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Automate 2024: Robot welding, AMRs, collaborative robots insights

• ABB demonstrated industrial and collaborative robots, autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), and industrial automation at the Automate 2024 event by A3 in Chicago.
• ABB replicated a car manufacturing work cell and created a demo area for ABB GoFa collaborative robots.
• An ABB robotic item picker demo used the new ABB AI solution and integrated the ABB FlexPicker, B&R Acopostrak Intelligent Track and Acopos6D.

Robotics that use artificial intelligence (AI) can more quickly help companies improve production efficiency and quickly adapt to changing market demands, as shown at Automate 2024 event by A3, the Association for Advancing Automation, in Chicago. In 2024, ABB celebrates 50 years in robotics.

ABB’s AI investments include the recent acquisition of AI-enabled 3D vision navigation company Sevensense, helping ABB serve customers in logistics and manufacturing. AI-enabled 3D vision addresses customer needs for greater flexibility and intelligence amid critical skilled labor shortages, the company said. Highlights of ABB’s Automate booth included a car component manufacturing demo showing three ABB Robotics six-axis robots that served as a backdrop for a Control Engineering video interview with ABB Robotics, along with collaborative robots, autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), robot controllers and welding robots.

GoFa collaborative robot as shown at the ABB Robotics A3 Automate 2024 booth. Courtesy: Mark T. Hoske, Control Engineering

Industrial, collaborative robots, AMRs, automation

“While our 50-year legacy of global robotic leadership is a tremendous milestone, ABB’s focus is on serving current and future customers of all sizes with the industry’s most comprehensive portfolio of industrial and collaborative robots, autonomous mobile robots and machine automation solutions,” said John Bubnikovich, ABB’s US Robotics Division president. In addition, “The recently completed, $20 million expansion of our robot facility in Michigan will bring us closer to our US customers as we help them build resilient competitive advantages in their respective industries,” Bubnikovich said in a pre-show release.

The AMRs included ABB’s first AI-powered AMR with Visual SLAM navigation technology, which offers what ABB called “an unprecedented combination of speed, accuracy and payload.” The AMR P604 Flexley Mover was shown transporting components between manufacturing operations. The AMR T702 Flexley Tug featured Sevensense Visual SLAM AI navigation and ABB AMR Studio.

Four ABB GoFa collaborative robots displayed ability to handle a diverse range of applications; an AI-enabled robotic item picking cell; a digital corner with ABB’s latest software innovations; and an ABB FlexPicker delta picking robot with B&R Acopostrak Intelligent Track and B&R Acopos6D technology.

ABB showed its STEM Education Package in the Education Pavilion with an accompanying collaborative robot training cart showcases ABB’s initiative to inspire students with interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) curriculum to pursue advanced manufacturing careers while preparing them for the future of work.

In the ABB Automate 2024, ABB demonstrated an automotive work cell that included a five-step sub-assembly process where a sub-assembly component enters the cell, carried by an ABB AMR P604 Flexley Mover. An automated guided robot control panel is shown. Courtesy: Mark T. Hoske, Control Engineering

ABB demonstrated car manufacturing

In the car component manufacturing demo, ABB demonstrated a range of welding solutions to join aluminum or steel parts that help automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and related tier suppliers assemble car components more efficiently, accurately and safely. The demo showed a sub-assembly process, featuring:

• New large ABB robot (launched May 6), performing material handling, the IRB 7700 Series (IRB 7710 and IRB 7720) modular large robot portfolio powered by the ABB OmniCore V400XT controller.

• IRB 6730 for performing spot welding

• ABB OmniCore V400XT Controllers (One each for the new large robot and the IRB 6730 robot)

• ABB OmniVance FlexArc IRB 1660ID for performing arc welding, along with AMRs.

The demo operation represents a five-step sub-assembly process:

1. The sub-assembly component enters the cell, carried by an ABB AMR P604 Flexley Mover.

2. The ABB IRB 7710 handles the individual parts, placing them into a fixture mounted on a component positioner.

3. After the positioner rotates the parts, an OmniVance FlexArc with an ABB IRB 1660ID mounted on top of the frame, performs arc welding.

4. Subsequently, an ABB IRB 6730 with a GWT x9 Spot Welding Gun, positioned on the floor, conducts spot welding.

5. Simultaneously, the now-welded sub-assembly is unloaded by the ABB IRB 7710 and placed back onto the AMR, which then transports it to the next manufacturing operation. Mounting the arc welding robot at the top of the frame, above the positioner, minimizes the system’s footprint on the factory floor and facilitates the seamless integration of additional robots, such as those used for spot welding, into the manufacturing workflow.

ABB GoFa collaborative robot demo area

Four ABB GoFa collaborative robots of varying models can handle a diverse range of applications:

• GoFa (10 kg) Agility with the new Bullseye 10, a fully automated tool center point (TCP) with customized pre-defined programs that enable precise calibration during production execution.

• GoFa (12 kg) Machine Tending, includes all the components needed for SMEs and first-time robot users adopt automated machine tending of smaller parts.

• GoFa (5 kg) Arc Welding, a breakthrough solution that simplifies creating and executing welding sequences, empowering first-time robot users to create high-quality welds without the need for in-depth knowledge of robot programming.

• GoFa (5 kg) Laboratory Automation, interfaces with different laboratory equipment to automate the flow of samples that are routinely handled manually in many quality and research labs. Coordinated by the LabX Laboratory Software from Mettler Toledo.

Robotic item picker demo with new ABB AI solution

An AI- and vision-based functional module that can accurately detect and pick items in unstructured environments in warehouses and fulfillment centers. It helps customers automate order picking and sorter induction operations.

ABB OptiFact helps elevate factory automation with condition monitoring, display and analysis of robotic fleet trends, as shown in this Automate 2024 booth demonstration showing robot controller condition monitoring, CPU temperature, main processor temperature, fan speed, voltage levels, duty time and last service and CPU load information. Courtesy: Mark T. Hoske, Control Engineering

Integration: ABB FlexPicker, B&R Acopostrak Intelligent Track, Acopos6D

Multiple ABB and B&R technologies (IRB 360 FlexPicker, Acopostrak, Acopos 6D, B&R integrated machine vision) simulated a batch size one process. A B&R smart camera is used to identify physical product information such as orientation, position, color and type to correctly route the Acopos 6D shuttles to the IRB 360 FlexPicker to fulfil custom orders delivered to Acopostrak, while maintaining high-speed throughput, track and trace and adaptability to last second order changes.

ABB said its software takes the time, effort and complexity out of programming and operating robots by using ABB RobotStudio and the new ABB OmniCore robot controllers.

In 1974, ABB said it offered the world’s first commercial all-electric robot, the IRB 6. Now ABB Robotics & Discrete Automation supports customers in the transition toward the connected and collaborative factory of the future, employing approximately 11,000 people at more than 100 locations in approximately 53 countries.

Mark T. Hoske is editor-in-chief, Control Engineering, WTWH Media, mhoske@wtwhmedia.com; edited from ABB-supplied information.

KEYWORDS

Automate 2024, robot welding, AMRs, collaborative robots

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