The aircraft manufacturer, Airbus, has launched an order of around 300 jets from China in a deal valued at billions of dollars, according to BBC News.
 
With an agreement to gain the A320 and A350 XWB aircrafts signed following a visit by Chinese President, Xi Jinping, trip to Paris, the order is said to be a bundle of deals completed during Mr Xi’s trip to Europe.
 
In a statement, Airbus mentioned that the deal with China Aviation Supplies Holding Company will cover the purchase of the company’s aircraft which include 290 A320 planes and ten A350 XWB jets.
 
Although no official figure has been established, there are reports that the figure is believed to be worth about $34bn.
 
Airbus Commercial Aircraft President, Guillaume Faury, commented: “We are honoured to assist the progress of China's civil aviation with our trusted aircraft families - single-aisle and wide-bodies. Our extending footprint in China display our lasting confidence in the Chinese market and our long-term commitment to China and our partners.”



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New tough computer from global industrial and IoT computer manufacturer is placed for extreme environments, highly configurable and can be pre-loaded with AWS IoT Greengrass.
 
Global industrial and IoT hardware manufacturer Logic Supply has blended the latest vision processing, security protocols, wireless communication technologies, and proven cloud architectures to create the Karbon 300 rugged fan-less computer. The system has been built to help innovators overcome the limitations of deploying trustworthy computer hardware in challenging environments.
 
'Computing at the edge is increasingly at the core of today's Industry 4.0 and Industrial IoT solutions,' says Logic Supply VP of Products Murat Erdogan. 'These devices are being deployed in environments that would quickly destroy traditional computer hardware. The builders and creators we work with require a careful combination of connectivity, processing and environmental protections. With Karbon 300, we're providing the ideal mix of capabilities to help make the next generation of industry-shaping innovation a reality, and enable innovators to truly challenge what's possible.'
 
System Specifications
 
Designed for use as an industrial or mobile gateway, automation PC, workstation or digital media device, Karbon 300's all-metal chassis measures just 154 x 56 x 119 mm and can be wall, VESA or DIN rail mounted. The system is run by either an Intel® Apollo Lake Atom E3930 Dual-Core, or E3950 Quad-Core processor. Connectivity includes 3x LAN with optional Power over Ethernet (PoE+), dual DisplayPorts, dual RS-232/422/485 COM ports, 4x USB 3.0, integrated CAN bus and DIO. Available wireless options include Wi-Fi/Bluetooth, 4G LTE and LTE Cat M1. Expansion and storage can be configured via dual M.2 slots and the system is available with 4 or 8 GB of onboard high-speed LPDDR4 memory. OS options include multiple versions of Windows 10 and Linux Ubuntu 18.04.
 
Karbon 300 can be configured with an Intel Movidius Vision Processing Unit (VPU) to increase machine vision algorithms and enable AI and machine learning applications. Integrated hardware TPM provides Root of Trust data security to help protect sensitive information and integrated Consumer Electronics Control allows Karbon 300 to control connected displays in digital signage, kiosk or entertainment installations.
 
Built For Rugged Environments
 
'Our clients are continually pushing the restraints of what computers can do,' says Erdogan. 'We wanted to challenge ourselves to create a piece of durable hardware that was more resistant to environmental damage than anything we've ever designed before. We've always been obsessive about reliability, but we subjected Karbon 300 to stresses above and beyond our usual battery of tests, including additional vibration and impact testing, as well as higher and lower temperature extremes. The result is a computer system that offers excellent installation flexibility, wherever computing power is necessary.'
 
To meet the standards of extreme computing environments, Karbon 300 is tested according to IEC 60068-2-27 & IEC 60068-2-64/ MIL-STD-810 procedures for shock and vibration. EMC, shock and vibration performance also meet the in-vehicle UNECE Reg.10 E-mark and rolling stock EN50155 standards. The system isCE and FCC compliant. A wide input voltage rating, operating temperature range of -25 ~ 70°C (-13 ~ 158°F) and automotive power capabilities make the system well-suited to in-vehicle and other mobile installations.
 
Cloud-Ready
 
With organizations identifying the need to move more of their computing resources to the edge, Karbon 300 can be pre-configured to seamlessly communicate with Amazon Web Services. AWS IoT Greengrass with Machine Learning (ML) Inference is available as a pre-installed option, allowing Karbon 300 to perform ML tasks and enabling the use of ML models built and trained in the cloud to be utilized locally at the edge.
 
Karbon 300 is currently available for pre-order by visiting www.logicsupply.com/karbon300. The computer will make its debut at upcoming industry events, including Digital Signage Expo, Automate and ISC West.



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BOSTON (AP) — In a sophisticated precise espionage process, hackers corrupted tens of thousands of computers from the Taiwanese company ASUS with harmful software using the company's online automatic update service, security researchers reported Monday.
 
Kaspersky Lab said it noticed 57,000 infections among customers of its antivirus software. It shows that the exploit likely influenced more than 1 million computers from the world's No. 5 computer company. The malware was designed to open a ' back-door ' for intruders in the infected machines, researchers said. About 50 percent of the affected Kaspersky anti-virus software customers were in Russia, Germany and France, the company said . The U.S. accounted for less than 5 percent. A Symantec spokeswoman said about 13,000 of its antivirus customersreceived the malicious updates. The so-called supply-chain attack was first reported by the online news site Motherboard.
 
Kaspersky said the infected software was on ASUS's Live Update servers from June to November and was signed with legit certificates. It did not identify the malware until January when new capabilities were added to its anti-virus software, the company said. Kaspersky said its researchers determined that the malware was set for surgical espionage when they saw that it was designed to accept a second malware payload for certain computers based on exclusive identifiers of their network connections. It discovered more than 600 computers programmed to obtain the payload. In a blog post and answers to emailed questions, the company said the nature of the second malware payload was unknown because the server that delivered it was no longer active. Kaspersky said that while it is too early to know who was behind the operation, it is steady with a 2017 incident blamed by Microsoft on a Chinese state-backed group the company calls BARIUM.
 
ASUS did not instantly interact to two emailed requests seeking comment.



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The Germany-based automotive manufacturer, Volkswagen, and Swedish firm, Northvolt, as well as unknown other companies are collaborating in battery cell research, according to Reuters.
 
Set to initiate at the beginning of 2020, the European Battery Union (EBU) aims to put together know-how on battery cell production, which includes research on raw materials, cell technology and the recycling of used batteries.
 
Volkswagen commented: “All the partners will step up their investments as a result of the planned additional research activities.”
 
In order to supporting a consortium that is making electric car cells and strives to supply a research facility to build next-generation solid-state batteries, Germany has set aside $1.14bn.
 
According to the Economy Ministry, over 30 companies have applied for the programme that supports the development of battery cells.



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Hitachi Rail Europe has verified a $131mn settlement to improve new high-speed trains that link London with Edinburgh at its Newton Aycliffe plant, according to The Northern Echo.
 
Set to develop five electric intercity trains of five carriages each, the agreement will be maintained by Hitachi for the next 10 years with trains anticipated to commence service in 2021.
 
Following the company’s statement this morning, a spokesperson commented: “Whilst today’s small bespoke order is welcome, it does not address the pressing needs of our Newton Aycliffe factory. We are currently working around the clock to secure substantial work for Newton Aycliffe, which after spring 2020, currently has no pipeline of orders.”
 
The spokesperson continued: “Since their introduction on the Great Western route, we’ve seen passenger satisfaction rates increase as they receive modern and reliable trains. Soon, we will have our Azuma trains on the East Coast main line deliver the same benefits to passengers. In the coming months we will be looking to secure major new intercity train contracts for Newton Aycliffe to build. It is these major contracts which will support the long-term skilled jobs we have created in the North East.”
 
Karen Boswell, managing director of Hitachi Rail Europe, added: “Our Japanese-bullet train motivated fleet will play a vital role in supporting FirstGroup’s exciting new service. These trains have been designed to increase the number of seats available whilst harnessing the latest in comfort design to boost passenger experiences.
 
“Today’s deal extends our long-term relationship with FirstGroup, who already use our pioneering intercity trains in other parts of the country to boost reliability and passenger satisfaction.”



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The automotive manufacturer, Honda Canada, has celebrated 50 years of growing and success in the country with a commemorative ceremony at its headquarters near Toronto.
 
Having sold over 4mn vehicles since starting business in 1969, the company became the first Japan-based automaker to develop vehicles in Canada.
 
Celebrating the milestone with customers, associates, partners and dealers, Honda’s ceremony consisted of a full year of anniversary activities.
 
Having experienced significant growth throughout the years with nearly 19,000 associates employed across the country in manufacturing, dealership and sales offices and has over 600 auto, motorcycle and power equipment dealers.
 
Dave Gardner, President & CEO, Honda Canada Inc commented: “Honda planted roots in Canada with a vision of contributing to Canadian society.  We are proud of our associates, dealers, partners and suppliers, who have played an crucial part in our growth and have helped improve the communities where we live and work. We'd also like to thank the millions of Canadians who are loyal members of the Honda family.  We look forth to flourishing with you for the second 50 years.”



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San Francisco - March 25, 2019 — Tempo Automation, the world's speediest electronics manufacturer for prototyping and low-volume production of printed circuit board assemblies (PCBAs), today announces a contract agreement with global security and aerospace company Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT).
 
'We're entering a new era of growth, and the future of electric design at Lockheed Martin is digital,' said Jeff Wilcox, Lockheed Martin's vice president of Enterprise Transformation. 'We chose to work with Tempo Automation because they have focused their technology from the beginning to embrace software automation on both the front- and back-end, desired to create a digital thread from design to delivery.'
 
Tempo Automation's proprietary software connects customer engagement, price quoting, order processing, parts sourcing, factory operations, and shipment of finished PCB assemblies. The consequences of Tempo's safe and automated processes is that high complexity printed circuit board assemblies are cited, built, and shipped in days instead of the weeks that are ordinary in the industry. Tempo's customer base is able to reduce the timeline—from concept to prototype to product launch—and gain key insights throughout the manufacturing process, resulting in superior technology in finished products.
 
'Tempo Automation believes that customers with the stature of sophisticated technology leaders, like Lockheed Martin, validate our technology as the fastest and most reliable PCBA prototyping partner for high complexity designs and as an enabler for rapid innovation,' said Jeff McAlvay, CEO of Tempo Automation. 'Through our unbroken digital thread, between the design files of energy engineers and all the processes on our factory floor, Lockheed Martin will benefit from having total transparency over their PCBA orders and will also gain key insights that can be applied to their development process, ultimately creating better products, faster.'
 
'The flight line is our center of gravity—it's where we are delivering integrated sustainment capabilities to ensure our customers' aircraft are mission-ready anytime and anywhere,' said Ken Merchant, vice president of Lockheed Martin's F-22 program. 'We look forward to working with Tempo Automation and their agile hardware development to further increase levels of precision, predictability, and speed, as well as to share new ideas to help drive forward the future of manufacturing.'
 
Another first in the industry, Tempo's real-time order tracker allows customers to see exactly where in the manufacturing process their PCBAs are at any time, delivering a level of transparency and predictability not previously possible. Transforming the way technology manufacturers bring new products to market, Tempo brings new levels of speed, precision, and innovation to the marketplace.



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The leading automotive manufacturer, Ford, is accelerating work on fully-electric vehicles after exposing that significant growth in the market meant it needed to step up its plans, according to BBC News. Ford is put to invest around $900mn in new production capacity at a plant in Michigan which is forecast to create approximately 900 jobs. It is also expected that Ford will begin production of autonomous vehicles in around two years after Head of Global activity, Joe Hinrichs, revealed the company had taken a “fresh look” at the growth in electric vehicles.
 
Having kept discussions with Volkswagen about building a partnership to invest and build electric and autonomous vehicles, talks are understood to have been great but there is no news to announce. Speaking to reporters, Mr Hinrichs commented: “When we were taking a look at our $11bn investment in electrification, it got obvious to us that we were going to wish a second plant in the not-too-distant future to add capacity for our battery electric vehicles.” In 2018, Ford confirmed a long-term aim to devote around $11bn in new vehicle technologies.



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Toyota and Suzuki, in addition to bringing up Toyota’s strength in electrification technologies and Suzuki’s strength in technologies for compact vehicles, intend to grow in new fields, such as the widespread popularization of electrified vehicles.
 
Details of expected areas of alliance are outlined below. Toyota and Suzuki continue to fairly and freely compete against each other, both companies intend to see further collaboration to realize a sustainable future. “When it arrives to vehicle electrification, which is expected to make further inroads, hybrid technologies are seen as playing a huge role in many markets, as from before. Widespread popularity is necessary for electrified vehicles to be able to contribute to Earth’s environment,” commented Toyota President, Akio Toyoda. “We look forward to the wider use of hybrid technologies, not only in India and Europe, but around the world. At the same time, we know that the extension of our business partnership with Suzuki-from the mutual supply of vehicles and powertrains to the domains of development and production-will help give us the competitive edge we will need to survive this once-in-a-century period of intense transformation.”


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NASA's plan to scoop up dirt and gravel from an asteroid has struck a snag, but scientists say they can get over it. The asteroid Bennu was considered to have wide, open areas right for the task. But a recently arrived spacecraft revealed the asteroid is covered with boulders and there don't feel to be any big, flat spots that could be used to grab samples. In a paper launched Tuesday by the journal Nature, scientists say they plan to take a closer look at a few smaller areas that might work. They said sampling from those spots poses 'a substantial challenge.'
 
'But I am assured this team is up to that substantial challenge,' the project's lead scientist, Dante Lauretta, told reporters at a news convention Tuesday. The spacecraft, called Osiris-Rex, is appointed to descend close to the surface in the summer of 2020. It will extend a robot arm to pick up the sample, which will be returned to Earth in 2023. The spacecraft started orbiting Bennu at the end of last year, after spending two years chasing down the space rock. When the mission was planned, scientists were aiming to take dirt and gravel from an area measuring at least 55 yards (50 meters) in diameter that was free of boulders or steep slopes, which would pose a hazard.
 
'It is a more robust surface than we expected,' said Lauretta, of the University of Arizona in Tucson and one of the paper's authors. But he said he believed a sample could still be collected. NASA project manager Rich Burns said a spot will be chosen this summer and the setback won't postpone the sampling. Patrick Taylor, who studies asteroids at the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston but didn't participate in the spacecraft mission, noted in a telephone interview that the spacecraft was evidently maneuvering more accurately and precisely than had been expected. 'That gives me confidence they will be able to attempt a sample acquisition,' he said.
 
Bennu is 70 million miles (110 million kilometers) from Earth. It's estimated to be just over 1,600 feet (500 meters) across and is the smallest celestial body ever orbited by a spacecraft. A Japanese spacecraft, Hayabusa2, touched down on another asteroid in February, also on a mission to collect material. Japan managed to return some tiny particles in 2010 from its first asteroid mission.



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NEWBURY PARK, Calif., March 21, 2019 - Platinum Tools® , the leader in solutions for the preparation, installation, hand termination and testing of wire and cable, is satisfied to announce the launch of the new Copper Foil Strips (p/n 2039). The new EMI/RFI shielding strips are now ready.
 
'Platinum Tools Copper Foil Strips are made up of a copper foil backing and conductive adhesive,' explained Lee Sachs, Platinum Tools, Inc. president and general manager. 'They are supplied on a removable paper sheet for easy handling, and are generally used as an EMI / RFI shielding for applications in the electronics industry such as static charge draining, seaming shielded rooms, cable wrapping, and surface contact to non-solderable materials. These copper foil strips run perfectly with all the Platinum Tools Shielded RJ45 Connectors and Shielded Keystone Jacks.'
 
Platinum Tools Copper Foil Strips come 10 strips per sheet (10 sheets per pack) with an MSRP of $7.95.



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HARTLAND, Wis., (March 20, 2019) — Dorner 2200 Series Conveyors is now a certified UR+ Solution that simplify robot and conveyor integration for a wide variety of automated applications. Easy programming, fast set-up, and flexible deployment make the Dorner 2200 Series ideal for systems that need an infeed and discharge to a Universal Robot.
 
Dorner performed with Universal Robots to formulate software that allows users to control 2200 Series conveyors using the Universal Robot controller. After customers get their UR robot and 2200 Series conveyor, they simply download the UR plug-in, which makes the integration of Dorner conveyors easier to setup, configure and control.
 
Once the program is setup, the conveyors can be added to the control program, and the user is able to program the inputs and outputs needed for starting, halting, speed reference, and status information. The Dorner URCap has been tailored for both CB series and e-Series controllers. Programming for the variable speed drive should be done using the Frequency Inverter Operating Instructions manual. Robot programming manual will be supplied with robot or can be found at the Universal Robots site www.universal-robots.com.
 
Ideally suitable for Assembly and Packaging applications, the 2200 Series low profile, high performance fabric and modular belt conveyors feature a high-speed nose bar transfer option, a solid single piece frame design, universal T-slots, and a wide range of belting and guiding options.
The UR+ Solution certified 2200 Series conveyors are compatible with the following Universal Robot products:
•              UR3 Robot: Payload 3kg
•              UR5 Robot: Payload 5kg
•              UR10 Robot: Payload 10kg
•              e-Series Universal Robot bots



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Itasca, IL: KEYENCE Corporation of America, a leading supplier of sensors, measuring systems, laser markers, microscopes, and machine vision systems worldwide has released the IX Series, a new Image-Based Laser Sensor. By combining a camera with a laser, users can now determine part position prior to performing laser assessment, reducing hardware and installation costs. The IX Program will retain the quick-setup simplicity for which Keyence products have become known.
 
On the impact of KEYENCE's IX Series, Technical Marketing Manager Phil Jarzombeck said, 'The IX Series will greatly simplify pass/fail examinations of components by not only helping for target position variation but also allowing for many inspections to be carried out at once. Upon demonstration, potential users will rapidly recognize how over-engineered their current inspection processes are.'
 
The IX Series was made to tackle 4 forms of inspection situations: Unrepeatable target locations, reference height checks, low-contrast targets and inspections of multiple areas at once:
 
•              By identifying the target part's position and adjusting inspection accordingly, users are saved from creating mechanical solutions to orientate parts prior to inspection.
•              Performing reference height checks with a single sensor greatly simplifies inspections that previously required multiple sensors and complex calculations.
•              Because the IX Series is laser-based, low-contrast inspections such as height of a black component on a black background are easily determined.
•              The IX Series is capable of inspecting multiple locations at once, saving hardware and installation costs.



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DETROIT (AP) — Ford Motor Co. is repackaging a formerly introduced $900 million manufacturing investment in the Detroit area, growing the number of jobs added from 850 to 900.
 
Most of the new workers will create a new generation of electric vehicle at Ford's current factory in Flat Rock, Michigan, south of Detroit, which will see an $850 million investment. The company also plans a nearly $50 million autonomous vehicle manufacturing center at an undisclosed site near Detroit that will add electronics to existing vehicles.
 
Back in January of 2017, Ford had announced various plans for the money, directing $700 million to the Flat Rock plant to make hybrid, electric and autonomous vehicles. Later that year, the company moved an all-electric SUV to a factory in Mexico, relieving more space at Flat Rock to build future electric and self-driving cars and adding $200 million to that investment. At that time, it was guaranteeing 850 new jobs.
 
Wednesday's announcement comes just after a three-day string of venomous tweets by President Donald Trump condemning crosstown rival General Motors for shutting down its small-car factory in Lordstown, Ohio, east of Cleveland. Trump requested that GM reopen the plant, criticized the local union leader and expressed frustration with GM CEO Mary Barra.
 
Joe Hinrichs, Ford's president of global operations, wouldn't directly answer questions about whether Trump's actions impacted the moves, but said Wednesday that the investment is part of the company's plans to run its business more efficiently. The timing of the announcement was due to requirements that parts suppliers be notified of manufacturing plans, Hinrichs said.
 
'We've been running our business this way for 10-plus years,' he said in an interview. Hinrichs said Ford is aware that auto manufacturing gets a lot of notice these days, and said he is satisfied that Ford employs more workers represented by the United Auto Workers union than any other supplier. A union spokesman confirmed that statement.
 
The company intends to add a second shift at Flat Rock to build an electric vehicle, which Hinrichs would not detail. Ford said production would begin in 2023.
 
Hinrichs said that company projections of electric vehicle sales made it clear that Ford needed more space to build them.
 
'We had to change some of our plans,' he said, adding that the new plan is a better use of capital spending dollars.
 
Ford said it expects more electric vehicle sales in the coming years largely because millennials, the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population, are more open to buying them. The company also sees higher gasoline prices and stronger emissions regulations in the future as well as more electric vehicle charging stations.
 
The Flat Rock plant now builds the Mustang muscle car and the Lincoln Continental luxury car, which has a murky future because Ford has announced it intends to stop selling all cars in the U.S. but the Mustang. It plans to transfer 650 workers from Flat Rock to other factories in April.
 
Hinrichs said the new autonomous vehicle center will start modifying existing Ford models with plans to deploy them in 2021, as previously announced.



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The electronics industry company, Foxconn Technology Group, has stated it will finalize work on a new factory in Wisconsin to start production before the end of 2020, in accordance to Reuters.
 
With the next phases of factory construction expected to start by the summer, the facility in Wisconsin will begin work during the fourth quarter of 2020.
 
Having initially planned to manufacture advanced large-screen displays for TVs and other consumer and professional products at the Wisconsin unit, it has now been introduced that it would build smaller Generation 6 LCD screens instead.
 
It is expected that the initial Gen6 factory was originally going to make screens for medical and health-care, education, security, entertainment and sports and smart cities products.
 
The company announced in February that Foxconn would maintain to create its Wisconsin factory after the firm’s chairman held discussions with US President Donald Trump.



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Ford Motor Co. said Tuesday it will shift 550 jobs to its Kentucky Truck Plant to boost production of its Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles to meet growing requirements for its large SUVs. Growing sales for the Expedition and Navigator are driving a 20 percent production push at the plant in Louisville, the automaker said. To increase the truck plant's workforce, Ford said it will shift the jobs away from its crosstown factory — Louisville Assembly Plant, which makes the Ford Escape and Lincoln MKC. Raising demand for large SUVs is fueling the employment boost at the sprawling truck plant.'Kentucky Truck Plant is home to two of Ford and Lincoln's most successful vehicles,' said John Savona, Ford vice president, North American manufacturing. 'After observing a continual increase in customer demand for Expedition and Navigator, we are boosting production for a second time to match it.' Retail sales of the Expedition eight-passenger SUV surged 35 percent last year, Ford said. Navigator sales grew 70 percent in 2018, posting the vehicle's best sales year since 2007, it said. The truck plant's production will increase after the summer shutdown in July, Ford said. Production of Expeditions at the Kentucky Truck Plant grew from nearly 50,000 in 2017 to around 76,000 last year, Ford said. Navigator production doubled in the same period to about 24,500.
 
The Kentucky Truck Plant, one of Ford's premier assembly plants in North America, has about 8,100 hourly workers and the Louisville Assembly Plant has about 4,400 hourly employees. The assembly plant will soon move from a three-shift to a two-shift operation, which was announced late last year. Ford has put in $925 million in the Kentucky Truck Plant in the past several years to create the Expedition and Navigator. The plant also brings Super Duty pickups. To produce even more Expeditions and Navigators, Ford said it has enlarged the line speed at Kentucky Truck Plant. After a production review by a group of salaried and hourly workers, the plant added more workstations and split up some tasks, the company said. Ford also said it's introducing a new 'Better Big' marketing campaign for the Expedition. Ford's announces that it's growing production of its large SUVs is the latest signal of the auto industry's shift to SUVs and trucks.
 
Basic Motors plans to shed as many as 14,000 workers in a major restructuring aimed at shifting its focus to making trucks, SUVs and electric and autonomous vehicles. Toyota announced last week that its Georgetown, Kentucky, facility will get a $238 million investment to produce hybrid versions of Lexus ES 300 sedans starting in May and the RAV4 SUV starting in January 2020.



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Industry-leading automation solutions provider Omron Automation Americas will prove a different solution portfolio encompassing traceability, flexible manufacturing, human-machine collaboration and more at the upcoming Automate Show in Chicago this April
 
Omron Automation Americas, a global leader in end-to-end solutions for industrial automation, will be at the upcoming Automate Show to demonstrate applications for the factory of today and that of the future. Omron's diverse innovations on display will feature solutions for traceability and versatile manufacturing.  The biennial Automate Show gives attendees the chance to see many of the world's cutting-edge manufacturing technologies in action. Taking place from April 8-11 in Chicago, it provides a key opportunity for Omron to showcase technologies that help manufacturers improve productivity, flexibility and human-machine interaction. 
 
In Booth #8737, Omron will be introducing its Factory Harmony exhibit, a multifaceted display that provides a vision of the manufacturing floor of the future. Each demo in the exhibit is designed to express ways in which machines can collaborate more efficiently with humans on the factory floor. The Factory Harmony exhibit consists of a fully built in vision-guided robotics pick-and-place demo that shows the possibilities for machines to regulate finely detailed work with speed and accuracy as part of a flexible manufacturing system, as well as a traceability demo comprised of laser marking and robotic technologies. Flexibility and traceability are key targets of Omron solutions. Other robotic solutions on display at Automate include Omron's TM Series collaborative robot, a flexible solution for human-machine collaboration, and the LD Series mobile robots that move materials flexibly throughout the factory. Both solutions help manufacturers meet growing demands for customization without fully reconfiguring their production lines.  The Omron booth will also highlight a demo of its most advanced machine vision technology as well as its safety product offerings. In total, the Factory Harmony exhibit displays a new standard for human-machine collaboration to help manufacturers enjoy improvements in productivity, efficiency, quality and worker satisfaction.



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3D printing, or additive manufacturing, has the prospective to democratize the production of goods, from food to medical supplies, to great coral reefs. In the future, 3D printing machines could make their way into homes, businesses, disaster sites, and even outer space. Get 3D printing basics from this 2 minute Mashable video.
 
As this technology spreads, it could help associate marginalized and difficult-to-reach populations with crucial products. All in all, this emerging technology has the potential to revolutionize our societies, and convert the development sector. In order for this to happen, we need to assure that this rising technology gets into the hands of development practitioners and stakeholders around the world. Here is one way that people are working to make 3D printing more accessible.
 
Like content on the top technologies and how they can be used for social good? Get updates about 3D printing and more with the +SocialGood newsletter.
 
The Sustainable Development Goals carry a big vow for the future of our people and planet. Goals this big will need big changes in order to succeed. 3D printing is being used to progress many of the Global Goals, and has the potential to make a further impact.
 
3D printing is being explored as a major solution for current and future levels of hunger and homelessness. For example, Anjan Contractor hopes that one day, his 3D food printer will be able to empower the earth’s population to feed themselves “customized, nutritionally-appropriate meals synthesized one layer at a time, from cartridges of powder and oils they buy at the corner grocery store.” These cartridges would be easy to transport, long-lasting, and could be made of sustainable materials like insect protein. 3D printing is also revolutionizing home construction, making it cheaper and more efficient.
 
This 3D printing technology uses industrial solid waste to replace cement in the production of a low-carbon building (Sustainia)
How 3D printing could end food waste and tackle hunger (Quartz)
This 3D printer can print a house in less than 24 hours
Transforming humanitarian response and modern medicine
 
3D printing also is being used to get important goods and services to disaster areas and refugee camps, allowing workers and stakeholders to have access to the tools they need to recover. For example, in Nepal, the United Nations is implementing 3D printing as part of their plan for earthquake response, including printing tailored pipe parts required for sanitation infrastructure. 3D printing is also enabling new and essential medical tools to get into the hands of people who need them, from medical possibilities like an 3D printed artificial heart to basic tools like umbilical cord clips.
 
The future of medicine is 3D printing (Futurism)
How 3D printing is being used to transform aid (World Economic Forum)
Tech eases Syrians’ trauma in Jordanian refugee camp (BBC)
Protecting our planet
 
3D printing is also allowing us to use old contents in new ways that are more sustainable. For example, researchers have figured out how to transform carbon dioxide into concrete using 3D printing. Utilizing former waste to create future products makes our society have more efficient consumption. 3D printing innovators are even exploring how to make the process itself more sustainable, including using algae based filaments to reduce the energy necessitated for the printing process. The creative use of materials and production methods opens up new possibilities as we approach climate action and sustainable living.
 
Fred the tortoise had his damaged shell replaced by a 3D printed shell made of corn plastic (Futurism)
These 3D printed shoes are made from plastic ocean waste (Sustainia)
Engineers are 3D printing coral reefs to help save our oceans (Futurism)
 
The United Nations is working with innovators and programmatic implementers to make this transformative technology more accessible to people worldwide. Currently, they are mostly confined to technical university and specialized labs, especially in developing countries. However, in order for the true possibilities of the technology to be realized, it must be brought outside those spaces and into the hands of stakeholders and local changemakers. United Nations agencies, like UNICEF, are using their reach and resources to help make this a reality. Check out UNICEF’s Innovation Fund here.
 
UNDP Egypt hosted a ‘how to build a 3-D printer’ workshop to make the technology more affordable and accessible locally (UNDP)
Why it’s important to bring 3D biofabrication and other health technologies to the most disadvantaged (UNICEF Innovate)
UNDP Uzbekistan named a 3D printing startup the number 1 project during their ‘Startup Initiatives — 2017' programme (UNDP)



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In homes, small businesses, and large industrial settings, plumbing systems and drains need cleaning. In many of these settings drain cleaning consists of pouring chemicals down the pipes every few years. In other regions and businesses, drain cleaning is a much more substantial job.
 
Restaurants and food businesses put undue stress on their drain systems with all of the grease and food waste they discard every day, requiring heavy-duty industrial drain cleaning equipment to remove troublesome blockages.
 
In older homes or businesses that are located next to old trees and their root systems, the situation is similar, as tree roots can infiltrate drains and pipes, clogging them severely.
 
When obstructions like tree roots or a longtime build-up of grease come into play, chemical solutions do no more than tickle blockages. This is why there are a wide variety of industrial drain cleaning devices on the market today — there is a need for machines that can clean seriously blocked drains quickly, cheaply, and efficiently.
 
Lastly, pliable shafts can be useful to use over other drain cleaning methods in certain situations because they clean drains without water, which enables the use of a camera. When hydro-jetting, camera use is impossible due to the high volume of pressurized water used. Cleaning a drain using a machine based around a flexible shaft (or other dry cable) allows a camera to be fed into the drain just behind the spinning end of the cable. This can be helpful as it allows drain cleaners to see what exactly is blocking the pipe, enabling them to adjust their cleaning method if need be.
 
As a whole, all of the three main methods to industrial drain cleaning have a place in various applications. Flexible shafts are a light, powerful, clean, and effective new method to clean drains that can serve as an excellent option in all kinds of industrial drain cleaning applications.



This article is originally posted on Tronserve.com

The sturdy collet accommodates a variety of commonly available blades and media used with hand deburring tools. The blades can be transformed quickly and easily — without the use of additional tools.
 
 
ATI Industrial Automation is the world's leading engineering-based developer of robotic accessories and robot arm tooling including Robotic Tool Changers, Multi-Axis Force/Torque Sensing Systems, Utility Couplers, Manual Tool Changers, Robotic Deburring Tools, Robotic Collision Sensors and Compliance Devices. Their robotic end-effector products are found in thousands of applications across the world. Manufactured completely in the USA, ATI products enable customers to achieve a high level of flexibility in robotic automation. Their flagship product is the Robotic Tool Changer, a robotic wrist coupling that locks and unlocks automatically, allowing a single robot to perform many different tasks. ATI products can be found at some of the world's most renowned companies and organizations such as NASA, Ford, Honda and Johns Hopkins University.



This article is originally posted on Tronserve.com