News

As the concept of home automation continues to become more and more popular, robots for smart homes are seeing a tremendous rise in demand. According to the research firm MarketsandMarkets, the market for household robots is set to grow at a CAGR of 22.4 percent from 2019 to 2024. Several companies, from startups to tech giants are coming up with robots of various sizes and shapes that can perform several functions within the house to make you...

In 2013, when a company co-founded by a former police officer after the tragic Sandy Hook shooting incident came up with a 400-pound robot to patrol crowded areas, there were many concerns on how it would turn out. In fact, some of the initial attempts at employing Knightscope’s K5 robot at malls and other public places were disappointing, with one robot running over a toddler’s leg and another falling into a water fountain. But such incident...

Much has already been said about the advantages of factory automation. If you are a factory owner or someone from the manufacturing sector, you would already have read several hundred web pages that explain benefits like improved productivity, reduction of waste, lower cycle time, better floor utilization, etc. You are almost convinced that your factory should be automated. You may have even come up with an estimate of by how much this would b...

In a dimly lit factory spread over 40,000 square feet near Mt. Fuji in Japan, sturdy-looking robots work round the clock with each other to create more robots. Sounds like a dystopian scene from a science fiction movie?  Well, this is the automation solutions provider FANUC’s manufacturing plant. With the entire work done by robots, the factory doesn’t need lights, air-conditioners, or heating systems, significantly lowering the costs. Robots ...

A big takeaway from being in the actuator industry is when our customers get back to us with innovative ways they’ve used our products. We are always blown away by the projects we receive, and, in this article, we’ve highlighted a few DIY projects using our linear actuators that have caught our eye over the past few years. The Space Saver - Japanese Style Hidden Table lift Minimalism has become quite the fad when it comes to interior design. ...

Each year, we receive stories of creative innovations using our actuator products and the year 2018 saw some interesting inventions such as the Japanese style hidden table lift project, the flight simulator and the Barbershop success story. Lucky for us it didn’t stop there and 2018 ended on positive note for our customer in Seattle. Volunteers from Seattle’s top architecture firms, Gelotte Hommas Drivdahl (GHD) Architecture and Master Builder...

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning is on course to provide drastic improvements to autonomous systems. The future is bright and the advancement of AI controlled robotics will only increase from here on out. AI aims to provide robots with the ability to perform tasks that were once only capable of being completed with human intelligence. That is, to encompass the ability to perform a variety of tasks on its own as opposed to onl...

The advancement in robotics and automation have transformed manufacturing industries across the globe, and dramatically increased the efficiency of consumer products. The advancement of technology has not only benefited the civilian sector, the largest benefactor is in fact the military. Military defense automation already established itself in the cold war era, but new robotic and artificial intelligence technology has begun to cause exponent...

As industries continue to incorporate linear actuators, we begin to see how they are being re-designed and modified to achieve full automation. The solar industry continues to grow as the standardized renewable resource. They utilize linear actuators produced with high load force ratings along with feedback signals to be programmed, tracking the sun for optimal productivity and maneuverability throughout the day. Once the design is in place, m...

Solar Canada is the largest professional solar industry event in Canada. The annual event had been held in Ontario for years, but this year they decided to move to Calgary, Alberta for the first time in the events history. Solar Canada focuses on innovations and policy changes throughout the solar industry. Every year it attracts thousands of people to the Convention Centre and while we did not have a booth this year, we made sure to go check ...

WonderCon is known to many as the sister show to San Diego Comic Con, the worlds largest and most popular annual comic convention. The annual WonderCon event has been held in Anaheim since 2012 and celebrates all the latest in nerd culture including comics, movies, TV and animation. Each year it attracts tens of thousands of people to the Anaheim Convention Centre and we were lucky enough to have to opportunity to sponsor one of the booths set...

WonderCon is known as the sister show to San Diego Comic Con, the worlds largest and most popular annual comic convention. The annual event has been held in Anaheim since 2012 and celebrates all the latest in nerd culture including comics, movies, TV and animation. Each year it attracts tens of thousands of people and we are excited to announce that Progressive Automations will be a part of WonderCon 2018! Michael McMaster & Mike Senna wi...

Today, more and more companies are turning to automation to save money and speed up the product development process. 1. Robotics Perhaps automation’s most significant contribution to the world has been the advance in robotics. As computer AI improves, human start to develop machines that can replicate human actions. The applications for robotics are so wide in scope; it literally can be applied to almost every industry imaginable. Currently, r...

2017 was a big year for us at Progressive Automations. We moved to a new, larger location as we continue to grow and introduced many new products. There were also many exciting projects that our customers shared with us over the last year. Let’s take a look at what happened in 2017! Products One of our goals here is to consistently innovate and create actuator models based on customer feedback. We want to have an actuator for you no matter wha...

The bi-annual D23 Expo has been one of the most popular and fan-friendly conventions in the world since it first started in 2009. It was created to give fans an inside look at the magic of Disney and exclusive first looks at upcoming attractions, films and presentations celebrating arguably the most beloved and acclaimed entertainment studio of all time. We were lucky enough to be a part of this years expo with the help of two of our most valu...

Engineers, hobbyists and inventors of all ages were present at the 5th annual Vancouver Mini Maker Faire earlier this month to show off and compare their various creations. We here at Progressive Automations thought it would be a great idea to head down and see what local builders, engineers and inventors were capable of and to let them know that we would be glad to help them in their future creative endeavors. There was a wide array of projec...

In the heat of combat, a soldier’s focus isn’t on the mechanical design of the vehicle they are driving or piloting. The soldier simply believes that the machine they are operating will work the way it’s supposed to. With the help of actuators, military automation has become possible. Military automation has changed the face of battle, and these devices have played a key role. No matter what division of the military you are considering, each ...