Rising costs and supply chain disruption among the headwinds for businesses

The latest figures from the government show R&D spending up 17% in 2020, and the likelihood is that 2021's figures will show a further increase. But 2022 is proving challenging already for manufacturers, with the headwinds of rising costs and supply chain disruption. Economic growth slowed in February, and the challenges to the outlook for the rest of the year continue to ramp up. Under those conditions, it can be difficult to remain focused on innovation. It might be a key area of emphasis in the corridors of parliament, but the government seems to be doing very little to come with up new ways to incentivise business investment. Often it feels as though a sector which contributes so much to GDP is just being left to fend for itself. Fortunately our industry generates plenty of design ideas and innovative manufacturing optimisation opportunities of its own, as the stories below highlight.

With best regards

Mark Simms, Editor
mark.simms@itmagazine.uk.com

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Sick's monitoring box opens a window to better machine performance   Sick has launched The Monitoring Box, a simple system that enables plug-and-play condition monitoring and preventative maintenance of sensors, machines, processes and plants. The Sick Monitoring Box can be adapted for diverse individual operating requirements to provide live status feedback and historical analysis, supporting more effective maintenance and optimised efficiency.   Read More

Stober launches high power supply for multi-axis drive systems New from Stober is the PS6A44 high power supply for drive controllers in multi-axis drive systems. Developed to meet the need for an increasing number of axes and very high power in applications like metal and wood working machine tools, just one PS6A44 power unit can be used to supply multiple drive controllers. This means that designers and engineers can now supply multiple axes with more power just using one high powered module. It gives them an extremely compact solution for extra dynamic application... Read More

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Cobots and no-code: robotics for all at Automatica 2022 With just under three months to go until Automatica, which will be held on the grounds of Messe München from June 21 to 24, one thing is for sure: never before has there been such a wide range of collaborative robots on show. And they are easier to operate than ever. The same also applies to industrial robot, with ‘no-code robotics’ coming to the fore. This and many other developments pursue a common goal: the democratisation of robotics. In the future, anyone should be able to operate robots without spe... Read More

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