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indUstry news fanUc collaborates with google on physical ai system for robots


Through a strategic collaboration with Google, FANUC has developed a Physical AI system for industrial robots that incorporates the latest innovations from Google Cloud, including Gemini Enterprise – an enterprise-grade generative AI with robust security. ‘Physical AI’ is the integration of cognitive


intelligence with physical action. This includes robots that can perceive their environment


through sensors, make autonomous decisions and execute tasks accordingly. FANUC robots support ROS – the industry standard open platform for robot control – of which Google is a prominent contributor and maintainer through its Intrinsic robotics AI group. FANUC’s portfolio also offers broad compatibility with widely used technologies, including the Python programming language for AI development, high speed communication interfaces for external robot control and interfaces that enable easy operation from PLCs. Since the release of FANUC’s Physical AI


system last December, customer interest has continued to grow rapidly, with over 1,000 FANUC robots for Physical AI-related applications already shipped. At its New Product Open House Show


in May, the company demonstrated a next generation Physical AI Robot System featuring generative AI Gemini, which understands


UK manUfactUrers shifting from ai adoption to indUstrial execUtion, says new report


Rockwell Automation has announced the UK findings of its 11th annual State of Smart Manufacturing Report. Based on feedback from more than 1,500 manufacturing leaders globally, this highlights a clear shift in how UK manufacturers are approaching digital transformation. With 87% of organisations now recognising it


as essential and allocating an average of 27% of operating budgets to industrial technology, the UK has moved beyond early-stage adoption and into a phase where digital investment must translate into operational performance. “UK manufacturers are moving beyond


experimentation into a phase where digital technologies must deliver consistent operational outcomes,” said Phil Hadfield, UK managing director, Rockwell Automation. “The challenge is no longer access to technology, but the ability to embed it into production environments in a way that improves performance, resilience and competitiveness.” Artificial intelligence sits at the centre of this


transition. Nearly half of manufacturers have already invested in AI, and adoption of generative


AI is now widespread. The focus, however, is shifting away from experimentation toward practical use cases that deliver measurable value. Cybersecurity has emerged as the leading AI application, followed closely by quality control and process optimisation, reflecting a growing emphasis on protecting and stabilising increasingly complex production environments. Alongside AI, simulation technologies such as digital twins are beginning to move from concept to deployment. However, the full value of these technologies is being constrained, as UK manufacturers report using less than half of the operational data they collect effectively. UK manufacturing is therefore showing


signs of maturity, with smart manufacturing technologies now widely deployed, and adoption is accelerating as organisations focus on scaling what works rather than piloting new tools. Taken together, the findings suggest that


UK manufacturing is entering a new phase of digital transformation.


www.rockwellautomation.com


media converters from cinch now available throUgh powell electronics


Cinch Connectivity Solutions’ Stratos T2 Series media converter can now be sourced through Powell Electronics. These are designed to provide seamless conversion between electrical and optical signals while maintaining high data throughput and durability in mission-critical applications like oil and gas, fire and rescue, security, shipboard, and tactical and military communications. The Stratos T2 Series is a two-channel optical transceiver and media converter, with each channel


supporting up to 1000 Mbps Ethernet, enabling a combined 2 Gbps link over fibre between connected devices. The media converters are qualified to MIL-STD-810 standards for environmental durability, including resistance to temperature variation, thermal shock, vibration, mechanical shock, humidity and altitude. The products are also FCC Class A compliant and feature both internal and external EMI sealing to ensure reliable operation in electrically noisy environments.


www.powell-europe.com 1 DESIGN SOLUTIONS JUne 2026 0 www.designsolutionsmag.co.uk


human instructions, recognises objects and autonomously operates FANUC robots to perform assigned tasks. This revolutionary ‘AI-Powered Agent System for Industrial Robots’ enables both collaborative and non-collaborative robots to work together as a single cell based on simple natural language instructions. The company also provides full support


for robot control compatible with Intrinsic’s development environment, ‘Flowstate’. Flowstate software is interoperable with ROS and allows for the quick and easy development of highly adaptable AI solutions by leveraging FANUC’s open platform technologies. FANUC is also participating in Google DeepMind’s ‘Gemini Robotics Trusted Tester Program’ to advance AI research on foundational robotics models for AI.


www.fanuc.eu/uk/en shell lUbricants and


bmw m motorsport renew partnership at le mans


Following the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans, Shell Lubricants and BMW M Motorsport have extended their agreement with a strengthened focus on R&D – including sustainable fluid technologies for both motorsport and passenger vehicles. BMW M Motorsport and Shell finished Le Mans in a strong second place. Shell is supporting the shift towards


lower-carbon mobility solutions without compromising the performance and reliability required for the world’s most demanding endurance races. At the race, the partners unveiled the first major technological milestone under the renewed commitment. The #20 Shell BMW M Hybrid V8 competed the race using a newly designed, more sustainable, racing lubricant – an engine oil formulated with re-refined base oil (RRBO). Co-developed by Shell and BMW M


Motorsport for the 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season, this new and exclusive more sustainable racing lubricant aims to reduce the oils environmental footprint by integrating circular economy principles, through the reuse of high-quality base oils derived from used oil streams. Jason Wong, global executive vice


president, Shell Lubricants said: “For over a decade, Shell and BMW M Motorsport have been pushing the boundaries of what is possible, working side-by-side to develop advanced fluid technologies capable of performing under the extreme demands of endurance racing. With a renewed contract and shift in focus, and now the successful deployment of our new engine oil formulated with re-refined base oils, this weekend marks an important milestone in that journey.”


www.shell.com


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