To advance the democratization of industrial automation, we continuously release new products and enhance existing ones. In Q2 2024, we made a significant leap forward in artificial intelligence (AI)-driven cloud robotics software capabilities, with more releases to come in the upcoming quarters.
Here’s a quick look at Q2’s new partnerships, software releases, upcoming events, and more!
Announcements
NVIDIA Partnership
At Computex 2024, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang unveiled an exciting collaboration between NVIDIA and Vention, aimed at democratizing industrial automation for small and medium-sized manufacturers. This partnership leverages NVIDIA’s cutting-edge AI and accelerated computing technologies and Vention’s cloud-based Manufacturing Automation Platform (MAP).
Read the full announcement.
Demo Day 2024
The date for Demo Day 2024 was officially announced. This year’s event will be held on September 10, 2024, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Chicago Hyatt Regency McCormick Place. The theme, “Artificial Intelligence. Real Manufacturing Work,” gives you insight into the innovative, yet accessible products to be announced during the event.
Register today.
Demo Day for EMEA-based (Europe, the Middle East and Africa) clients will be held on September 18, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Vention GmbH, Karl-Marx-Allee 3.
Register for Demo Day EMEA.
The 2024 State of DIY Industrial Automation Report
During Automate 2024, Vention released its second-annual State of DIY Industrial Automation Report. This report is a culmination of one year of data gathered from the adoption and usage of the Manufacturing Automation Platform (MAP) in 2023. This edition aims to highlight new and contrasting developments in the field of industrial automation.
Download the full report.
Software
MachineBuilder
MachineBuilder received its largest update in three years, transforming how users design automated equipment and robot cells. Discover these AI-driven, cloud robotics features:
- Design Quickstart: Build your automation project from scratch or choose from hundreds of templates in the design library to expedite your workflow.
- Smart Predictive Placement: Harness the power of AI with smart predictive part placement to streamline the assembly process for effortless design integration.
- Enhanced Part Manipulation: Access more intuitive part manipulation, empowering you to move components effortlessly while maintaining design integrity.
- Real-time Part Visibility: Benefit from higher visibility into design components with detailed specifications updated in real-time, including pricing, bill of materials, technical data, 2D drawings, weight, dimensions and more.
These enhanced features further improve the user experience to deliver a smarter, more intuitive workflow.
Learn more about MachineBuilder releases.
MachineLogic Simulation
MachineLogic is now even more intuitive, with simplified robot arm programming and seamless integration with adjacent devices in a robot cell. Learn more about these new enhancements:
- Point and click robot programming: Easily insert waypoints and reference frames into a digital twin to visualize the position of reference frames and waypoints in the scene using new scene widgets.
- Extensible workflows and powerful authoring capabilities: Define parametric reference frames and waypoints with variables and expressions.
- Calibration Frame: Define calibration frames in your digital twin to enable the level of precision required for your robotic application.
By leveraging near-accurate digital twins, users can easily program in the cloud and deploy to the factory floor, accelerating the deployment process and reducing risks.
Learn more about MachineLogic.
The Robot Power Pack
Powered by the Manufacturing Automation Platform, the Robot Power Pack boosts your robot’s capabilities by allowing users to program, deploy, and operate new or existing robots within one powerful and easy-to-use platform.
Give your robot superpowers with the following capabilities:
- Simulate programs with a cloud-based digital twin and deploy in one-click.
- Unlock offline robot programming with a code-free interface and Python programming for advanced functions.
- Remotely monitor your operations with real-time insights for maximum uptime and performance.
- Access instant support from robotics experts with Remote Support and a dual camera pendant.
The Robot Power Pack includes:
- 2 years of unlimited access to MachineLogic, MachineAnalytics, and Remote Support.
- MachineMotion plug & play controller, pendant with camera, and robot safety modules.
Discover the Robot Power Pack.
Education
Smart Safety Modules Video Tutorial
Discover Vention’s Smart Safety Modules with User Education Lead, Jeremy Andrews. These modules allow users to integrate safety components in the same plug & play manner that Vention is known for. In this video, learn the many functions of these modules, from muting, mode switching, robot safety and more.
Watch the video tutorial.
New Addition to the Vention Experience Center: Rapid Series Palletizer
The Rapid Series Palletizer, featuring a FANUC CRX-25, is ready to demo in the Montreal Vention Experience Center. At our Canadian headquarters, you can participate in in-person or virtual training on operating this palletizer.
Explore the Vention Experience Center.
Blogs
Blog Series: Kickstarting Your Automation Journey
All manufacturers stand to gain significantly from industrial automation, but small to medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs) especially benefit. To guide SMMs in their automation journey, we’ve written a series of blog posts, covering everything from how to kickstart your journey to how to calculate return on investment (ROI).
Read the blog series.
Events & Webinars
Automate 2024
Vention returned to Automate this year to launch a suite of AI-powered capabilities to the Manufacturing Automation Platform (MAP). These capabilities are designed to further enhance the ease of designing, programming, and deploying robot cells, while also equipping advanced users with more powerful programming tools. Visitors could experience these new capabilities within the five dynamic demos, showcasing the combined power of intuitive software and modular hardware.
Read about our experience at the show.
In partnership with Universal Robots, we hosted a webinar about how to use MAP to design, automate, deploy, and operate a full Universal Robots machine tending cell. Participants learned firsthand how to fine-tune their manufacturing processes and achieve unparalleled efficiency through a tailored approach to automation.
Watch the webinar on-demand.
Automate Preview Series: Automate Now: How to Get Started with Your Robotics and Automation Projects
Vention participated in the Automate Preview Series to discuss all aspects of planning automation projects, from finding the right parts to calculating return on investment (ROI). The panel contained industry leaders across automation and robotics.
Watch the recording.
Vention Automation Partners (VAPs)
This quarter, we’re thrilled to welcome 11 new partners to our network, spanning across EMEA and North America.
VAP Customer Stories
Alongside these developments, we’re excited to spotlight notable case studies and blog highlights from some of our esteemed partners.
Public Relations
This quarter saw the publication of multiple public relations mentions and articles about Vention.
- Vention to democratize industrial automation using NVIDIA AI technologies. Read the press release.
- Vention Launches New Cloud-Robotics and AI Capabilities to Accelerate the Design and Deployment of Robot Cells. Read the press release.
- Süddeutsche Zeitung: Artificial Intelligence: When AI Can Control Robots, by Helmut Martin-Jung. Read the article.
- Automation World: Vention at Automate 2024 by David Greenfield. Read the article.
- The Robot Report: Configuring the future of robotics podcast with Etienne Lacroix and Steve Crowe. Listen to the podcast.
- Bloomberg Businessweek: Transforming the Factory Floor with AI with Etienne Lacroix. Listen to the interview.
- NASDAQ: Best Practices for Integrating AI and the Future of AI Regulation and Compliance with Joe Wykes. Watch the interview.
- TechBriefs: How Platforming is Making Industrial Automation Accessible to Everyone. Read the article.
Stay Up-to-Date with Vention
That’s a wrap on Q2! Follow the Vention blog and LinkedIn page to stay up-to-date on our latest announcements, new products, events, and education and community launches.