ABB has secured a contract with the West Sea Shipyard in Viana do Castelo, Portugal, to equip six new Portuguese Navy offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) with an integrated power, propulsion, and automation system to ensure optimal efficiency. The vessels are planned to be delivered between 2027 and 2031. The new vessels will have the Azipod…
NASA’s wind tunnel gets a new lease of life
ABB has upgraded a variable speed drive to extend the life of NASA’s National Transonic Facility (NTF) wind tunnel by at least 10 years. This service project has boosted the reliability and availability of the world’s largest medium voltage (MV) drive system. To pull it off, drive experts engineered a solution to match the electrical…
ABB and Stadler collaborate to advance US passenger rail
Metra and Caltrans trainsets to use ABB’s innovative traction technology Key components to be assembled at ABB’s Traction factory in Mechanicsville, Virginia Partnership highlights commitment to local-for-local manufacturing and environmental stewardship ABB has announced its collaboration with Stadler US to advance sustainable rail transport in the United States (US). The collaboration will see ABB supply…
ABB invests in strategic partnership with US start-up Molg
Investment by ABB Drive Products to develop next-generation products for circularity and resource-efficient future. Companies will develop design architecture for drive manufacturing by optimizing testing and assembly processes in Molg’s robotic Microfactories. Collaboration started in 2024, with ABB Robotics participation in Molg’s seed round of funding. ABB Motion’s Drive Products division has invested in Virginia-based…
ABB adds AI to robotic Item Picking family for fashion and logistics
ABB is expanding its portfolio of robotic solutions for logistics and e-commerce supply chains by adding two new AI-powered functional modules to its Item Picking family. Featuring ABB’s AI-based vision technology, tested by world-leading fashion retail and logistics companies, the Fashion Inductor and Parcel Inductor offer solutions for two of the most critical logistics processes:…
New ABB and Fraunhofer IPA report on how hard-to-abate industries can achieve net zero
· Total emissions must fall by at least 50% by 2050, according to the IEA[1] to meet climate goals · Five heavy industry sectors contribute nearly one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions, but provide over 25% of global GDP[2] · The report highlights readily available solutions for energy efficiency and electrification besides providing an overview…
ABB survey predicts growth in EV production despite doubts on meeting ‘full EV’ deadline
ABB Robotics’ third Automotive Manufacturing Outlook Survey, in partnership with the leading global industry publication Automotive Manufacturing Solutions, has provided key insights into how automotive manufacturing leaders and key suppliers view EV production objectives. “This year’s survey found that overall, automotive manufacturing professionals are optimistic about EV production growth in 2025 but unsure about reaching…
ABB Robotics and AUAR to build climate-neutral research facility
ABB Robotics and construction technology company AUAR are working together to build “ConstrucThor,” a research facility in Belgium showcasing the future of sustainable construction. The project will harness AUAR’s micro-factories technology and is assembled using an automated construction process powered by ABB robots. Once completed, the state-of-the-art facility will serve as a living laboratory dedicated…
ABB: “Eyes, hands, brains, and mobility” will define robotics beyond 2025
• Building on 50 years of robotics leadership, 2025 marks the beginning of a new era of AI application in industrial robotics. • The new age of Generative AI-powered automation makes robots more intelligent, mobile, accessible, and versatile, disrupting new and emerging sectors for robotics. • Launch of new ABB Robotics brand film unveils new…
ABB launches AppStudio no-code tool for robot interface programming
ABB has launched AppStudio, an intuitive, no-code software tool allowing users of all experience levels to create customized robotic user interfaces easily. Its intuitive functionality and features, including a collaborative cloud-based library that enables users to share application templates, will reduce setup times by up to 80%. “A growing shortage of skilled labor requires the…
ABB Robotics names T-Robotics and Mbodi as AI Startup Challenge winners
ABB Robotics has announced T-Robotics and Mbodi the winners of its 2024 ABB Robotics AI Startup Challenge, marking a significant milestone in advancing artificial intelligence solutions for industrial robotics. Selected from over 100 global applicants, these pioneering startups will help transform how industrial robots understand, learn, and adapt to complex manufacturing environments through breakthrough artificial…
ABB launches new paint atomizer, making paint shops more efficient and sustainable
ABB has launched the RB 1000i-S paint atomizer to revolutionize automotive paint shops. The new paint atomizer mounted on the ABB robot improves transfer efficiency by 10%. It can significantly reduce paint waste and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by a minimum of 30% compared to its predecessor, the RB 1000i. In addition, central efficiency and…
ABB opens doors to the public for Manufacturing Day
ABB, a North American motion product manufacturer, is opening its NEMA Motors Division world headquarters in Fort Smith, Arkansas, to the local community on Thursday, October 3, in celebration of Manufacturing Day (MFG Day), officially observed on Friday, October 4. This open house event is intended to educate and inspire students, parents, educators, and community…
AUAR ships robotic micro-factories to the US to build sustainable, affordable homes across the Midwest
Construction tech startup Automated Architecture (AUAR) is shipping two of its robotic micro-factories to the U.S. in its first move to expand operations to North America. The first of their kind, AUAR’s micro-factories will be deployed by Rival Holdings, a real estate development and construction firm, to build thousands of sustainable and affordable homes across…
ABB launches groundbreaking Ultra Accuracy for GoFa cobots
ABB Robotics has launched Ultra Accuracy, a new feature for its GoFa cobot family that delivers the highest level of precision available in cobots. It enables over ten times greater path accuracy compared to other cobots on the market. “As industries look to automation to enhance product quality and achieve tighter tolerances — continuously decreasing…
ABB Robotics sponsors MassRobotics to accelerate innovation in the robotics industry
ABB Robotics announced its sponsorship of MassRobotics, one of the first innovation hubs and startup accelerators for robotics in the U.S. As part of this sponsorship, ABB Robotics will donate several of its versatile GoFa 5 kg collaborative robots (cobots),and licenses to its RobotStudio simulation programming software to MassRobotics, providing emerging companies access to cutting-edge…
CIP Safety module for ABB drives
ABB has introduced its CIP Safety FSCS-21 Function Module compatible with its ACS380 (Machinery), ACS580 (General Purpose) and ACS880 (Industrial) series of drives. Certified by TUV, this easy-to-use, compact plug-in safety module enables seamless integration of ABB drives into a CIP Safety network with any CIP Safety PLC. The module features two built-in safety functions: […]
ABB’s SP4 motor line is now available in severe duty enclosures
ABB continues to help companies increase motor efficiency by as much as 20% by expanding the ABB Baldor-Reliance SP4 motor line. The development of the new cast-iron totally enclosed fan-cooled (TEFC) severe-duty motor marks the second phase of ABB’s SP4 technology launch. This model is uniquely designed for applications in hazardous environments with certifications for…
ABB Baldor-Reliance EC Titanium motors earn ENERGY STAR Emerging Technology Award
The ABB Baldor-Reliance EC Titanium motor has been recognized with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s 2024 ENERGY STAR Emerging Technology Award. This annual award recognizes products that meet stringent performance criteria in specific categories. By highlighting innovative solutions with the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the award promotes promising technologies that may not…
ABB and children’s hospital create breakthrough automation for neurological research
The world’s first solution to automate the transfer of fruit flies without anesthetization, using ABB’s dual-arm YuMi® cobot. Researchers save 20% time to focus on critical tasks in the study and treatment of neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s ABB Robotics and the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute (Duncan NRI) at Texas Children’s Hospital, one…
ABB’s new machine tending cell simplifies automation to offset labor shortages
ABB has launched its new OmniVance Collaborative Machine Tending Cell, providing a complete integrated solution for automated machine tending that is easy to program, install, and use. The standardized solution combines a collaborative GoFa 12 robot and user-friendly software in a compact solution for fast installation and easy operation. “Our new package makes it easier…
ABB launches next-generation Robotics control platform OmniCore
ABB Robotics has launched OmniCore, an intelligent automation platform that is faster, more precise, and more sustainable, to empower, enhance, and futureproof businesses. The OmniCore platform, the result of more than $170 million of investment in next-generation robotics, is a step change to a modular and futureproof control architecture that will enable the full integration…
ABB Robotics launches global startup challenge to accelerate innovation in robotics and AI
ABB today announced the launch of its 2024 Robotics AI Startup Challenge, a global competition designed to accelerate the development of AI solutions in robotics. The challenge is part of ABB’s ecosystem for innovation, with a previous challenge resulting in the acquisition of Sevensense in January 2024, a Swiss-based start-up and leading provider of AI-enabled…
ABB expands modular large robot portfolio
ABB Robotics is continuing the expansion of its modular large robot portfolio with the introduction of the new IRB 7710 and IRB 7720. The new robots, combined with recently launched IRB 5710-IRB 5720 and IRB 6710-IRB 6740, offer a combined total of 46 different variants capable of handling payloads between 70 kg to 620 kg…
The robots are coming… to create new jobs?
By Mike Santora Back in March, I had the opportunity to attend ABB’s 2024 Robotics & Automation Summit at its newly expanded U.S. Robotics headquarters just outside of Detroit. To help kick off the event, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer took the stage to congratulate the company but also to speak about what the expansion means…