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ABB completes new large industrial robot line with introduction of two more variants
10/20/2014 |
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2014-10-14 - The IRB 6700 family of robots is a natural evolution following 40 years of large robot heritage at ABB, featuring a multitude of next generation improvements meant to obtain the lowest total cost of ownership.
For 40 years ABB has evolved its lineup of large industrial robots to meet modern manufacturing needs. This depth of experience has led to a comprehensive knowledge of the needs of our customers and the technical capability to produce the most robust and cost effective machines available. ABB unveiled the first four members of the IRB 6700 family in November 2013; followed by two additional members in February 2014. Today, ABB again raises the bar with the introduction of the IRB 6700-300/2.70 and the IRB 6700-245/3.00, the last two variants in its 7th generation large robot family.
Not only have accuracy, payload and speed been increased, but power consumption has been lowered by 15% and service has been simplified. In determining what improvements to include, ABB studied the detailed field reports from the IRB 6700's predecessor and engaged closely with customers during a yearlong study.
"Historically, when designing our robots we have always focused on performance. This time we emphasized reliability and lowering total cost of ownership," says Ola Svanström, ABB Product Manager for Large Robots. "The IRB 6700 focuses on MTBF (mean time between failures), MTTR (mean time to repair), and the essential elements required to achieve these objectives."
Every robot in the 6700 family is designed to accommodate LeanID - a new Integrated Dressing (ID) solution meant to achieve a balance between cost and durability by integrating the most exposed parts of the dress pack into the robot. Equipping an IRB 6700 with LeanID makes it easier to program and simulate with predictable cable movements, creates a more compact footprint, and lengthens service intervals due to lessened wear and tear. Any of the IRB 6700 eight family members also can be ordered with ABB's Foundry Plus for additional protection. This optional protection system guards ABB's robots against the harshest of foundry environments which can be extremely hard on standard robots and equipment.
"Our automotive customers have told us it is not unusual to change a spot welding dress pack on 60% of their robots every year," adds Svanström. "Thanks to the IRB 6700 family, we can deliver a dress pack with a full warranty - just like the rest of the robot - which is a giant step forward when it comes to uptime."
In designing the new robot, easier serviceability was identified as a critical aspect for improving its total cost of ownership. Service routines for the machine have been shortened and intervals between them have been increased.
ABB has installed more than 250,000 robots worldwide. All ABB Robotics' products are fully supported by the ABB Robotics' global sales and service organization in 53 countries and over 100 locations.
Visit www.abb.com/robotics for further information. |
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