New robot products aimed primarily at medium-sized businesses
ABB is expanding its portfolio with three new robot ranges to support China’s ongoing expansion in advanced manufacturing, building on 30 years of robotics leadership in the country.
Manufactured at ABB’s Robotics’ state-of-the-art Shanghai Mega Factory, the new robot families address a wide range of automation needs in high growth sectors including electronics, consumer industries and general industries – from essential material handling to high-end applications like dispensing and polishing.
All are powered by ABB Robotics’ OmniCore single control platform that enables the full integration of AI, sensor, cloud and edge computing systems to create the most advanced and autonomous robotic applications.
This strategic expansion comes as China’s mid-market (medium-sized businesses) robotics segment has grown at a 24 percent CAGR between 2021 and 2024, with the market expected to continue growing at 8 percent annually through 2028.
Sami Atiya, president of ABB’s Robotics & Discrete Automation Business Area, says: “China is the world’s largest robotics market and for ABB Robotics.
“China’s growth in sectors such as electronics and from small and medium sized businesses is driving the increasing demand for accessible, user-friendly solutions, and we are responding to that demand.
“With our new robot families, we are not only expanding what is already the most comprehensive and integrated offering in the market, but we are helping new industries and customers automate with new mid-market value propositions.”
Lite+
Designed for essential material handling and pick-and-place operations, Lite+ is compact, easy to use, and lowers the barriers to automation for smaller operators.
Available in China and Asia, its seamless integration with the new IRB 1200 and other IRB robots provides flexible, end-to-end production solutions for industries including electronics manufacturing.
PoWa
PoWa is a compact cobot built for speed, collaboration, and efficiency. With industrial-level speeds of up to 5.8 m/s, it is ideal for fast pick-and-place, palletizing, and machine-tending tasks.
Available in China, PoWa’s no-code programming and plug-and-play capabilities mean it can be operational within 60 minutes of unboxing, making it particularly attractive to SMEs.
IRB 1200 (New Generation)
The redesigned IRB 1200, available globally, is optimized for high-speed, high-precision applications including assembly, polishing, and dispensing.
Approximately 20 percent lighter and more compact than its predecessor, the IRB 1200 enables manufacturers to create space-efficient production cells, boosting throughput and operational efficiency.
New AI-powered innovations
All three robot families are powered by ABB’s OmniCore controller platform, ensuring seamless integration and providing access to ABB’s industry-leading software suite, including RobotStudio.
Marc Segura, president of ABB Robotics, says: “Building on 30 years of robotics leadership in China, we are meeting the needs of customers in new and expanding industries with these three robot families.
“By delivering flexible, modular, AI-powered technology that lowers barriers to automation, we are driving adoption of advanced manufacturing in new segments and supporting the next wave of industrial innovation in China and beyond.”
ABB’s launch event in Shanghai featured a pioneering, AI-driven natural language software tool for teaching robots, using its new PoWa collaborative robot.
Combining generative and analytical AI, the technology speeds up the teaching process for robots using three simple steps: “see, speak, do,” with the robot visually perceiving its environment, processing verbal instructions in real time, and immediately translating them into precise actions.
Henry Han, president of robotics in China, says: “ABB has led the way in robotics for more than five decades, with deep roots in China dating back to 1994.
“Today, we continue to expand our robotics leadership in China, for China and beyond, building on our full local value chain of manufacturing, research and development to deliver groundbreaking solutions for our customers in businesses of all sizes.”
China is the world’s largest robotics market and accounted for more than half of global robot installations in 2023.
With over 90 percent of ABB robots for Chinese customers now manufactured locally, the launch is part of ABB’s commitment to China’s advanced manufacturing transformation.
