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ABB wins $150 million order to grid-connect world’s largest offshore wind farm

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ABB has won orders worth over $150 million from Danish energy company, Ørsted (previously Dong Energy), to supply technologies for the grid connection of Hornsea Project Two, slated to be the world’s largest offshore wind farm.

Hornsea Two is a 1,400 megawatt (MW) project under construction in the North Sea about 100 kilometres off the Yorkshire coast. Upon completion, it will be able to deliver enough clean electrical power to meet the needs of more than 1.3 million homes annually.

The additional power supply will support economic growth in the UK’s Humber region, and help the UK meet its target of generating 15 percent of energy needs from renewable sources by 2020.

[Read more…] about ABB wins $150 million order to grid-connect world’s largest offshore wind farm

ABB to acquire AB Rotech to expand automotive welding solutions

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ABB is to acquire AB Rotech, a privately-owned company headquartered in Bursa, Turkey, with nearly 20 years of extensive experience in robotic welding solutions and services for the automotive industry.

The expertise of AB Rotech’s engineering team covers the entire robotics welding lifecycle, from design and commissioning to electrical engineering and customer service.

The parties agreed to not disclose the value of the acquisition. The acquisition is subject to regulatory clearance and is expected to close later this year.

[Read more…] about ABB to acquire AB Rotech to expand automotive welding solutions

ABB completes acquisition of GE Industrial Solutions

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ABB has completed its acquisition of GE Industrial Solutions (GEIS), GE’s global electrification solutions business. The transaction was announced on September 25, 2017, and is expected to be accretive to operational EPS in the first year.

The $2.6 billion transaction offers substantial value creation potential within ABB, including growth opportunities to be leveraged from coupling ABB’s digital offering, ABB Ability, with the extensive GEIS installed base.

ABB expects to realise approximately $200 million of annual cost synergies in year five.

[Read more…] about ABB completes acquisition of GE Industrial Solutions

ABB launches new digital robot controller OmniCore

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ABB has launched a new robot controller called “OmniCore”, which it describes as introducing a new era of “digital robot control” to increase flexibility, reliability and performance.

The new OmniCore robot controller family offers the broadest motion control options, more tailored solutions for the connected “Factory of the Future”, a current ABB theme.

The OmniCore is one the first offerings in ABB’s new era of “flexible, intelligent and tailored solutions”, and the company says it provides high-performance applications and seamless digitalization on the factory floor.  [Read more…] about ABB launches new digital robot controller OmniCore

ABB claims its ‘world first’ digital connected paint atomizer can save ‘millions of dollars’

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ABB has launched what it claims is the “world’s first digital connected paint atomizer”, adding that the technology could potentially save “millions of dollars” for users.

The new solution – the ABB Ability Connected Atomizer – combines “state-of-the-art hardware” with ABB Ability digital platform to achieve “breakthrough paint performance”, says ABB.

The connected, sensor-equipped, robotic paint atomizer allows for real-time smart diagnostics and precise paint control to optimize painting quality, says ABB.  [Read more…] about ABB claims its ‘world first’ digital connected paint atomizer can save ‘millions of dollars’

ABB showcases vision of digital factory of the future at automatica

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ABB announced a new, intelligent design approach to its robotic solution portfolio at automatica 2018, which it says will provide customers with more flexibility and a better return on investment in automation.

The new approach will allow the portfolio to be easily tailored to a wider range of needs, both for today’s dynamic markets and future opportunities.

“The needs of our customers in all industries are changing and will continue to change. ABB is helping them prepare for the future,” said Sami Atiya, President of Robotics and Motion for ABB.

[Read more…] about ABB showcases vision of digital factory of the future at automatica

ABB launches newest member of its YuMi collaborative robot range

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ABB has launched the newest member of its YuMi collaborative industrial robot family. The company had unveiled the model in Japan towards the end of last year, and this looks to be the formal launch in Europe. 

The company unveiled the new, single-arm version – full technical name the ABB IRB 14050 single-arm collaborative robot (main picture) – at the ongoing Automatica event. ABB says the machine is its “most agile and compact collaborative robot yet and can easily integrate into existing production”.

The single-arm YuMi has the same safety features, precision and ease-of-use as dual-arm YuMi, says ABB, adding that it weighs less than 10 kg and has seven-axis dexterity.  [Read more…] about ABB launches newest member of its YuMi collaborative robot range

ABB launches third-generation of its ‘Foundry Prime’ industrial robot arm

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ABB has launched the third-generation of its “Foundry Prime” industrial robotic arm.

The company says the new robot “reduces maintenance cost by up to 60 percent” and operates at “15 percent less energy consumption”.

The IRB 6790 (main picture) targets high-pressure water-jet cleaning applications in harsh industrial environments with 100 percent humidity.  [Read more…] about ABB launches third-generation of its ‘Foundry Prime’ industrial robot arm

ABB and Kawasaki partner to launch ‘world’s first’ operating system for collaborative robots

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ABB and Kawasaki Heavy Industries are showcasing the world’s first common collaborative robot operating interface at the ongoing Automatica event. 

The two companies are among the world’s largest industrial robot manufacturers, with almost half a million installations worldwide.

The companies say the new common interface will help address the shortage of skilled workers in many industries. In Japan, for example, one person in five is within a decade of retirement.  [Read more…] about ABB and Kawasaki partner to launch ‘world’s first’ operating system for collaborative robots

South Korea tops ‘Automation Readiness Index’

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South Korea, Germany and Singapore are the world’s top-ranked nations in their preparations for smoothly integrating intelligent automation into their economies, according to an index and report released today by ABB and The Economist Intelligence Unit.

The report “The Automation Readiness Index (ARI): Who Is Ready for the Coming Wave of Innovation?” finds that even the best-prepared countries must develop even more effective education policies and training programs, as well as place a new emphasis on continual learning over the course of a career.

Those policies and programs, the report recommends, must ensure that the rapid adoption of automation technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) will not leave people unprepared for the new, more human-oriented jobs that will be needed as robots and algorithms take on more of the routine tasks that can be and will be automated.

[Read more…] about South Korea tops ‘Automation Readiness Index’