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ABB says its new 3D inspection robot cell makes quality control testing ‘10 times faster’

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ABB has unveiled a new 3D inspection robot cell which it claims makes quality control testing “10 times faster”.

The industrial automation giant says its 3D quality inspection (3DQI) robot cell is “capable of detecting defects of less than half the width of a human hair and imperceptible to the naked eye”.

It adds that the cell will “dramatically accelerate production by providing fast, accurate testing to make metrology easier and less time consuming”. [Read more…] about ABB says its new 3D inspection robot cell makes quality control testing ‘10 times faster’

ABB breaks ground on new $30 million facility to manufacture electric vehicle chargers

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ABB has marked the start of construction at its new facility in San Giovanni Valdarno, Italy, which will serve as a global Center of Excellence and production site for electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

The company says the 16,000 square meter facility is expected to be operational by the end of 2021.

As a global market leader in e-mobility solutions, the $30 million investment in this new facility is further evidence of ABB’s continued commitment to driving innovation in this fast-growing sector. [Read more…] about ABB breaks ground on new $30 million facility to manufacture electric vehicle chargers

ABB says it recycles and ‘re-manufactures’ thousands of old robots

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ABB says it recycles and “re-manufactures” thousands of old robots to make the manufacturing sector “more sustainable”. (See video below.)

The company says re-manufactured robots help customers “unlock new functionalities and advanced services” while reducing maintenance costs and maximizing return on investment.

ABB sources unused and discontinued robots for re-manufacturing to ensure “older robots avoid being scrapped when their lifetime could be extended”. [Read more…] about ABB says it recycles and ‘re-manufactures’ thousands of old robots

ABB wins $5 million order for electric vehicle chargers from GAC Toyota

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ABB has won an order worth $5 million for electric vehicle chargers from GAC Toyota.

The agreement was made through Chargedot, an ABB business unit, and is considered “a major order” in China.

GAC Toyota is the Guangzhou-based joint venture between GAC Group and Toyota. With plans to expand production of electric vehicles to 400,000 a year, the company has asked ABB to supply “several thousand electric vehicle chargers” over the next year. [Read more…] about ABB wins $5 million order for electric vehicle chargers from GAC Toyota

ABB’s YuMi collaborative robot celebrates five years

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ABB is celebrating the big story of its small robot, with its dual-arm YuMi collaborative robot reaching its fifth birthday this year. (See video below.)

Originally launched in 2015 to assist workers in lightweight assembly tasks, ABB says its collaborative YuMi robot has gone on to blaze a trail in a raft of diverse applications and industries, changing many people’s perceptions about what can be achieved with robotic automation.

With its ergonomic design and a range of safety features, including lightweight magnesium alloy arms with soft-padding to avoid pinch points, and advanced motion control with collision detection, YuMi is designed to be installed in workstations alongside people and increase flexibility by allowing humans and robots to work on tasks together that previously would have required safety barriers or cages. [Read more…] about ABB’s YuMi collaborative robot celebrates five years

ABB offers customized digital tools and start-up service as world gets back to work

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ABB is offering “customized digital tools and start-up services” as the world gets back to work after weeks and months of lockdown as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.

ABB says it is offering a “support package” to help restart production lines to support customers’ resumption of operations.

ABB’s Robotics and Discrete Automation business has launched a special package of digital solutions as well as virtual and field service support initiatives to help businesses restart production lines that may have been idle for weeks or months during the Covid-19 pandemic. [Read more…] about ABB offers customized digital tools and start-up service as world gets back to work

ABB releases ‘faster, higher payload’ delta robot

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ABB has released what it says is a “faster, higher payload and more flexible” delta robot – the IRB 390 FlexPacker.

The industrial giant says the machine, along with its other solutions, will its enhance robotic picking and packing portfolio and transform omnichannel order fulfillment and retail logistics.

The new IRB 390 FlexPacker is designed for applications such as customized packaging, vertical packing and high-speed, high-variation sorting and on demand order picking in logistics and e-commerce fulfillment centers. [Read more…] about ABB releases ‘faster, higher payload’ delta robot

ABB expands RobotStudio with ability to control SCARA robots from PC

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ABB says it has “simplified” the use of its popular SCARA robots by giving users the ability to commission and control the robots from their PC through RobotStudio, ABB’s simulation and offline programming software.

Robot Control Mate is an add-on to RobotStudio, enabling users to jog, teach and calibrate robots from their computer, making it easier than ever to control a SCARA robot’s movements.

For the first time, ABB’s offline programming software can be used to control the physical movements of a robot in real-time. Robot Control Mate also makes robot programming possible when a FlexPendant is not in place. [Read more…] about ABB expands RobotStudio with ability to control SCARA robots from PC

ABB offering digital services free of charge

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ABB is making its digital services available free of charge.

During this unprecedented crisis, ABB’s Robotics & Discrete Automation business says it is working to “help customers and partners keep production lines going and to enable businesses to continue to function while many are working from home”.

ABB’s Robotics & Discrete Automation business is making “key software services” available free of charge to our customers until the end of 2020. [Read more…] about ABB offering digital services free of charge

ABB launches ‘Wizard’ to make robot programming ‘more intuitive’

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ABB has launched what it calls “Wizard Easy Programming” to make robot programming “more intuitive”. (See video below.)

The company says Easy Programming makes robots easier to install, program and operate without specialized training, reducing barriers for first-time robot-users to implement automation

Wizard easy programming is a graphical programming method designed to enable users to quickly create robot application programs for ABB’s single-arm YuMi collaborative robot, without the need for specialized training. [Read more…] about ABB launches ‘Wizard’ to make robot programming ‘more intuitive’