Laura Forbes

Currently an editor-in-chief of a B2B publication across print and digital mediums.

My Recent Work

New Equipment Digest •

Engineering Off-the-Clock: Best Videos of 2024

As we wrap up another year, it's time to look back at what resonated most with our community. Our weekly feature of curated engineering videos has been a standout hit. Below are the year's 10 most-watched videos, ranked from tenth to first place. Whether you're catching up on ones you missed or revisiting favorites, sit back, relax, and enjoy some fun engineering tinkering in the videos below.

















 
 

 










First up, an honorable mention. This video hasn't had m...
New Equipment Digest •

Building the Future One Humanoid Robot at a Time

Around five to six years ago—give or take a few—there was a fervor in the industry and commercial markets about robots. Not just any robots—humanoid and mobile helper robots. There was the little robot Jibo developed at MIT by Cynthia Breazeal, the founder and director of the Personal Robots group at the Media Lab. It was this adorable three-axis bot that looked like a flightless, armless Eve from "WALL-E" and acted as a personal assistant for the home. Then Sophia, the social humanoid robot,...
New Equipment Digest •

The 4 Top Sectors Using Industry 4.0

According to ABI Research, the automotive sector is the biggest spender on digital transformation, spending $100 billion in 2022. One of the biggest reasons for this is that OEMs and their suppliers needed to adjust for the move away from the Internal Combustion Engine to electric power trains. The U.S. government is one of many that have created required targets for electric vehicles to be the norm by 2035.The switch to EVs requires OEMs to turn to software to design these new types of vehicle...
New Equipment Digest •

Product Updates: New Certifications, Regulations, Validations

EXAIR's NEMA 4 Cabinet Cooler Systems have received an upgraded CE certification under its latest safety directives. Performed by an independent laboratory, this new certification provides added utility in processes that adhere to the highest industry standards.The aluminum-constructed cabinet coolers are designed to cool dust-tight, oil-tight, splash-resistant, indoor/outdoor enclosures. This method allows users to install it within minutes through a standard electrical knockout and provide...
New Equipment Digest •

Product Updates: Certifications, Regulations, Validations

Components Express, Inc. has received the UL listing for its new line of M12 cable assemblies.The cable assemblies come in standard lengths up to 50 feet (15 meters), with a variety of male–female and flying lead connector combinations on either end. They also feature PVC jacketing in a variety of colors, as well as 4 to 17-pin options.Phosphorus, a provider of proactive and full-scope security for the extended Internet of Things (xIoT), has released new security features that enable organizati...
New Equipment Digest •

Emerson Selected to Automate New Zealand’s First Large-Scale Solar Farm

Emerson has been tasked to help Lodestone Energy, a renewable energy provider in New Zealand, complete its 23-megawatt sites at Kaitaia and Edgecumbe through its expertise in renewable power generation and automation.The large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) power project is a first for New Zealand which is aiming to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.While solar energy is quickly becoming one of the fastest renewable energy sources, it's not without its challenges. To achieve a truly successful so...
New Equipment Digest •

New Product Offerings From Distributors

Hammond Manufacturing can factory modify every one of the more than 2,100 electrical enclosures and more than 2,700 electronic enclosures that RS has in stock or available for drop-shipping during the order fulfillment process and is committed to delivering a perfect product. Most modifications can be completed in just a few weeks.During that time, Hammond will submit a custom drawing for approval, machine the approved design, and overnight ship a sample enclosure so customers can test it...
New Equipment Digest •

ProMat Day 3 Products Debuts

Founded in 2018, Pittsburgh-based Gather AI uses drones to automate inventory monitoring processes for warehouses to decrease inventory costs. The drones fly through a warehouse, photograph pallet locations, and then compare the bar codes, text, and images with the WMS.The Gather AI solution dashboard helps teams find and fix inventory exceptions; they can review a list of exceptions on their dashboard, scroll through each one, view the picture of the pallet location, and determine what need...
New Equipment Digest •

ProMat Day 2 Product Debuts

Yale Lift Truck Technologies announced that Yale Reliant, its advanced operator assist solution, is now available on 13 additional lift truck models. Electric counterbalanced trucks in the 3,000 to 12,000-lb. capacity ranges and the narrow aisle (VNA) turret truck and enclosed end rider join the 5 other core warehouse models available with the technology, which first launched in 2021.Yale Reliant uses multiple detection technologies to monitor the surrounding environment and th...
New Equipment Digest •

Updated: ProMat Day 1 Product Debuts

Packsize unveiled the Ultra5, a right-sized, on-demand box machine built around the recently announced X5 technology. The Ultra5 was built exclusively for Walmart and has already been installed in multiple fulfillment centers including the first of Walmart’s next-generation fulfillment centers.The Ultra5 can produce up to 600 boxes per hour while contributing to less waste and fewer emissions by negating void fillers like plastic air pillows, reducing shipping emissions, and improving consu...
New Equipment Digest •

Komatsu Brings Production of its HM400-5 Articulated Trucks Back to the USA

Komatsu has started producing its HM400-5 articulated haul trucks at its Chattanooga, Tennessee plant, in response to growing demand. The 473-horsepower trucks are used in construction, quarry, and mining applications, and are designed to move materials across challenging terrain while delivering consistent performance for operators of all experience levels. Previously produced in Chattanooga in the mid-2000s, production shifted to Ibaraki, Japan in 2009, where it has remained until now. To cele...
New Equipment Digest •

Top Stories of 2022

Fifteen of our top-performing articles published in the past 12 months offer information on industry trends across the board and the equipment that makes those trends possible. If you haven't read them yet, then your opportunity is now.1. Top 9 IT Devices That Need The Most Cyber ProtectionAre your devices properly protected? Check out this list and find out the different types of devices along with solutions to help implement cybersecurity.2. New Electric Unit Takes ATV Market for a RideApplica...
New Equipment Digest •

REE Automotive Debuts Electric Box Delivery Truck

Customers who were able to test out the P7-B were able to experience firsthand the numerous features of the vehicle including its low step-in height which is designed for faster delivery times. This feature also enables better aerodynamics and efficient power management due to the P7 architecture. Additional experienced features were the all-wheel drive and the all-wheel steer designed for greater vehicle control and safety. The P7-B's cabin focuses on the driver and provides optimal ergonomics...
New Equipment Digest •

Day 2 of Game-Changing Product Launches at IMTS 2022!

Both main processes, PLC and CNC, are now embedded and running together on a single board based on a multi-core ARM processor. The extremely high integration level, achieved by using System on Chip technology, results in a huge reduction of components which improves system reliability and availability.Platinum Tooling announced it has added a new line to its products: Rineck Shrinkfit Tooling.

Both main processes, PLC and CNC, are now embedded and running together on a single board based o...
New Equipment Digest •

Hot Products Released Today at IMTS 2022!

Launching a host of new products, Bantam is making the most out of IMTS 2022. The biggest release is its new Bantam Tools Explorer CNC Milling Machine. It weighs less than 50 pounds for portability and runs on battery power. The machine easily fits into a pelican case for those who need to mill on the go. The new machine also makes it great for those who work remotely.

Launching a host of new products, Bantam is making the most out of IMTS 2022. The biggest release is its new Bantam Tools Explo...
New Equipment Digest •

Mars on Earth? Turning to Volcanoes To Test Out Rover Terrain

“We look forward to the ultimate test when our technology will be used during NASA’s upcoming yearlong simulated Mars mission. We are confident of also passing this test. During the simulated Mars mission, four crew members living and working in a 1,700-square-foot module on Earth, called Mars Dune Alpha, will carry out a series of missions—including remotely guided exploration and collection of specimens from rugged terrain elsewhere on Earth, up to thousands of miles away.”Skypersonic’s “Skyco...
New Equipment Digest •

REE Automotive Gets Closer to Commercial Production of its EV Platform

“This is an important milestone on our path to commercial production next year. The automated and connected capabilities at our Coventry site are a great foundation for our global operations, as they will enable us to continuously fine-tune our assembly procedures and rapidly deploy them to other sites,” said Josh Tech, REE’s Chief Operating Officer.The Integration Center is approximately 130,000 square feet, includes industry 4.0 technologies, and will be partially powered by solar energy.Partn...
New Equipment Digest •

Announcing the NED Innovation Awards!

I’m excited to reveal some big news for NED.It is my pleasure to announce that our award program, The NED Innovation Awards, is back and better than ever!Our last run of the NED Innovation Awards was in 2019, and we were getting all set to ramp up for 2020 when....well, you know what happened.Every issue of New Equipment Digest, we scour our resources and contacts to bring you the latest and greatest pieces of industrial equipment on the market. Most of these finds are exactly that: fantastic ne...
New Equipment Digest •

Schneider Electric Opens the Door to Universal Automation: Get a Glimpse

Open automation isn't open enough for Schneider Electric.Which is why it launched Universal Automation Discovery Packs, a program in the U.S. that calls on innovators—from OEMs to end-users—to explore the benefits of universal automation themselves through free licenses.“Today’s industry is changing faster than ever before, requiring both new solutions that offer greater flexibility and higher productivity, and a skilled workforce familiar with those solutions able to implement them,” said Kaish...
New Equipment Digest •

Warehouse Automation Project Aims to Create Infinite Solutions

“Beckhoff continues to grow rapidly across the U.S., particularly in intralogistics and other high-tech industries, so implementing the OPEX Infinity will allow us to scale our operations at an exceptional rate,” said Kevin Barker, President of Beckhoff Automation LLC.OPEX Corporation, an intralogistics leader, unveiled Infinity at the MODEX 2022 trade show. This G2P system offers top-tier storage density, modularity, and flexibility to help companies meet pressing warehouse automation challe...
New Equipment Digest •

Shoo, Fly! Airport's Anti-Drone System Takes on Pesky Flyers

Drones come in all sizes and even the small ones can still cause dangers when sharing the same airspace as planes.Drones can even cause more damage than birds do when being sucked into a plane's jet engine due to their metal and plastic materials. Perhaps a bigger risk is the interference from a drone's radio frequency—possibly causing pilots to lose control of the plane.Airports can—and have—lost money due to shutdowns caused by drones flying into their airspace. Gatwick Airport in London lost...
New Equipment Digest •

You Could Be Shopping With Robots in the Future

“We believe that future adoption will be influenced by three main trends including micro-fulfillment, where robots are used in-store to enable order fulfillment and delivery; personalization, where a robot makes a product to a customer’s specific requirements, with the added option of automatic personalization where data on previous purchasing habits is used to offer new choices; and ‘retailtainment’, where the robot is used as part of an interactive display or show to inform or entertain...
New Equipment Digest •

Self-Driving Toyota Test Fleet is Set for the Open Road

Aurora Innovation, Inc., a research and development company focused on enhancing the adoption of next-gen self-driving technology, has unveiled a test fleet of its autonomous, custom-designed, Toyota Sienna vehicles which feature Toyota’s Vehicle Control Interface (VCI) and Sienna Autono-MaaS (S-AM) platform. You can read more about Toyota's plant focusing on self-driving tech here.Aurora says the Toyota S-AM, a hybrid electric vehicle, will serve as the backbone platform for the launch of Auror...
New Equipment Digest •

Watch Out, There's a New EV on the Block

REEcorner and X-by-Wire technology allows each wheel to move independently for enhanced driving dynamics and safety with all-wheel steer, drive, and brake options.According to REE, the whole point of this modular platform design is to radically speed up EV vehicle development time, as well as offer fleet owners a way to create their own commercial vehicle brand, unique design, and market differentiation with the lowest total cost of ownership through Battery-as-a-Service, Data-as-a-Ser...
Load More