ABB robotic handling solutions on show at MACH 2022

ABB will showcase its latest advanced automated handling and robotics solutions at MACH 2022 (NEC Birmingham, 4-8 April), including a high payload collaborative robot, machine tending systems to suit every production need and a magnetic levitation-based conveyance system.

Stand 18-310 will feature an example of one of ABB’s latest robotic machine tending solutions. The ABB FlexLoader M for AGV is a fully automated feeder for automated guided vehicles (AGVs). Handling all types of workpieces, it can pick straight from the pallet brought to it by the AGV.

ABB’s complete range of FlexLoader M automated machine tending solutions will be shown on the stand in a series of videos and displays, with solutions designed to suit every need, from simple applications to advanced tasks.

“Today customers are demanding greater choice and customisability with quick delivery times,” says the company. “ABB’s FlexLoader M range accommodates this by enhancing machine utilisation, flexibility and responding fast to batch size one, high mix and low volume production. Fast to program and user friendly, no robotic expertise is required, making it easy to fine-tune when business needs change over a period.”

FlexArc robotic welding cells

There will also be a presentation on ABB FlexArc robotic welding cells, “complete robot systems that are available in several flexible, modular packages, offering the best combination of price and performance for custom-built welding”.

ABB’s latest high-capacity collaborative robot GoFa will be present on the stand. Designed as a collaborative partner for a wide range of applications, GoFa offers a 5kg payload and 950 mm reach. With a top speed of 2.2 m/s, GoFa is described as “faster than other cobots in its class, while also offering easy programming and a high degree of built-in safety”.

Visitors to the stand will see GoFa in action alongside ACOPOS 6D; a new handling system that uses magnetically levitating shuttles to carry products and materials to processing stations, eliminating mechanical wear and speeding up transit times. ACOPOS 6D uses a variety of magnetic shuttles to carry payloads of 0.6 to 14 kilograms, reaching speeds of up to 2 m/s.

Six degrees of motion control freedom

“They can move freely in two-dimensional space, rotate and tilt along three axes and offer precise control over the height of levitation. Offering six degrees of motion control freedom, the shuttles can be precisely positioned to within ±5 µm, making ACOPOS 6D perfectly suited for applications with strict positioning requirements.”

Explains Matthew Rollins, business development manager for ABB Robotics in UK and Ireland: “The ability to achieve faster, more flexible manufacturing is becoming increasingly important for businesses looking to maximise their productivity and competitiveness. The solutions on display on our stand are part of a wider portfolio of products and systems that can help companies to take advantage of the real growth opportunities presented by automation.”