News Category - Progressive Automations Blog

Throughout the history of automation, the emergence of newer techniques, processes and machines eventually shaped a path for automation to play a larger role in our society. The main goals for the evolution of automation in everyday life has been to help improve efficiency, productivity, safety, and convenience. In this article, we will cover the history of industrial automation to gain a better understanding of how the different stages of aut...

The growing use of automation can be found in various industries due to all the different positive impacts automation has to offer. Businesses, industrial factories, offices, and smart homes are some of the many different industries which use automation for improving efficiency, convenience, safety, and work quality. If you’re interested in learning more about automation growth in recent years, this is just the article for you!  We will be dis...

Automation can be found nearly everywhere we go because of all the comfort, convenience, safety, and operational efficiency it offers to society. With all the benefits automation has to offer, many have decided to make use of this technology in their homemade projects. If you needed some actuator DIY project ideas before going out to buy a linear actuator for a project, you’ve came to the right place! This article will cover our customer's top...

Electric linear actuators are popular in marine OEM applications due to the significant improvement in operational convenience they can provide. Aside from their versatility of being available in many different sizes and specifications, electric actuators also offer key benefits that are not present in hydraulic and pneumatic alternatives. This article will cover the important aspects of boat actuators for marine OEMs to consider such as their...

Are you in the market for a new linear actuator to use in your next project? If so, you may want to consider the factors affecting the price of a linear actuator. Purchasing cheap actuators is not a good idea if you want your project to last the distance, but purchasing overly expensive actuators may also not be worth your full investment. Finding the right balance between cost/affordability and quality can be tricky since various factors affe...

Smart home robots have made great advancements in the past several years, ushering in a new wave of robots for home use. Hollywood has been showing robots working shoulder to shoulder with humans since the Jetsons in the early 1960’s. While Rosey the robot maid is not yet reality, it can't be denied that today's technology is bringing us closer and closer to having robots in your home, and in your workplace. According to recent research by ABI...

We have seen linear actuators used in various fun and exciting applications, with one of the most interesting being their use in escape rooms. Escape rooms have been appearing all over the world, from fixed locations to pop-up rooms. There are over 5000 escape rooms worldwide, which is estimated to increase over the next several years. Each new room iteration is becoming more and more tech-savvy with sensors, lasers, and linear actuators! [cta...

The Internet of Things is something that has been growing in the public eye for the past half-decade or so. It is mostly seen as the next logical step from home automation which has been extremely popular. We are only now beginning to understand the application of the Internet of Things, as the connectivity which it implies has the potential to change almost everything we do. Being connected to our homes is one thing but being connected to som...

Precise linear motion is not only a crucial part of automotive factory automation, but it is also very beneficial. At Progressive Automations we produce high-force electromechanical actuators that can be used in a variety of applications. Our linear actuators are internally lubricated and do not require fluids or maintenance, allowing for extended lifespans as compared to hydraulic or pneumatic systems. Automotive manufacturers are quickly mov...

2021 will be a particularly good year for improving your DIY skills thanks to many of us spending a lot more time at home. You might already have ideas to automate things we often do manually that you can finally get to, and we’re here to help if you need an actuator for a project! It could be converting the home office desk to be height adjustable, or the garage door that needs to be remotely opened so you can finally stop getting out of the ...

It is a regular practice that products manufactured by a reputable brand are characterized by a high level of quality and durability. For example, if customers see “Toyota”, they realize that the vehicle from that brand is a top-quality offer. Can we apply that concept to such categories of devices as linear actuators? To answer the question, first, it is necessary to introduce some manufacturers that enjoy popularity in the US market. Progr...

Modern robotic technologies is an extremely dynamic branch of science, that develops rapidly and brings interesting break-through innovations almost every year. Robots are commonly used in our day to life to do all sorts of things. Human-like machines are implemented everywhere from medicine to householding and manufacturing. These robots can vary in their characteristics, functions, and outlook; some of them range from rather primal and simpl...

Linear actuators come in various sizes. The most commonly used is the industrial actuators with a high stroke, force, and speed. Although there are, lighter ones for home use. Industrial actuators assist in keeping workers safe and aid in heavy-duty tasks in factories, manufacturing plants, and construction. Although there are currently manufacturers with different models, common ones stand out. Let’s go ahead and break them down to find out ...

Christmas is around the corner, which means we have entered the festive season. What better way to celebrate this time of the year with some automation projects that will boost your Christmassy spirit – from a motorized Christmas tree to an animatronic figure, Progressive Automations will help you out. Let us get straight into 5 festive automation ideas to incorporate into your holiday season. 1.      Motorized Christmas Tree A Christmas tree ...

The automation revolution, hailed as the leading trend of the modern-day tech industry, has transformed our lives all across the board. What started as a way of improving inefficient industrial processes is now embedded in our daily routines. Be it the innovative Smart Home concept or ergonomic TV furniture, automation is the ultimate comfort-giver in our personal abodes. One of the central and busiest parts of our homes is the kitchen. The p...

TV lifts have diversified and grown in popularity in recent years, and with this growing demand, manufacturers have continuously developed faster, smarter, and more convenient devices. While it goes without saying that TV lifts are innovative devices that would modernize any home, there are more reasons beyond the novelty factor that make them so worthwhile. These automated lifts are activated with low-power electric linear actuators for ultim...

Gone are the days where recreational vehicles (RVs) were crammed with a bed, a bathroom, and a kitchen. Thanks to the rapid development of technology, modern RVs are packed with high-tech equipment and smart storage solutions, such as movable coach units using RV slide-out actuators, allowing for a more spacious interior. Linear actuators have become quite popular in RV’s and serve many different applications. In some cases, a higher force fro...

Progressive Automations just got back from the ATX West show. This trade show and conference are located at the Anaheim convention center in the beautiful and always sunny Anaheim, California – home of Disneyland. The ATX West show is USA’s largest annual automation technology event which showcases motion control products, motors, and drives, sensors, and detectors, machine components. As a leading linear actuator manufacturing company, Pr...

Robotics are paving the way for automation; even wheelchairs are no longer missing the race towards making a better future for the disabled. These days, robots are no longer just a mass of hardware; instead, they have been designed to reflect and work on algorithms, making them smarter and better than just pieces of metal. Robotic assistance devices are springing up all over the world, promising to change the façade of the technological gamut....

Automated robotics might be the next best thing of the future; the moment you identify a process that is repetitive and predictable, chances are it can qualify for an automotive makeover using Robotic Process Automation. However, the process of identification and implementation is not as simple as it seems. For this very reason, it is very important to understand what robotics process automation is about and what it entails in the real world. ...

Getting your home decor right is crucial to any homeowner. It partly involves arranging all the elements in your home to make sure you achieve comfort. Ensure to maximize each square foot, creating enough space to move around. From the kitchen to the living room, ensure the space you create permits you to freely move from one room to another. One of the most reliable ways to make sure you create extra space is by using an actuator. An actuator...

Whether It’s Netflix or cable television, we all own a flat-screen TV at home to binge-watch all our favorite movies and TV series. Television has become a significant part of our homes either proudly displayed on a wall or perfectly set up on a TV cabinet. We are living in the age where many aspects of our day-to-day lives are moving towards automation - from automatic lights, garage doors, heating, cooling and much more. A lot can be control...

Somewhere in a strawberry farm in Florida, operations of a robot that can detect ripe berries, pick, and pack them are in a trial stage. It works faster than human hands, with more precision and, obviously, without getting tired. Such robots have begun to make inroads into other areas of agriculture as well, which has often been considered one of the least technology-reliant sectors. According to the research firm Mordor Intelligence, the mark...

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...

Virginia wolf rightly said, “One cannot think well, love well, sleep well if one has not dined well.” Have you found yourself waiting for several minutes at a restaurant before your food turns up? And sometimes, when you do get your food it doesn’t taste the way you expected it to? Well, with a lot of work and very little time in hand, chefs and restaurateurs are finding it hard to meet the increasing demand. It’s in times like this, that kitc...

Progressive Automations at Automate 2019 The world of automation has entered a stage where highly advanced robotic tools are used to streamline, expedite, and improve manufacturing processes to an unprecedented level. Last week our team at Progressive Automations exhibited our innovative linear motion products at the Automate and Promat show in the vibrant and energetic city of Chicago, IL, USA. From traditional industrial applications to cutt...

Michael McMaster and Mike Senna are at it again! They have been two of our most valued customers for years now because of the amazing robots they have built using our actuators. The robots have been such a success that they are being invited to Comic-Con conventions in North America for the last couple of years to show off their builds. One such convention is LA Comic-Con, which has invited them back multiple years in a row because of how popu...

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 only...

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...

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 event's 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...

Development of Pistons Electric linear actuators are a modern form of a piston that is driven by an electric motor. One of the earliest uses of pistons was in steam engines. The first recorded history of a steam engine dates back to a design created in 1st century Roman Egypt. However, the first steam cylinder was designed by Denis Papin, a French physicist, and inventor, in the mid-1670s. First Design of a Steam Powered Cylinder An actuator...

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, humans 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, ...

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 year's expo with the help of two of our most va...

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 proj...

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 o...