ABB Upgrades IRB 1200 With Faster Speed and 9 kg Payload

ABB Robotics has recently introduced a new generation of its IRB 1200 small industrial robot, featuring major upgrades in speed, payload flexibility, and accuracy. Now available in four models powered by ABB's OmniCore controller, the new IRB 1200 models are designed for high precision, speed, and performance in automotive electronics and general manufacturing industries.

The new IRB 1200 model featured in a high-speed assembly line for pick-and-place operations. Image used courtesy of ABB Robotics

Additional Payload Variants for Flexibility

The latest upgrade for the IRB 1200 models is available in four payload options: 5 kg, 7 kg, 8 kg, and a new class-leading model at 9 kg. The expanded payload range of ABB's new models offers flexibility in handling and broader application in industries that require the handling of varying load capacities within compact robotic cells. With the added high payload of 9 kg, the robot model fills the gap for precision applications involving heavier components, eliminating the need to upgrade to a larger, more expensive robot.

ABB Robotics' IRB 1200 models are designed to offer efficiency and cost-effectiveness in pedestal mounting and energy consumption while weighing 20% less than previous models. The reduced weight enables the robotic arm to fit into small installation spaces in production environments with space constraints.

Powered by OmniCore for Superior Motion Control

Compared to previous variants that use the IRC5 compact controllers for motion control, the newly upgraded IRB 1200 family features ABB's OmniCore controller, which enhances precision and high-speed motion control. The new models exhibit a 5% increase in cycle times compared to the previous models, with a maximum speed of 1600 mm/s. With a pose repeatability of 0.011 mm, the new robot models can handle even tiny components with high precision. Paired with their 6 mm path accuracy, the new IRB 1200 robots are suitable for fine-pitch dispensing operations, laser cutting, and polishing, which require consistency and accuracy.

The new IRB 1200 robot demonstrates high path accuracy in dispensing operations. Image used courtesy of ABB Robotics

Smarter Robotics with ABB's AI Ecosystem

In addition to hardware improvements, ABB Robotics has integrated software intelligence into its IRB 1200 platform. With the introduction of OmniCore, users can utilize RobotStudio, ABB's leading PC-based software for offline programming and simulation. The RobotStudio AI Assistant, an addition to the software suite, uses generative AI to simplify and accelerate setup and optimization. For easy customization and creation of user interfaces for robot operations, ABB's no-code AppStudio software allows users to design an intuitive control panel for robot tasks.

With the growing and changing production environments, the tools that come with the new ABB solution reduce deployment times, enhance the operator experience, and enable the adaptation of robots to new tasks. According to ABB Robotics' President Marc Segura, this growing need for adaptable automation solutions, particularly in Asian SMEs, highlights the need for efficient and precise small automation solutions, which the new IRB 1200 addresses. Combined with the OmniCore controller and ABB's software suite, automation engineers can benefit from flexible and intelligent robotic systems for their precision manufacturing applications.