ABB Sponsors MassRobotics, Driving Innovation in the Industry

ABB Robotics has recently announced that the company will be sponsoring MassRobotics through the donation of several GoFa robots and development licenses to ABB simulation and programming software RobotStudio. The donation is the next step from ABB to drive innovation and development within the industrial robotic industry.

ABB Robotics

ABB is a well-known global leader across many industrial fields, with the Robotics & Discrete Automation business area boasting a product catalog ranging from small robots with a payload of only a few kg up to large robots with an 800 kg capacity. ABB also has an extensive line of collaborative robots including the CRB 15000 GoFa, an ultra-fast and accurate collaborative robot, as well as mobile platforms (AMRs).

Example payload: a cobot lifting a speaker from a table. Image used courtesy of ABB

MassRobotics

The other player in the partnership, MassRobotics, is an independent robotics hub in Boston where entrepreneurs and startups can use the facilities and equipment to develop their products and push the boundaries of AI and robot technology. MassRobotics works with companies on a global scale as well as local investors.

Companies can make use of the equipment at the MassRobotics facility during various stages of their product life cycle, from conception all the way to design, prototyping, testing, scaling, and manufacturing. As with any center devoted to robotic automation innovation and development, MassRobotics relies heavily on contributions and collaborations from sponsors, which usually include companies that work directly in the industrial robotics space.

ABB's recent contribution will help smaller startup companies and entrepreneurs hone their products or help drive robotic technology further into the future.

The MassRobotics facility in Boston. Image used courtesy of ABB

ABB’s GoFa Collaborative Robot

Collaborative robots, more commonly known as cobots, are often used by smaller companies or startups that don’t have the capital or the need to invest in a fully automated, isolated robot work cell. The robot can be installed without bulky safety fencing and enclosure security, and the programming is intended to be very intuitive. A common issue with cobots is the reduced speed and lacking payload or reach (limited by safety regulations, not technology). The GoFa cobot has been carefully designed to alleviate these downfalls.

The GoFa (go faster, go further) comes in three versions with varying payload capacity, 5, 10, and 12 kg, all of which promise to have a path accuracy of 0.03 mm, which ABB claims is ten times greater precision than other cobots on the market today, thanks to a recent accuracy upgrade. This higher accuracy makes the GoFa cobot an excellent option for dispensing glue and sealants, or for precision assembly applications.

A GoFa cobot being programmed by a technician. Image used courtesy of ABB

All cobots can work alongside humans without the need for safety barriers or fencing. They can do this because their maximum speed is reduced so that the motors can stop the robot quickly. The GoFa cobot has a listed tool center point speed of 2.2 m/s, significantly faster than the ratings of many other cobots, reaching about 1.5 m/s. The high speed, along with a 0.02 mm positional repeatability, can be maintained even with a reach of 1.62 m.

Cobots In Industry

Collaborative robots play an important role in the automation industry. They have been designed to be implemented in factories that may not have the resources for large automated equipment. They also allow designers and engineers to prove their concept before investing large amounts of capital in equipment. Over the years, cobots have advanced to be faster, carry heavier payloads, and have longer reach capabilities.

By sponsoring MassRobotics, ABB will help advance the technology and the integration ability of these cobots, and other robotic technology, pushing boundaries further than ever before!