping technology, CAD/CAM, measuring technology, tool technology and control technology. With a rotating schedule of expert lectures each day, visitors will have the chance to find emerging trends in state-of-the-art machining.
 
Digitization and Industry 4.0 are also significantly becoming the focus of attention industry-wide. Hermle has planned demonstrations to reveal how this digital challenge is met with numerous products, such as the digital modules, the new intuitive user interface 'Navigator' or the Home screen, which machine operators can use to create their own user interface.
 
-More-
 
Highlights of the Open House
●             More than 20 machining centers with applications from a wide range of industries in the Technology and Training Center
●             An array of automation solutions for component weights ranging from 10 to 3000 kg
●             The new compact and modular robot system RS 05-2
●             Digital modules - Navigator user interface - Home screen - HACS and HIMS in a live demonstration
●             Special Exhibit - Clamping technology and CAD/CAM software featuring over 50 well-known exhibitors
●             Hermle expert forum - with a wide range of specialist lectures on state-of-the-art machining
●             Presentation of a complete process chain from order to finished workpiece
●             Hermle User College with the new training concept 'Five module days for optimized milling'
●             Generative manufacturing with the unique MPA technology
●             Service expertise live - presentation and demonstration of our services
●             The Hermle Apprentice Department with its own booth and presentation of Hermle's training strategy
●             Guided tours of the company



This article is originally posted on Tronserve.com

McLean, Va., (April 16, 2019) - To increase the integration of rising technologies into manufacturing applications, AMT - The Association For Manufacturing Technology has put together the MT360 Conference. Held June 18 to 20, 2019, at the Santa Clara Convention Center, Santa Clara, Calif., MT360 will offer more than 30 TED-type talks. Presentations center on four transformative technologies: additive manufacturing, augmented reality, cognitive automation and the digital thread. A simulated factory will provide demonstrations and a forum to interact with representatives from leading legacy and 16 start-up companies.
 
Those who should attend include tech companies looking to apply their creation, venture capital providers and manufacturing leaders responsible for driving company growth, including operational directors, CTOs, CIOs and senior manufacturing, engineering and R&D personnel. The event is minimal to 600 participants. Visit MT360Conference.com for details and registration. Exhibiting companies include Oracle Corporation, HP, Ready Robotics, EOS, Humatics, ThyssenKrupp, IBM Watson, GE Global Research and others (see agenda). Keynote presentations will be provided by John B. Rogers, Jr., CEO and co-founder of LM Industries (Local Motors) and Mickey McManus, a research fellow in the Office of the CTO at Autodesk as well as principal and chairman of the board at MAYA Design, a technology design and innovation lab.
 
Sponsors consist of Cisco, AM Ventures, Mazak, Autodesk, Heidenhain, Makino, Athena, Traction Technology Partners, Festo, Grail, Fictiv, Humatics, nTopology, Osaro and Digital Alloys. Media sponsors include Gardner Business Media and Modern Machine Shop, Additive Manufacturing, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and SMART Manufacturing magazines. Association sponsors include NTMA, ASME and SME.
 
AMT signifies and promotes U.S.-based manufacturing technology. Its members design, build, sell and service the equipment that U.S. manufacturing relies on to be productive, innovative and competitive. These come with CNC systems for subtractive (metal cutting) and additive manufacturing, process automation, digital controls, connected devices, CAD-CAM software and quality promise systems. AMT acts as the industry's voice to speed the rate of innovation, increase global competitiveness and develop manufacturing's advanced workforce of tomorrow.
'Where other events focus on selling products or learning concepts, MT360 provides practical guidance on integrating technology innovations that manufacturers can immediately use to transform their business,' says Tim Shinbara, Vice President - Technology for AMT.
MT360 is organized into two primary venues: concise presentations in the Tech Theatre and the simulated factory for demonstrations of the technologies presented in the theater. Tech Garages (knowledge centers) enable attendees to communicate with subject matter experts and get hands-on guidance for their businesses.
As an example, one Tech Garage will feature SmartBox, a platform for easy and secure entrance into IIoT and associated access to real-time manufacturing data. SmartBox resulted from the joint efforts of machine tool builder Mazak, IT leader Cisco and manufacturing communications platform provider MEMEX. SmartBox uses the MTConnect® standard, an open, royalty-free standard that provides a semantic vocabulary for devices used in the discrete parts manufacturing sector. All net proceeds from MT360 will go to the MT Connect Institute (a subsidiary of AMT) for further awareness and adoption of MTConnect.
 
The MT360 Conference is part of AMT's lifecycle strategy around transformative technologies. Related AMT activities include the opening of an AMT Tech Lab in the San Francisco area later this year, The Manufacturing Tech Council (an ongoing virtual forum for manufacturing technology leaders) and IMTS - The International Show for Manufacturing Technology. IMTS 2018 was the second largest trade show in the U.S. last year, featuring 1.42 million sq. ft. of exhibit space, 129,415 registrants and 2,563 exhibiting companies.
 
AMT-The Association For Manufacturing Technology represents and promotes U.S.-based manufacturing technology and its members—those who design, build, sell, and service the continuously evolving technology that lies at the heart of manufacturing. Founded in 1902 and based in Virginia, the association specializes in providing targeted business assistance, extensive global support, and business intelligence systems and analysis. AMT is the voice that communicates the importance of policies and programs that encourage research and innovation, and the development of educational initiatives to create tomorrow's Smartforce.



This article is originally posted on Tronserve.com

Cincinnati, Ohio – ProMach, a worldwide leader in packaging machinery solutions, declared today it has gotten Quest Industrial, a leading provider of robotic integration solutions. The addition of Wisconsin-based Quest expands ProMach’s capacity for sophisticated robotics projects, enhances ProMach’s robust robotics support competencies, and strengthens its integrated solutions capabilities for a wide range of applications.
 
Quest, founded in 2001, is a full-service robotic integrator that specializes in automation solutions across food, beverage, plastics, metal, and different industries needing to automate, better utilize floor space, and improve the flexibility of their production lines. Quest has a strong expertise within the food industry, with leading solutions for dairy, produce, and other markets installed across North America and beyond. Their unique robotic solutions include applications in pick and place, cup filling, knife cutting, vacuum sealing, case erecting, tray forming, palletizing, vision and verification systems, and much more, including bundling multiple application technologies into a single robotic packaging cell. Quest systems are able of direct food contact with USDA compliant and wash down designs.
 
“ We’re excited to welcome the Quest team to ProMach,” says Mark Anderson, ProMach President and CEO. “ Robotics has been a strong success engine for ProMach recently, with significant double-digit growth over the last few years, driven by customers looking to add automation, flexibility, consistency, and more to their packaging lines.Quest is a high integrity team with a well-earned reputation for designing, fabricating, delivering, and supporting robotic cells to customers across a range of industries.” Quest is an award-winning FANUC Authorized System Integrator and Certified Vision professional and has gotten recognition from FANUC with the Robotics Innovation Award, multiple Outstanding Sales Growth Awards, and multiple Excellence in Intelligent Robotics Awards. Don Wickstrum, Founder & CEO of Quest, will register ProMach as Vice President of Business Development for Robotic Solutions. Current Quest President, Bill Weichmann, will join ProMach as Vice President and General Manager of Quest. ProMach will continue to invest in Quest’s team and operations to strengthen their innovative solutions portfolio and accelerate growth and support capabilities in key markets.
 
“ ProMach has a strong reputation in the marketplace for achieving and integrating companies with minimal disruption and driving organic growth within their product brands by offering them the autonomy to run their business together with access to ProMach’s resources and network,” says Mr. Wickstrum. “ This deal lets Quest carry on to grow, expand our operations, add talented team members, and most importantly create additional value for our customers. We are looking forward to working with the entire ProMach team to continue this journey we embarked on nearly two decades ago.” “The latest PMMI research shows nearly 30% annual growth for robotic solutions within the food, beverage, and personal care industries,” adds Mr. Anderson. “The addition of Quest ensures we have best-in-class robotic solutions to help customers navigate and support this growth, combined with access to the entire ProMach portfolio of solutions to solve almost any packaging challenge, including integrated turnkey systems for complete packaging lines.”



This article is originally posted on Tronserve.com

It’s been a little over two years since we were first brought to Astrobee, an autonomous robotic cube designed to fly around the International Space Station. Tomorrow, a pair of Astrobee robots (named Honey and Bumble) will establish to the ISS aboard a Cygnus cargo flight. There’s already a pleasant cozy dock waiting for them in the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM), and the plan is to put these to run as soon as possible. After a bit of astronaut-assisted setup, the robots will buzz around autonomously, doing experiments and taking video, even functioning without direct human supervision on occasion.
 
NASA has big plans for these little robots, and before they head off to space, we checked in with folks from the Intelligent Robotics Group at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif.
 
Each Astrobee robot is a cube about 30 centimeters on a side. The propulsion system, which you can see more about in our earlier article, is based around a pair of impellers that pressurize air inside of the robot, which can then be vented through a series of 12 different nozzles spaced around the robot’s body. By opening and closing assorted nozzles in different combinations, the robot can rotate or translate in any direction, without external moving parts or the need for canisters of pressurized gas. Astrobee also comes equipped with the onboard sensing and computing important for fully autonomous operation. Its flight software is based on ROS and is upgradeable on-orbit. The robot can carry a variety of modular payloads, and will be equipped with a little arm that it can use to grab onto handrails so that it can take video of astronauts without its motors running. The arms will be setup a little bit later, since they ended up requiring a little extra troubleshooting, but that should only take a month or two. Eventually (and really not too long from now as these things go), Astrobee will be able to execute all kinds of useful tasks—both things that astronauts are spending their time on now, as well as things that only a robot can do.
 
The robot that we saw at NASA Ames back in 2017 was Astrobee prototype 4D. The flight-ready design is mainly the same; the most evident difference is that the crushable blue foam pieces around the propulsion modules have been replaced with smaller foam corner bumpers covered in black Nomex fabric. The exterior of the robot is colorful and stylized, featuring prominent arrows on the sides to show which way the robot is facing, and each Astrobee is a different color so that you can tell them apart: Honey is blue and Bumble is yellow, and there’s a third Astrobee, Queen, which is green and will join the other two on orbit later this year. LED arrays around the impellers can be used for turn signals or other kinds of human-robot interaction.



This article is originally posted on Tronserve.com

Now representing high performance CMOS sensors from New sight Imaging, premier provider Phase 1 Technology is satisfied to be enlarging its sensor solutions for a variety of machine vision, robotics, drones, autonomous vehicles and automated vision applications.
 
'We are happy to be representing Newsight Imaging's high-performance line scan CMOS sensors,' said Rusty Ponce de Leon, CEO of Phase 1 Technology. 'Products are presented for short-range, pulse-based LiDAR (light detection and ranging) applications, like autonomous vehicles and ADAS, as well as robotics, barcode scanners that read 1D and 2D, AR (augmented reality)/ VR (virtual reality), and a wide variety of Industry 4.0 factory automation applications. An outstanding feature of the NSI3000 is the effective use of large pixels and small pixels. Consisting of 8 rows of 2048 pixels each, of which 4 rows are of 4µm x 8µm pixels and 4 rows are of 4µm x 4µm pixels, the sensor achieves ultra-high sensitivity and an effective resolution of 8192 pixels with low power dissipation, all in a compact size. The sensor also defines high frame rates and processing capabilities. For OEMs and engineers looking to try the sensor for their specific applications, an Evaluation Board is also available.'



This article is originally posted on Tronserve.com

By 2025, the Internet of Things (IoT) will comprise of 75 billion connected devices. From voice-activated appliances such as Amazon Alexa to smart refrigerators, IoT devices are changing the way that consumers interact with brands. Nevertheless the development of the IoT has effects far beyond the consumer space.
 
As connected machines become more widespread, industrial IoT devices are remodelling B2B commerce by streamlining the ordering process for manufacturers, contractors and other business buyers. Many engineers and industrial professionals seem to be using the industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) to obtain an even better picture of their operations, but industry decision-makers and their B2B sales distributors are losing the full potential of these sensors for commerce. Manufacturers could use IIoT technology not merely automation, safety and predictive sales, but to generally transform their business models as well.
 
Here is how you can leverage IIoT as you broaden your vision to prepare for the future:
 
•             Streamline the buying process
The first task to leveraging the IIoT is one that most forward-thinking manufacturers have already taken: decrease friction from the reordering process. For purchasers, time is money. Traditional B2B sales processes continue to require far too much time and effort of buyers, who often focus on ease of purchase above all else. A farmer who needs to swap an oil filter in a tractor does not want to spend 30 minutes looking into options, or much worse, calling a phone number to speak to a sales rep. She really wants to conveniently order the correct product or reorder a new similar product or part she's purchased before with very little time and effort.
 
It's your job to reduce the time between making decision and acting the to buy. She shouldn’t need to leave the field, turn on the computer, research her options and complete her transaction — she wants to merely accept an order when she is alerted and have a replacement on the way. If you can provide that convenience, you are likely to guarantee that customer is not leaving anytime soon. By providing easy reordering using the IIoT, you can score a quick and immense profit and develop more valuable relationships with your customers.
 
•             Enable preventative maintenance
It’s one thing to allow purchasers to conveniently reorder replacement parts. It’s another to empower them to anticipate maintenance issues and address them before they cause costly downtime. IIoT technology solves for significant issues that were once accepted as givens for many buyers.
 
The next phase of maturity means implementing the IIoT to aggregate data throughout each piece of machinery and so customers know precisely when equipment needs maintenance and how to plan for it. Even better, the manufacturer can plan for it on behalf of the customer. If you can effectively use sensors to supervise equipment, you'll increase effectiveness and cut costs for your buyers.
 
Take into consideration the traditional way of maintenance for a piece of manufacturing equipment. In general, manufacturers monitor a vehicle after a certain amount of mileage or usage time, inspite of the condition it’s in. On the other hand, imagine having the ability to evaluate every aspect of that piece of equipment, relieving the buyer up to only focus on maintenance when something is about to get wrong. Suppliers might even offer a subscription model that automatically sends supplies when parts or equipment have to be substituted. You’d eliminate wasted time and check-ins and could prevent problems before they happen, without playing guessing games on when and what to address. This technology is already cutting close to 20 percent from manufacturer budgets and increasing reliability and efficiency across the board.
 
•             Offer visibility into valuable data
Successful preventative maintenance requires a comprehensive understanding of complex data points related to upwards of hundreds of sensors. Leaders in the space are not just able to understand this information themselves, but also they can provide an accurate and digestible view of big data to their buyers.
 
Your buyers don’t have time to aggregate and make sense of data. That’s costing them. Data-as-a-Service presents another chance to act as a strategic partner for your clients. If you’re able to analyze and deliver real insights, you’ll unlock new insights and encourage them to make the best decisions for their business — and earn your spot as a strategic partner for the long run.
 
•             Dive into servitization of products
Say you’re a manufacturer of large medical equipment. Your goods require a gigantic investment upfront from your buyers, as well as ongoing maintenance and thousands of consumable parts. A laboratory buying equipment from you, like for example, must not simply pay for the machine but for maintenance of that machine and single-use consumables to operate those machines. Purchasers need to schedule regular maintenance themselves with other third parties (that may or may not be your business). If an unpredicted spike in machine usage — caused by, for instance, a natural disaster that increases blood donations — occurs, the lab may or may not be ready to accommodate it. Understandably, this causes quite a stress for buyers at the lab.
 
A servitization model powered by IIoT technology removes the burden from the customer by placing it in your hands — making sure a stickier and more direct relationship. You’d work with your customer to anticipate and deal with maintenance issues, reorder supplies and scale up or down depending on usage statistics. You’d deliver workable insights based on data that could increase the efficiency of the lab itself. You’d function as a real partner with your purchaser, guaranteeing better results for both parties. This is what the future of the IoT looks like for manufacturers.
 
Whether you’ve seldom explored the potential of the IIoT for your business or if you’re a seasoned veteran, you have to be looking ahead. The future of the buyer and manufacturer relationship, supported by powerful IIoT technology, is the complete servitization of products, concentrated squarely on customer outcomes. With the aid of IoT data and automated processes, preventative maintenance, reordering and ultimately business strategy, will become a shared effort between buyer and manufacturer.
 
Industry leaders are already leveraging this technology to make seamless and efficient experiences that drive buyer loyalty. Armed with this technology, your sales staff can transfer into a consultative role. They are able to use their time for the more complex purchases and enhance relationships with buyers, resulting in higher-value and longer-lasting deals. Don’t leave money on the table — get on board with IIoT.
 
This article is originally posted on tronserve.com

Amazon has folded warehouse robotics start up Canvas Technology under its wing, TechCrunch reported April 10. The report didn't specify the cost of the purchase.
 
Canvas makes a totally autonomous cart system, and raised $15 million in Series A funding. It’s a leading competitor with companies like Fetch Robotics in the area of autonomous mobile robots. The carts use 3D imaging and a proprietary software platform to steer, and are designed specifically that will work in the same space as and connect with human workers on the warehouse floor.
 
Bringing Canvas in-house fills out Amazon Robots, a division setup in 2012 to house Kiva Systems, a maker of shelving robots. Kiva Systems robots are now actually at work in Amazon storage warehouse, and the retailer might be able to link them with Canvas Technology’s carts to solidify their in-house automation stack. The e-retail gigantic has been moving more and more of its distributions in-house, while also offering its shipping network to third parties via Amazon Shipping.
 
According to Business Insider, Amazon has seen a 50 percent gain in warehouse space and 20 percent lower operating spending being a result of robotics.
 
“We are inspired by Canvas Technology’s innovations, and express the same vision for a future where people work alongside robotics to further improve safety and the workplace experience,” an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement to TechCrunch. “We look forward to working with Canvas Technology’s fantastic team to keep inventing for customers.”
 
This article is originally posted on tronserve.com