Automation Articles for Manufacturers and Engineers

Humanoid's HMND 01 Alpha on the shop floor at Siemens' Erlanger, Germany electronics manufacturing facility.

Siemens Tests Humanoid Robots at Electronic Factory

Proof of Concept for Collaboration with Humanoid and NVIDIA

Siemens and the UK robot manufacturer Humanoid announced that Humanoid’s HMND 01 wheeled Alpha humanoid robot, built using the NVIDIA physical AI stack, has been successfully tested in operations at Siemens’ electronics factory in Erlangen, Germany, performing autonomous logistics tasks.

INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION

Hannover Messe 2026

Automation is the key to efficiency and competitiveness. At HANNOVER MESSE, the focus is on intelligent systems, sensor technology, and networked control technologies, as well as PLCs, DCS, SCADA systems, motion control, industrial PCs, embedded systems, and electric drives. These technologies ensure quality and enable intelligent, networked processes—across industries and with an eye to the future.

Nord to Exhibit at Modex 2026

NORD DRIVESYSTEMS has announced their participation in MODEX 2026. From April 13–16 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, NORD will showcase their latest advancements in high-efficiency gear motors, intelligent electronic control products, and modular automation solutions designed to optimize throughput and reduce Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Attendees are invited to visit Booth B14136 to talk with experts and discover how NORD’s decentralized technology is redefining reliability in modern warehousing and distribution centers.

ROBOTICS

NVIDIA Platform Powers Physical AI

NVIDIA is partnering with the global robotics ecosystem — including leading robot brain developers, industrial robot giants and humanoid pioneers — to power production-scale physical AI. NVIDIA also unveiled new NVIDIA Isaac simulation frameworks and new NVIDIA Cosmos and NVIDIA Isaac GR00T open models for the industry to develop, train and deploy the next generation of intelligent robots.

Humanoid Robotics at BMW Group Plant Leipzig

BMW To Introduce Humanoid Robots at Leipzig Factory

For the first time, the BMW Group is now bringing Physical AI to Europe and launching a pilot project with humanoid robots at the Leipzig plant. The project aims to integrate humanoid robotics into existing series production of cars and to explore further applications in the production of batteries and components.

MOTION CONTROL

The RSX25 and RSX50, side by side. Despite near identical packages, the RSX50 delivers double the force.

Tolomatic Doubles Force Capacity of RSX Linear Actuators With New RSX50

Tolomatic’s RSX line of linear actuators, an electronic alternative for hydraulic solutions being marketed towards metalforming, timber processing, and injection molding applications, gained a new entry, the RSX50. More than just a new size with a little more raw power, the RSX50 doubles the line’s previous best for power density. It delivers 50 tons of force in almost the same package as the RSX25.

Nord Maxxdrive industrial gear units provide a high torque solution for mining systems with various configurations available to meet all application requirements.

Nord Delivers Heavy-Duty Industrial Gear Units, Motors, and Controls for Mining Applications

Nord recently highlighted what they’re doing for the mining industry, focusing on high output torque, energy efficiency, and intelligent variable frequency drives.

AI

Vention's GRIIP enables deployment of autonomous robot cells in highly unstructured manufacturing environments

How Generalized AI Can Transform Pick-and-Place Robotics

Instead of dedicated pick-and-place robots programmed for a single task, a new type of generalized artificial intelligence can allow for a more flexible and robust autonomous robotic implementation that scales across applications.

The A8 is designed for advanced industrial manufacturing applications, with a particular focus on the rapidly evolving semiconductor manufacturing equipment market. Its high-performance architecture and flexible engineering environment make it ideally suited for industries requiring precision control, scalable integration, and accelerated development cycles.

Yokogawa Introduces OpreX A8 Intelligent Edge Controllers

The semiconductor manufacturing industry continues to advance at an unprecedented pace, driven by rapidly increasing precision requirements and growing system complexity. As equipment configurations and control targets diversify, engineers are often required to modify or completely rewrite control software to accommodate new specifications or design changes. Because traditional controllers tightly couple software behavior to hardware, even small adjustments can lead to lengthy redevelopment cycles, slowing innovation and delaying equipment rollout. To overcome these limitations, Yokogawa has introduced a mechanism that enables software development centered on data rather than hardware dependencies. This architecture allows the control software to seamlessly absorb variations in equipment design, functionality, and operating conditions.