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Programming times for robot-based grinding & polishing reduced by 80%
2007-03-29 - A new robot-based system that will drastically reduce programming time for the automated grinding, deburring, machining and polishing of castings will be on display at ABB’s stand at GIFA 2007 (stand 44, Hall 17), taking place in Dusseldorf, Germany on 12th-16th June.
ABB’s new system, featuring RobotWare Machining FC (Force Control), can reduce overall programming times by up to 80% for robots used to grind castings, vastly improving productivity levels.
Mathys Pirk, Segment Manager Foundry, ABB Robotics, says that with the introduction of RobotWare Machining FC based systems, “one of the last real barriers to productivity improvement in this sector has been lifted. The new RobotWare Machining FC technology removes the bottleneck and increases process efficiency, saving time, raising overall consistency and boosting product quality.”
ABB will discuss the benefits and applications of the RobotWare Machining FC technology in detail at the GIFA technical forum on the 14th June. As well as systems and function packages based on RobotWare Machining FC, ABB will be displaying its foundry-class robotics technologies, designed to operate at optimal levels whilst being exposed to harsh foundry conditions. ABB has engineered its robotics technologies to suit the application where the equipment is being used, for example, where robots are employed for water jet-cleaning. Protection is provided not only for the robot, but also for the controllers and other robotic equipment used, to prevent moisture affecting equipment performance. This ensures that equipment is maintained to ensure high levels of productivity.
Robots on display at ABB’s stand will include the new IRB6620 robot. With a total weight of only 900kgs, the IRB 6620 can be either floor-mounted, tilted by 15%, shelf-mounted or hung up-side-down, thereby offering flexibility and space-saving options.
In addition, over 40 ABB robots will feature on stands attended by ABB partners. Such a large presence for ABB robots shows the breadth of technical expertise and support available for customers that purchase robots from ABB. Its network of global partners in the foundries industry ensures that its robots are supported locally in most countries around the world.
As well as its dedicated foundry applications, ABB will also be showcasing various software applications that will help simplify planning, enable offline programming and ease installation. These include Remote Service, a robotics diagnostics tool that uses wireless technology to transmit diagnostic information, and Robot Diecast, which simplifies the process of setting up and operating ABB robots with an easy-to-use graphical interface. Throughout the show, ABB will also be providing practical demonstrations illustrating how ABB’s programming tools simplify the process of programming, and reduce programming time.
For further information, visit ABB on Stand 44, Hall 17.
http://www.ar.abb.com/cawp/seitp202/170089d7fea3ea5bc12572ad00271b97.aspx
here’s IRB6620 robot info:
http://www.robotstudio.com/irb6620/kampanj.html
large high-rez pic:
http://www.robotstudio.com/irb6620/download/article_irb6620.jpg
did Gartlan ever reply to you?
when did you receive this?
"Gene Gartlan, our CFO will respond shortly."
"Kenneth Vanden Berg, 54, was appointed CFO of Innova in December 2006."
http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=244635
yep, and Foster-Miller recently acquired Coro partner Applied Perception
Foster-Miller Acquires Two Pittsburgh Robotics Companies
Foster-Miller, Inc., a QinetiQ North America company, today announced it has purchased Pittsburgh-based robotics companies Automatika, Inc., and Applied Perception, Inc. The transaction will close upon receipt of appropriate government regulatory approvals.
http://www.investorshub.com/boards/read_msg.asp?message_id=19065055
http://www.shephard.co.uk/UVOnline/Default.aspx?Action=-187126550&ID=08baf1b4-21db-4dbe-947a-1f9...
General Dynamics Robotic Systems Achieves AS9100 Certification
WESTMINSTER, Md., May 8 /PRNewswire/ -- General Dynamics Robotic
Systems has achieved the SAE Aerospace AS9100 Quality Management System
certification. General Dynamics Robotic Systems is a part of General
Dynamics Land Systems (Sterling Heights, Mich.), a wholly owned subsidiary
of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD).
Certification helps ensure that General Dynamics Robotic Systems will
continue to provide the highest-quality, best-value products to its
aerospace industry customers. Most major aerospace companies require the
coveted AS9100 certification to ensure product quality. The certification
was a requirement as a prime contractor on U.S. Army's Future Combat
Systems' (FCS) Autonomous Navigation Systems (ANS) program.
The two-year process required upgrading existing policies, procedures
and forms to meet AS9100 standards. General Dynamics Robotic Systems used
Intertek Testing Services as its certification registrar. The AS9100
incorporates aspects of ISO 9001:2000 with unique elements focused on
aerospace industry needs and requirements. General Dynamics Robotic Systems
has been ISO 9001 certified since 1995.
"The AS9100 certification will enhance our already existing quality
system and provide our aerospace customers with the quality and processes
they expect," said Scott Myers, president of General Dynamics Robotic
Systems. "This certification also underscores our dedication to quality as
the lead system integrator on the FCS ANS program."
General Dynamics Robotic Systems develops and produces autonomous
unmanned ground vehicles and water vessels for Department of Defense and
security applications. The company also operates one of the largest machine
shops in the mid-Atlantic region, working with virtually all metals and
plastics, including aluminum alloys, kovar, Inconel(R), titanium and exotic
materials. For more information, please visit http://www.gdrs.com.
General Dynamics, headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, employs
approximately 82,600 people worldwide and had 2006 revenues of $24.1
billion. The company is a market leader in business aviation; land and
expeditionary combat systems, armaments and munitions; shipbuilding and
marine systems; and information systems and technologies. More information
about the company is available online at http://www.generaldynamics.com.
SOURCE General Dynamics Land Systems
Related links:
http://www.gdls.com
http://www.gdrs.com
http://www.generaldynamics.com
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/05-08-2007/0004583704&...
Amaranth settles short-selling case with US SEC
Wed May 9, 2007 12:41PM EDT
By Karey Wutkowski
WASHINGTON, May 9 (Reuters) - Hedge fund Amaranth Advisors LLC has agreed to pay $716,819 to settle charges that it unlawfully sold securities short in offerings and then covered those positions with securities bought in the offerings, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said on Wednesday.
Amaranth agreed to pay a $150,000 civil penalty, $507,627 in disgorgement and $59,192 in prejudgment interest without admitting or denying the charges, the SEC said.
Greenwich, Connecticut-based Amaranth made headlines last year in losing $6.4 billion on a series of bad bets in the natural gas market, one of the biggest-ever hedge fund meltdowns.
The SEC said that in connection with five follow-on offerings conducted between November 2004 and February 2005, Amaranth sold securities short during the five business days before the pricing of those offerings.
The hedge fund then covered the short positions with securities bought in the offering in violation of federal securities laws, the SEC said.
Amaranth said in a letter to its investors on Wednesday that the settlement is unrelated to the fund's natural gas trading or the events in September.
"The trades that are the subject of the settlement represent a variety of trading errors or misunderstandings of the application of the rule," said the letter from Amaranth Group Chief Executive Nick Maounis.
Short sellers borrow shares of stock they see as over valued, sell them and wait for the price to fall. If it does, they buy back the shares, return them and pocket as profit the spread between the sale price and the covering buy-back price.
Short-selling is a legitimate style of investing often used by hedge funds, but securities laws ban a person from covering a short sale with offered securities brought from an underwriter or broker or dealer participating in an offering during the five business days before the offering prices.
The SEC said Amaranth's trades involved offerings by Coeur D'Alene Mines Corp. (CDE.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Catapult Communications Corp. (CATT.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Cleco Corp. (CNL.N: Quote, Profile, Research, MEMC Electronic Materials Inc. (WFR.N: Quote, Profile, Research, and American Superconductor Corp. (AMSC.O: Quote, Profile, Research.
http://www.reuters.com/article/governmentFilingsNews/idUSN0927786920070509
Give Yor Robot A Fresh Set Of Eyes
Daniel Harris | May 10, 2007
Robots have it tough, performing tasks ad nauseam to please us humans. Most of them deal with subpar working conditions, with no bathroom breaks and total blindness. When most of us humans either naturally or by some corrective means have perfect vision, why should robots suffer and work continuously in the dark?
Let the hypocrisy end by purchasing your robot some much-needed "glasses." In about an hour, your robot can enjoy 20/20 sight with TrueView from ABB Robotics, a division of ABB Inc. This Vision Guided Robotics (VGR) system not only will enable your robots to finally see what they're doing, but also understand the visual information (see the figure).
This comprehension includes the ability to parse information about their environment, such as variations in part position, type, style, and quality, all in real time. And if you thought training your dog was easy, wait until you train a TrueView system. Poor Fido isn't going to look so hot next to a scalable robotic system that obeys commands through a simple interface.
With TrueView, you get the patented SC3DT single-camera system, which is capable of 3D guidance.
You also get eVisionFactory, a software platform that allows for the standardization of deployment, training, and support throughout the manufacturing enterprise.
The video camera captures an image and analyzes it to compute a 3D position and the orientation of the part, including roll, pitch, and yaw angles. The image is then transmitted to a control system, which in turn automatically adjusts the robot's path. The communicated information includes grasp points and approach to match the location of the given part.
TrueView is mainly intended for industrial work like automotive assembly, but robots that use it probably could assemble Legos like a champ. Flexibility isn't a problem, as TrueView can deal with variations in part position, type, and style to keep your line running without the need to retool. It also improves quality by eliminating contamination caused by manual handling and by detecting defects through inline automated visual inspection.
ABB Inc.
http://www.abb.com
http://www.elecdesign.com/Articles/Index.cfm?AD=1&ArticleID=15424
it probably means all but 1,500 of the shares that were presumably sold short during the March move up have been covered, according to OTCBB's data.
RE2 Inc. Announces JAUS SDK Support for LynxOS
RE2 JAUS SDK Now Supports LynxOS Real-Time Operating System to Provide Customers With a Robust Solution for Mission-Critical Unmanned Applications
PITTSBURGH, PA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- May 07, 2007 -- RE2, Inc., a leading provider of JAUS software solutions and unmanned systems technologies, announced today that its JAUS (Joint Architecture for Unmanned Systems) Software Development Kit (SDK) now supports the LynxOS® real-time operating system. LynxOS is developed by LynuxWorks™, Inc., a San Jose, California-based embedded software development company and leading provider of Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS) for mission-critical systems.
By offering support for LynxOS, RE2 now enables defense and aerospace technology vendors and researchers with a comprehensive solution for developing JAUS-compliant systems on mission-critical applications that require real-time performance. LynxOS users can use the RE2 JAUS SDK to easily integrate JAUS into demanding environments with safety-critical applications and comply with the Department of Defense mandate to utilize JAUS for unmanned systems interoperability.
"RE2 is dedicated to providing unmanned system developers with a comprehensive and easy-to-use solution for JAUS compliance. By supporting LynxOS, developers of mission-critical military and aerospace applications and programs now have an industry-leading solution available to them," states Jorgen Pedersen, president and chief executive officer for RE2, Inc.
"The RE2 JAUS SDK is becoming the de facto standard for developing JAUS-compliant unmanned systems. When combined with the LynxOS family, the leading open-standards based operating systems for military and avionics applications, a new level of performance and interoperability is offered," stated Steve Blackman, Director for Business Development, Military and Defense at LynuxWorks
About RE2, Inc.
RE2, Inc. (Robotics Engineering Excellence) is a leading provider of JAUS software solutions and unmanned systems technologies. RE2's feature products include the RE2 JAUS Software Development Kit and the RE2 Sensor Stabilization Platform. RE2 is also developing intelligent manipulation technologies under the Department of Defense Small Business Innovation Research Program. RE2's expertise lends itself to several markets, including defense, law-enforcement, homeland security and EOD. To learn more about the RE2 JAUS SDK, visit www.resquared.com/JAUS-SDK.html. For more information, please visit www.resquared.com or call (412) 681-6382.
RE2, Inc. Media Contact:
Jessica Jordan-Pedersen
(412) 681-6382
Email Contact
SOURCE: RE2, Inc.
http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=249239
PS somebody sure is chunga...
April 2007 open short interest = 1,500
http://otcbb.com/asp/OTCE_Short_Interest.asp
INNOVA ROBOTICS & AU (INRA) OTC Type: OTCBB
April 2007
Short Interest
1,500
Interest Percent Change
(98.39)
Average Daily Share Volume
112,883
Days to Cover
1.00
link back to prior post for earlier INRA short sales data...
WSJ blog mention...
Innova Robotics & Automation Inc.
May 2, 2007, 5:44 pm
(Fort Myers, Fla.)—Chief Financial Officer Kenneth D. Vanden Berg, was named to the additional post of chief operating officer with this robotics technology firm. John Kroon was named to the board. Dr. Kroon, 67, most recently served as president and chief executive with ImageGuide Inc. His addition raises the number of directors to eight.
Permalink | Trackback URL: http://blogs.wsj.com/whosnews/2007/05/02/innova-robotics-automation-inc/trackback/
please feel free to present some actual "DD" instead of daily conjecture.
"people who take the time to do dd will see why"
please elaborate with anything that isn't speculation.
U.S. Postal Service Recognizes ABB Robotics with 2006 Supplier Performance Award
Robotic Containerization System earns the company the honor
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (April 23, 2007) – ABB Robotics received a Supplier Performance Award from the United States Postal Service (USPS), honoring the company’s commitment to providing the USPS with quality products and excellent customer service. The awards recognized companies that collaborated with the USPS to create supply chain management best practices that the government agency will continue to use in 2007 and beyond. Postmaster General John E. Potter presented 10 companies with awards during a ceremony held at the Postal Service headquarters in Washington, D.C.
ABB was presented with one of three Supplier Excellence Awards, which are open to all suppliers that have demonstrated outstanding supply chain management performance and positive business relationships with the USPS. Recognized specifically for their Robotic Containerization Systems (RCS), ABB’s professionalism and integrity, on-schedule delivery, quality of work and ability to work through various site challenges contributed to earning this distinction.
First introduced in 1999, the RCS system is an automated sorting system for mail trays based on ABB’s IRB 840 gantry robot. Two robots are used per RCS system. Performing operations once done manually, the RCS sorts trays of letter mail into 24 postal mail containers. The RCS improves the accuracy of the sorting operation (providing significant cost savings), increases productivity and reduces the potential for lifting-related injuries.
ABB has worked with the USPS to improve this system and has developed a more advanced model, the RCS-II. This newer system offers an improved computer and software suite, improved barcode reader stations, and a number of modifications to the deployment and support services tailored to USPS requirements.
‘‘Throughout the execution of the Robotic Containerization Systems program, we’ve focused on working with the United States Postal Service team to deliver robotic automation that meets the highest quality and delivery standards in the industry,’‘ said Kirk Goins, ABB senior vice president. ‘‘We appreciate being recognized for our performance and are proud to be a valued supplier supporting productivity improvements for mail delivery systems.’‘
About ABB, Inc.
ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve their performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 108,000 people.
About ABB Robotics
ABB has the world's largest installed base of industrial robots – also providing robot software, peripheral equipment and modular manufacturing cells for tasks such as assembly, painting and finishing, and machine tending. Key markets include automotive, foundry, packaging, material handling and consumer industries. A strong solutions focus leverages thousands of successful applications for manufacturers worldwide.
http://www.roboticsonline.com/public/articles/details.cfm?id=2921
Innova Robotics & Automation Appoints New Transfer Agent
FORT MYERS, FL -- (MARKET WIRE) -- April 26, 2007 -- Innova Robotics & Automation, Inc. (OTCBB: INRA), a robotics technology firm, announced today that it has appointed Worldwide Stock Transfer, LLC as its transfer agent and registrar, effective immediately.
Shareholders may reach Worldwide Stock Transfer, LLC at:
Address:
885 Queen Anne Road
Teaneck, NJ 07666
Phone: (201) 357-8650
Fax: (201) 357-8648
E-mail: info@wwstr.com
Web site: http://www.wwstr.com
About Innova Robotics & Automation, Inc.
Fort Myers, Fla.-based Innova Robotics & Automation (OTCBB: INRA) pioneers innovative control and communication solutions that make robotics and automated systems more productive, powerful and profitable for customers in the telecommunications, manufacturing, aerospace, research, and service industries. The company is chartered to continue expanding its growing suite of technologies through acquisitions and organic growth. Innova operates through four subsidiaries, Robotic Workspace Technologies (RWT), CoroWare Technologies, Innova Robotics, and Altronics Service, which offer convergent technology and expertise that bridge robots, facilities and business systems for greater functionality and ROA. Visit Innova online at www.innovaroboticsautomation.com.
Contacts:
Press:
Jennifer Gery
Brainerd Communicators, Inc.
212-986-6667
gery@braincomm.com
Or:
Sandra L. Brooks
INCOMM International Inc.
Tel: (904) 636-5085
7825 Baymeadows Way, Suite 101-A
Jacksonville, FL 32256
Email: slbrooks@incomminternational.com
URL: www.incomminternational.com
Investors:
Todd St.Onge
Brainerd Communicators, Inc.
212-986-6667
stonge@braincomm.com
SOURCE: Innova Robotics and Automation, Inc.
http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=244831
thought they played at the Gulf Harbour Club?
maybe they should hire JoePa?
you may be right weo...
RE2 awarded US Navy SBIR to Develop a Dexterous Manipulation System for Small Robots
RE2, Inc., a leading provider of JAUS software solutions and unmanned systems technologies, announced today that it has been awarded a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program by the U.S. Navy to develop a dexterous manipulation system for small robots and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) robotic platforms.
Many of the manipulators currently available for EOD robotic platforms cannot adequately manipulate small items, such as wires and blasting caps. These current manipulators are limited because of the small number of degrees of freedom available and the joint-by-joint control that is predominantly used. They also are limited because the operator does not receive any feedback on the amount of force the manipulator is applying, making it difficult to hold sensitive items without dropping or damaging them. Currently, movements of the base platform can be used to augment the limited dexterity of the manipulators (e.g. grab an object and then move the platform back), but in truly unstructured environments this may not be possible.
The goal of this SBIR program is to develop a dexterous manipulation system that can grip a blasting cap or wire protruding from a target and remove the item by pulling straight back, without moving the robot base or damaging the item griped. The system should also be able to pick up a wire or blasting cap from the ground. Robotic control for these tasks must be accomplished by either a human operator viewing the scene remotely and controlling the manipulator, an autonomous controller, or some combination of the two.
During the six-month Phase I, RE2 will do the following:
*
Develop a concept and preliminary design for the Dexterous Manipulation System
*
Model the system to demonstrate the potential performance specifications
*
Provide documentation of design tradeoffs and feasibility analysis
“We are extremely pleased to have been selected by the U.S. Navy to develop a dexterous manipulation system. This program is completely in line with our unmanned system and robotic manipulator expertise,” states Jorgen Pedersen, president and chief executive officer for RE2, INC. “We plan to work closely with industry experts, military users, and domestic bomb squads to design a system that meets the needs and requirements of our EOD operators at home and abroad.”
RE2 will partner with small robot manufacturer, Foster-Miller, Inc., a wholly-owned QinetiQ subsidiary, during Phase I for industry insight, technical resources, and commercialization guidance. “Foster-Miller is pleased to partner with RE2 in the design and development of the dexterous manipulation system,” stated Edward J. Godere, vice president, group director, Power Systems Technology Group, Foster-Miller, Inc. “We will leverage our understanding of small EOD robots and dexterous manipulation, as seen with the TALON® robot, by providing our expertise and system design to RE2.”
(link back to prior post for Foster-Miller + Applied Perception)
http://www.shephard.co.uk/UVOnline/default.aspx?Action=-187126550&ID=5353b0cc-79a4-4be1-9cfc-24c...
where were you for 3 years?
the world needs you!
10/23/2003 - 11/7/2006
http://www.investorshub.com/boards/profile.asp?user=26988
General Dynamics Robotic Systems - GDRS
Address: 1234 Tech Court
Westminster, MD 21157
URL: www.gdls.com
Country: USA USA
e-mail: info@gdrs.com
Phone: 410-876-9200
Fax: 410-876-9470
In today's world of sophistication and specialization, the challenge is to combine state-of-the-art technologies to create new products that are reliable, user friendly, and low cost. At General Dynamics Robotic Systems (GDRS), we meet this challenge every day.
We take pride in our innovation and responsiveness to customer needs and continue to maintain our emphasis on a hands-on approach to high-tech engineering. GDRS is a production proven rapid prototyping engineering company specializing in high technology product and system design, integration, and volume manufacturing. Fully confident in the technical and management skills of our personnel, we willingly tackle the toughest jobs.
http://www.army-guide.com/eng/firm.php?firmID=3320&PHPSESSID=52da7312474a9035c4ed2ed887fc9b37
Foster-Miller Acquires Two Pittsburgh Robotics Companies
Foster-Miller, Inc., a QinetiQ North America company, today announced it has purchased Pittsburgh-based robotics companies Automatika, Inc., and Applied Perception, Inc. The transaction will close upon receipt of appropriate government regulatory approvals.
“Both Automatika and Applied Perception have tremendous technologies that will benefit from collaboration with an industry leader like Foster-Miller,” said Dr. William Ribich, president and CEO. “We are optimistic that joining forces will allow us to lead the way in the development of the next generation of robotics for the military, industrial, and energy markets.”
Based in Greater Boston, Foster-Miller is the largest provider of man-transportable robots to the Department of Defense and recently delivered its 1000th TALON® robot to the U.S. military in support of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Automatika provides invention, design, system prototyping, and product manufacturing for a wide variety of automated and robotic systems used in military and civil defense, oil and gas exploration, remediation and utilities inspection.
Applied Perception creates standardized perception, planning, and control software and development tools to support the navigation of unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs). Applied Perception’s software is JAUS (Joint Architecture for Unmanned Systems) compliant and interfaces with radar and laser object detection systems, omni-directional cameras, and global positioning systems (GPS).
About Foster-Miller, Inc.
Foster-Miller, Inc. is an engineering, manufacturing and technology development firm principally located in suburban Boston, MA on Rte. 95, “America’s Technology Highway.” It is certified to Aerospace Quality Management Standard AS9100 and has SW-CMM Level 3 software certification from the Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon University. Foster-Miller was founded in 1956 by three graduates of MIT who believed there was a need for a company that could solve clients’ difficult technical problems through first-class analysis and design. In November 2004, it became an independent, wholly owned subsidiary of QinetiQ North America (QNA).
About QinetiQ North America
QinetiQ North America provides world-class technology and responsive solutions to U.S. government customers. More than 5,000 engineers and technologists work in partnership with customers to develop innovative technology solutions to meet the challenges of national defense, homeland security and information access. QinetiQ North America is part of QinetiQ Group plc, one of the world’s leading defense and security technology companies.
http://www.shephard.co.uk/UVOnline/Default.aspx?Action=-187126550&ID=08baf1b4-21db-4dbe-947a-1f9...
Book explains Microsoft Robotics Studio
Amazon.com is currently accepting pre-orders for what is claimed to be one of the first guides to Microsoft Robotics Studio. Professional Microsoft Robotics Studio is written by Martin R. Calsyn, the "founding architect" of the product, according to Amazon.
The book is described as a hands-on guide, "heavy on examples," using three case study robots -- an indoor security robot, winning Magellan competitor, and a chess-playing robotic arm. Topics include:
* Common Concurrency Runtime
* Sending and Receiving Messages
* Building and Accessing Services
* Using a browser and the Internet as the UI for a robot
* Using supported hardware and integrating new hardware
* Simulating the real world for robotic interactions
* Extending the simulation environment
* Deploying to hardware
* Using the Visual Programming Language
Microsoft released a Community Technology Preview (CTP) of Robotics Studio last June, describing it as a Windows-based "end-to-end robotics development platform" that includes a visual programming tool for creating and debugging robotic applications. A free, non-commercial version is available for download here. Read our prior coverage of the CTP release for lots more details about Robotics Studio.
Click here to pre-order Professional Microsoft Robotics Studio. According to Amazon, support and source code are available from the publisher's website, wrox.com. Curiously, though, the book does not yet show up on the Wrox website.
http://www.windowsfordevices.com/news/NS4500379624.html
Swiss robot-maker to double production in China
Apr. 19, 2007 (China Knowledge) – ABB, a Switzerland-based worldwide provider of power and automation technologies, will double its industrial robot production capacity to 2,000 units this year in China from last year, betting on the country's growing demand for more robots. The company unveiled on Tuesday its new production line in its plant at Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone in Shanghai,...
http://www.chinaknowledge.com/news/news-detail.aspx?id=7337
ABB starts robot production
By Jin Jing (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-04-18 08:32
SHANGHAI: ABB, the world's leading power and automation technology group based in Switzerland, yesterday began production of its latest robot in China, after it relocated its global robotics headquarters to Shanghai in April last year.
ABB has received 15 initial orders for the new robots from China and countries such as South Korea and Australia. The robots can be used in the automotive, electronics, consumer products, foundry and food industries.
"We will continue to expand our operation in the China market and will double the production capacity here this year," said Per Vegard Nerseth, head of ABB's Robotics Division, China. "The total capacity in China will amount to 2,000 units this year after the production expansion," he said.
The new robots, described by ABB as "an effective way to improve quality and reduce cost", will mostly sell in the Asia-Pacific region. Most of them will be used in the auto industry, according to Jeffery Zhou, sales and marketing manager at the division.
"The new production line for the robots can greatly shorten delivery time and provide technical support and quick response," said Nerseth.
ABB's revenue in 2006 was $1.3 billion, of which 50 percent was from Europe, 35 percent from South America, and only 15 percent from Asia. "China is currently fairly small in our total revenue, but it will have a rapid growth," said Nerseth.
He said the Chinese robots market is growing at a speed of more than 40 percent annually, and ABB will "follow it".
ABB is currently the only international company manufacturing industrial robotics locally in China. It has sold more than 4,000 robots in China, while its global sales amounted to 150,000 units.
The auto industry is still the largest user of ABB robots. ABB now has many clients in China such as DaimlerChrysler, PSA, Honda, Geely and Great Wall.
ABB established corporate research and development centers in Beijing and Shanghai in April 2005, focusing on robotic technology and customized applications.
(China Daily 04/18/2007 page14)
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2007-04/18/content_853047.htm
"We study real estate purchases by major company CEOs, compiling a database of the principal residences of nearly every top executive in the Standard & Poor's 500 index. When a CEO buys real estate, future company performance is inversely related to the CEO's liquidation of company shares and options for financing the transaction. We also find that, regardless of the source of finance, future company performance deteriorates when CEOs acquire extremely large or costly mansions and estates. We therefore interpret large home acquisitions as signals of CEO entrenchment. Our research also provides useful insights for calibrating utility based models of executive compensation and for understanding patterns of Veblenian conspicuous consumption."
full study can be downloaded here:
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=970413
PlusPack Webinar
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Being flat on your back for a couple months can really put a dent in productivity, but I'm finally gaining some ground on the pile of work. It feels good to be productive again.
And speaking of productive, Lloyd Spencer and I will be presenting a Webinar on the CoroWare PlusPack for Microsoft Robotics Studio. The PlusPack is a nice kit of add-ons for the Microsoft Robotics Studio product. It adds support for multicast-enabled web services, global directory services, and a large collection of models, tools and add-ons for the simulation environment. Computer Vision services are also planned for the PlusPack. On the whole, the PlusPack can give industry, research and hobby developers a serious leg-up on their MSRS-based projects. The webinar will provide a technical and business overview of the PlusPack product.
You can learn more about the Webinar and find sign-up info on the CoroWare web site : http://www.coroware.com
http://robotsoftware.blogspot.com/index.html
don't have time for his nonsense...
let him continue posting all he wants.
regular readers of the board know his/her history.
and if they don't already know about this person, they can always refer back to his prior posts, particularly in January when he made rapid-fire claims just like these, only to come back to be try to be "friends" with everyone.
this is just "rinse-repeat" imo.
http://www.investorshub.com/boards/profile.asp?user=84593
you and i have not communicated privately about ABB.
"...it doesn't matter what we wrote about privately..."
so, when exactly did we supposedly write about this privately?
in fact, the only PMs i can recall ever sending you were warnings to stop using profanity, etc.
and by all means, please contact Matt.
http://www.investorshub.com/boards/profile.asp?user=2744
it might as well be to you... there are no "secret" PMs from me to him/her regarding anything substantive about the company or its stock. it's just another dubious "straw man" ploy by a documented message board manipulator.
notice how s/he hasn't produced even one link to support any of his/her claims?
same number of member marks too, what a surprise.
Happy Easter!
why would anyone ever succumb to the transparent "demands" of someone who has repeatedly lied and manipulated?
of course, such a person is posting so frequently on a holiday weekend only in the genuine spirit of due diligence and to demonstrate a certain measure of investor solidarity...
right?
Investment Firms Open to the Masses, But Should You Buy?
By Mel Nudelman -- Associated Press
By Tomoeh Murakami Tse
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, April 8, 2007; Page F01
NEW YORK -- In February, Fortress Investment Group, a manager of hedge funds and private equity, enjoyed a successful initial public offering. Now, Blackstone Group, a premier private-equity shop, is preparing to go public as well. And Wall Street is abuzz with promise of more to come.
But are shares in these alternative investment firms a good deal for small investors?
Above, the hedge fund celebrated its initial public offering on Feb. 9. It was the first such offering in the United States. Below, Fortress owns all the public housing in Dresden, Germany. It bought the property in a $2 billion deal last year.
Some money managers say they wouldn't touch these offerings with a 10-foot pole. Why should they buy, they ask, when the best and the brightest who run these firms are cashing out?
"If I were smart enough to start one of these, I certainly would want to find an exit strategy," said David Dreman of Dreman Capital Management.
But others say the alternative investment market has not reached its peak. Many U.S. companies with strong balance sheets are still attractive acquisition targets for private-equity firms, analysts say, and institutional players on a continuous hunt for above-market returns are more than willing to supply the money.
"Fund flow from the pension funds are providing alternative investment groups with sustained revenue sources," said Doug Couden, portfolio manager for SCM Advisors. "That's good for the firms, which should be good for the stock."
Analysts say the main thing investors should remember is that buying Blackstone or Fortress shares does not grant them access to the funds those firms run or a stake in the companies they buy. Rather, investors get a small piece of the underlying management company, whose earnings are largely derived from fees charged on the funds.
"You just have to realize that you are very much a minority investor," said Charles White, chief investment officer of ThomasLloyd Funds, which specializes in blending traditional and alternative investing techniques. "You're not buying their venture capital investments. You're not buying the same thing the private-equity partners are buying into."
Helped by low interest rates and easy access to capital, private-equity firms have led multibillion-dollar leveraged buyouts of some of the most established names in corporate America in recent years. Private-equity firms combine their clients' money with loads of borrowed cash to take publicly traded companies private. They typically hold a company for several years, making management and business changes, before selling its shares back to the public.
Hedge funds are lightly regulated, aggressively managed investment pools that use complicated -- and risky -- strategies to generate big returns. There are more than 9,000 hedge funds managing an estimated $1.4 trillion in assets.
The best-known of these alternative investment firms have delivered annual gains of 20 percent or more to investors in their funds, but those gains come at a price. Private-equity firms and hedge funds charge their clients steep fees, typically about 1.5 percent of assets under management and 20 percent of the profits. (Traditional funds typically charge about 1 percent of assets under management.)
In its prospectus filed last month with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Blackstone said its 2006 earnings were $2.3 billion, including $1.55 billion in fees from the funds it operates. Fortress reported $255 million in management and performance fees during the first nine months of last year.
The companies say they are going public to access new sources of capital, to expand, to attract and compensate employees, as well as to pay down debt. Blackstone says it intends to raise $4 billion with its offering. Fortress's raised $634 million, and its shares soared 68 percent on the first day of trading to close at $31. (It closed Thursday at $28.25 a share.)
Until now, most investors have been excluded from the alternative investment game by federal securities law, which limits access to sophisticated investors such as pension funds, university endowments and wealthy individuals.
While the door has opened slightly for small investors, anyone thinking about buying shares in alternative investment companies should be aware of the potential risks, analysts say. As with any investment, a company's past performance should not be seen as an indication of its future returns.
For one thing, because most alternative asset managers are privately held, there isn't a peer group of publicly traded companies against which investors can easily measure a prospective investment, at least for now.
"I think they're a bit hard to value because of that," said Couden, who nonetheless sees opportunities within the category and does not rule out buying such stocks in the future.
Furthermore, these companies have been structured for tax purposes as limited partnerships. That means people who buy units in the partnership don't have the right to elect directors. The companies say investors should not expect much disclosure about operations, including investment strategies.
And when it comes to strategy, investors should remember that while hedge fund trading methods have generated stellar returns, they can also backfire. Last year, a big bet on the direction of natural gas prices by a trader at Amaranth imploded, producing a $6 billion loss and forcing the hedge fund's closure.
More >>> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/07/AR2007040700085.html
How The Markets Moved - And Why
SOURCE: Bloomberg News | GRAPHIC: The Washington Post - April 7, 2007
whatever you say Licky!
"Yes I have a wound about connection to the company. No, you're not gonna ever hear what it is."
http://www.investorshub.com/boards/read_msg.asp?message_id=17634018
a cute and cuddly l'il iRobot product to keep that "office" tidy...
only 1700 shares!
http://homesupport.irobot.com/cgi-bin/irobot_homesupport.cfg/php/enduser/doc_serve.php?2=mothers_day
gotta have one of these for the, ahem, "office"
$2024 large mounted shareholder (only 16,200 shares!)
http://www.antiquesofthesea.com/2024_swordfish.html
hey, that looks like weo!
whatever you say Licky!
"Yes I have a wound about connection to the company. No, you're not gonna ever hear what it is."
http://www.investorshub.com/boards/read_msg.asp?message_id=17634018
whatever you say Licky!
"Yes I have a wound about connection to the company. No, you're not gonna ever hear what it is."
http://www.investorshub.com/boards/read_msg.asp?message_id=17634018
mmmm-mmmm good!
teach a man to fish and he can eat for a lifetime!
March 2007 open short interest = 93,241
http://otcbb.com/asp/OTCE_Short_Interest.asp
INNOVA ROBOTICS & AU (INRA) OTC Type: OTCBB
March 2007
Short Interest
93,241
Interest Percent Change
1,248.39
Average Daily Share Volume
160,005
Days to Cover
1.00
link back to prior post for earlier INRA short sales data...
it's okay rockstar - weisel's BS has caused many people angst.