Austin Weber

1 week ago | assemblymag.com | Austin Weber

SHOREHAM, England—Ricardo Group engineers have developed an electric traction motor that does not contain any cobalt, copper or rare-earth materials. The Alumotor synchronous reluctance motor offers a low cost, robust, sustainable alternative to conventional copper-wound permanent magnet devices. It uses aluminium hairpin windings and is oil-cooled.

2 weeks ago | assemblymag.com | Austin Weber

SEOUL—Hyundai Motor Group recently completed a successful pilot project for private 5G RedCap (reduced capability) technology. The automaker worked with Samsung Electronics Co. on the R&D project. Private 5G is a dedicated system installed onsite using a specific frequency band, ensuring no external interference and seamless data transmission. It is important for smart manufacturing initiatives, because it supports centralized control of industrial robots and devices.

2 weeks ago | assemblymag.com | Austin Weber

ZURICH—Advanced manufacturing technology will play a key role as the automotive industry continues to transition to mixed-model assembly of internal combustion engine (ICE), hybrid and electric vehicles. According to a recent survey conducted by ABB Robotics, artificial intelligence, robotics and other types of automation will help automakers and suppliers address a variety of production challenges.

2 weeks ago | assemblymag.com | Austin Weber

ANN ARBOR—Electric vehicle owners in the Midwest and Northeast know that cold weather can play havoc on batteries. Engineers at the University of Michigan have addressed the issue by developing a new process for manufacturing electrodes. Traditionally, EV batteries store and release power through the movement of lithium ions back and forth between electrodes via a liquid electrolyte. In cold temperatures, this movement slows, reducing both battery power and charging rates.

2 weeks ago | assemblymag.com | Austin Weber

SAARBRUCKEN, Germany—Engineers at Saarland University recently used lightweight, shape-memory materials to create a non-pneumatic robotic gripper thatcan safely hold and manipulate workpieces without requiring a continuous supply of energy. The device consumes 90 percent less electricity than traditional grippers. The electric gripper is composed of bundles of ultrafine wires made from nickel-titanium shape memory alloy (SMA). The wires act not only as powerful muscles, but as nerve fibers as well.