ABB’s expanded product range set to revolutionize robotic palletizing

Citation

(2011), "ABB’s expanded product range set to revolutionize robotic palletizing", Industrial Robot, Vol. 38 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.2011.04938eaa.006

ABB’s expanded product range set to revolutionize robotic palletizing

Article Type: New products From: Industrial Robot: An International Journal, Volume 38, Issue 5

The latest product introductions from technology leader ABB include two new palletizing robots, three palletizing grippers and an easy-to-use programming software – all designed to make palletizing simpler, faster and more efficient.

ABB is further enhancing its current palletizing market product line by introducing two new robots, three new grippers, and a comprehensive software program to complement its existing palletizing product range. “We are serious about serving this market,” says Klas Bengtsson, Product Manager at ABB Robotics. “The new complete range now addresses all integrator and customer needs for palletizing solutions.”

Leading ABB’s new palletizing offering is the compact, 110 kg capacity, IRB 460 – the fastest palletizing robot in the world. Capable of up to 2,190 cycles per hour, this 4-axis robot is perfect for high-speed end-of-line palletizing and bag palletizing. The IRB 460 has a reach of 2.4 m, occupies 20 percent less floor space and runs 15 percent faster than its nearest rivals.

For high-output full-layer palletizing, ABB is introducing the IRB 760 robot. Boasting an impressive payload capacity of 450 kg and a reach of 3.2 m, this robot features high wrist inertia –double that of competitors – that enables it to rotate heavier and larger products faster than another robot. This superior speed makes the IRB 760 especially suited for palletizing beverages, building materials and chemicals.

Three FlexGrippers round out the new hardware product offerings, including a clamp, which comes in two sizes, for handling cases; a heavy-duty claw for high-speed bag palletizing; and a vacuum gripper that can handle up to five products at once.

The most revolutionary aspect of the new palletizing portfolio is ABB’s new software, RobotStudio Palletizing PowerPac. This program, which runs on a PC, allows users to configure, simulate and program ABB robots and grippers for palletizing solutions, with little or no robot programming experience required. “Robot programmers are an increasingly rare resource” says Bengtsson. “So this software is truly transformative. What used to take days will now take only minutes”.

In summarizing the benefits of the new offerings Bengtsson is quite clear: “ABB’s complete range of palletizing robots can now be combined with FlexGrippers and Palletizing PowerPac to provide a cost-effective, easy to use, one-stop choice for both end-users and system integrators”.

For more information, please visit the web site: www.abb.co.uk/robotics