![[From left] Steven Goh, vice president & general manager of Rockwell Automation Asia Pacific Business Center; Lisa Liao, Counselor for Management Affairs, U.S. Embassy Singapore; Marcelo Tarkieltaub, Southeast Asia Regional Director, Rockwell Automation; Lim Tse Yong, Senior Vice President, Mobility and Industrial Solutions, Singapore Economic Development Board; Dennis Mark, Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Manufacturing Federation; and Goh Lee-Mey, Senior Director, Strategic Partnerships & Development, American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore, at the official launch of the new Customer Experience Center in the Singapore premises of Rockwell Automation.](https://i0.wp.com/mobilerobotguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/CEC_Launch_photo-featured.jpg?resize=770%2C500&ssl=1)
[From left] Steven Goh, VP and GM of Rockwell Automation Asia-Pacific Business Center; Lisa Liao, counselor for management affairs, U.S. Embassy Singapore; Marcelo Tarkieltaub, Southeast Asia regional director for Rockwell Automation; Lim Tse Yong, SVP for mobility and industrial solutions at the Singapore Economic Development Board; Dennis Mark, CEO of the Singapore Manufacturing Federation; and Goh Lee-Mey, senior director for strategic partnerships and development at American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore, at the official launch of Rockwell’s Customer Experience Center in Singapore. | Source: Rockwell Automation
Rockwell Automation last month unveiled its Customer Experience Center, or CEC, in Singapore. The company said the new center will showcase the latest innovations in robotics, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and smart manufacturing systems. Its OTTO Motors division also released new software.
The CEC is situated in Rockwell’s Asia-Pacific headquarters and alongside its largest facility in the region. The Milwaukee-based company said the plant produces many of its products for customers worldwide.
The center will allow customers to experience the industrial automation company‘s latest manufacturing technologies and gain insights into future systems, according to Rockwell. The company said it aims to help the region’s manufacturing, mining, and heavy industry sectors embrace digital transformation.
“Our new Experience Center reflects our dedication to pushing the boundaries of industrial innovation,” stated Marcelo Tarkieltaub, Rockwell’s regional director of Southeast Asia. “It offers an immersive experience for our customers to envision the future of manufacturing and automation. From AI to virtual reality and robotics, industry leaders will witness firsthand the transformative power of technology in shaping the future of industry.”
The CEC will also be open to students, according to the company. Rockwell said it hopes to give the next generation of engineers, scientists, and technologists a chance to get hands-on experience with the systems they will be using in the workforce.
Southeast Asia to ramp up automation, Rockwell says
By 2030, the manufacturing industry in Southeast Asia is expected to generate up to $600 billion a year, according to Boston Consulting Group (BCG). The industry represents approximately 20% of Singapore’s gross domestic product, and Rockwell Automation said the country is embracing digital transformation.
Rockwell said it strategically focuses on key Southeast Asian industries such as life sciences, semiconductors, water/wastewater, oil and gas, food and beverage, and consumer packaged goods. The company said this will help it play a pivotal role in Singapore and Southeast Asia’s smart manufacturing evolution.
“With the growing adoption of AI and a strong manufacturing base, Southeast Asia is well-positioned to lead in smart manufacturing for the rest of the decade,” said Marcelo. “According to the eighth edition of our State of Smart Manufacturing Report, close to half (44%) of APAC manufacturers plan to adopt smart manufacturing within the next year.”
OTTO Motors software update optimizes floor space
OTTO Motors, a subsidiary of Rockwell Automation, released its latest autonomous mobile robot (AMR) software around MODEX. The company said it designed Version 2.30 to optimize floor space and enhance operations in confined manufacturing environments.
Manufacturers and warehouse operators, particularly in brownfield facilities, can optimize floor space by decreasing the area needed for dedicated AMR parking by up to 50%, claimed OTTO Motors. Brownfield facilities often impede one-way or two-way AMR traffic flow because of their characteristic narrow aisles and limited space. They also might not accommodate parking and charging infrastructure for larger fleets, it said.
With the latest update, OTTO said its AMRs can park at locations other than their designated spaces, reducing travel times and improving floor-space utilization. The company said the update also delivers easier commissioning, fortified security, and expanded support for European standard VDA5050.