First driverless car 50 years ago
The tire manufacturer and automotive supplier Continental put the first driverless car on the test track 50 years ago. The aim at the time was to test the tires and obtain reproducible results.
read more...Drives
read more...Dr. Achim Degner becomes new CFO
The Lenze Group, which operates in the field of factory automation, has appointed Dr. Achim Degner as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). The previous CFO of many years, Dr. Yorck Schmidt, is leaving at his own request to take on new professional challenges.
read more...Video preview - SPS IPC Drives 2018
Reflection of a changing industry
What innovations can we expect at the 29th edition of SPS IPC Drives in November? We were on site with the camera at the trade fair pre-press conference of the organizer Mesago.
read more...Predictive maintenance using 'virtual' sensor technology
Geared motors in production or logistics systems are usually controlled via frequency inverters. Their standard operating data such as current consumption, voltage, speed or temperature can be ideally used for predictive maintenance of the drives.
read more...Rated torques up to 5000 NM
WEG is expanding its WG20 geared motor range to include helical, parallel shaft and helical bevel gearboxes for rated torques up to 5000 Nm.
read more...LTI Motion pushes the wind energy sector
With a new wind energy competence center in Unna (North Rhine-Westphalia) and production sites in Lahnau (Hesse) and Shanghai, LTI Motion intends to expand its wind business into a strategic growth pillar.
read more...Bugatti Chiron as a Lego version
2,304 Lego motors together generate 3.9 kW
Lego has recreated the Bugatti Chiron sports car in its original size. Over 1,000,000 components were used. 2,304 Lego engines power the 1.5-ton model.
read more...Working in sensorless mode
The motors in the Romotion series with integrated control electronics from Rotek rely on 'SmartDrive Technology'. This allows sensorless operation without the usual Hall sensors.
read more...Production of the cult scooter with electric drive
Piaggio starts production of the 'Vespa Elettrica' in September 2018 - including innovative man-machine networking. The electric version of the famous scooter is manufactured at the Pontedera plant in the province of Pisa.
read more...Swiss and German racing cars at the front
A total of 4,000 students competed in 118 teams in the 'Formula Student Germany 2018' competition at the Hockenheimring in August. Their self-built racing cars competed in three categories: Combustion Engine, Electric Drive and Autonomous Vehicles.
read more...Robot-controlled fast charging system for electric vehicles
Together with industrial partners, Graz University of Technology has developed a robot-controlled fast charging system for electric vehicles. For the first time, it also enables the serial charging of vehicles in different parking positions.
read more...Twelve common safety functions
Panasonic Electric Works presents servo drives from the 'Minas A6' series as SX with Advanced Safety. The company presents the prototype of a basic version of drive controllers with the twelve most common safety functions and nine integrated and safe inputs and outputs.
read more...Surfboard with battery and water jet drive
The electric surfboard 'Rävik' reaches a top speed of up to 56 km/h. It was developed by the Swedish company Awake Boards.
read more...SKF sells linear technology and actuators
The Schweinfurt-based company SKF has signed an agreement with Triton, a German-Scandinavian investment company, to sell its linear technology and actuators business. The purchase price amounts to the equivalent of 270 million euros.
read more...'Hyperloop Pod Competition' 2018
Through the vacuum tube at 467 km/h
Traveling at almost the speed of sound with the Hyperloop superfast train - to make this vision a reality, SpaceX founder Elon Musk has launched the 'Hyperloop Pod Competition': the design by the team from the Technical University of Munich won for the third time.
read more...Faulhaber buys stepper motor manufacturer
Effective July 19, Faulhaber Antriebssysteme acquires Dimatech SA, a Swiss manufacturer of stepper motors using disk magnet technology.
read more...Continuous growth in the 2nd quarter
ABB has published its financial figures for the second quarter of 2018: order intake rose by 14% year-on-year to USD 9.5 billion. ABB recorded growth in order intake in all divisions and regions, but not in sales.
read more...Luxury concept aircraft presented
Aston Martin has unveiled the 'Volante Vision Concept', a luxury concept aircraft with vertical take-off and landing capability. The aircraft, created in collaboration with Cranfield University, Cranfield Aerospace Solutions and Rolls-Royce, has a hybrid electric drive.
read more...Axes perfectly synchronized
The aseptic filling of food is a difficult task. The demands on the automation technology used in the machines are correspondingly high, especially in terms of motion control. One example.
read more...The 'digital administration shell' of the potato
Business IT specialists at Saarland University have set themselves the goal of optimizing the processes of potato farmers and food producers - from the harvest to the finished chips. Among other things, a 'pain-sensitive' tuber is intended to help.
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