ABB mentioned its GoFa cobots can be utilized for dealing with payloads as much as 5kg, 10kg, and 12kg. | Supply: ABB Robotics
Regal Rexnord Company has joined forces with ABB Robotics to simplify the combination of its GoFa cobots into seventh Axis Cobot Switch Items (CTUs) from Thomson. Thomson is one in every of Regal Rexnord’s main linear movement manufacturers.
This collaboration makes the Thomson Movotrak CTU the primary cobot seventh axis know-how that ABB Robotics has licensed to be used in its associate ecosystem.
“Till now, anybody wanting to make use of a single, plug-and-play ABB cobot on a number of workstations confronted what may very well be days of programming and communications challenges. As a part of the ABB Robotics associate ecosystem, now we have preconfigured our Movotrak CTU, making certain speedy deployment with ABB cobots proper out of the field. Integrators, distributors, and end-users can now make investments extra time utilizing the seventh axis to resolve productiveness issues than coping with advanced integration particulars,” mentioned Kevin Zaba, EVP and President, Automation & Movement Management phase of Regal Rexnord.
Regal Rexnord’s participation within the ABB associate ecosystem will contain modifications to mounting {hardware}, improvement of a specialised plug-and-play wiring harness, and programming to interface with ABB’s software program platform and engineering surroundings. This may embrace an ABB Internet App, Wizard, and RAPID Module Code programming instruments. By way of the combination, licensed ABB robotic software builders will be capable to entry the Thomson configuration instruments immediately on the ABB FlexPendant person interface.
ABB Robotics is a number one supplier of industrial robots, autonomous cellular robots (AMRs), and machine automation. In April, ABB Group introduced plans to spin off the division, which employs about 11,000 folks at greater than 100 areas in 53 nations, together with its North American headquarters in Auburn Hills, Mich.
Thomson has over 75 years of expertise creating linear movement know-how. The corporate merged with Regal Rexnord in 2023. It mentioned the merger made it extra geared up to supply full techniques by means of its management, drive, motor, energy transmission, and precision linear movement applied sciences.
Thomson describes the advantages of a seventh axis
Thomson mentioned its Movotrak CTU seventh Axis provides:
- Prolonged Working Vary: The Movotrak CTU extends the normal cobot working vary as much as 10 meters.
- Versatile Mounting Choices: With the CTU, ABB cobots can transfer from one workstation to a different alongside a rail secured both to the ground, wall, or ceiling.
- Collision Detection: The system is supplied with collision detection, stopping the cobot when it encounters an impediment.
- Elevated Productiveness: Thomson mentioned the CTU provides much less downtime with simpler coaching and set up, that includes seventh axis Freedrive mode.
- Single-Supply, Totally Built-in Answer: Thomson integrates its linear items with different Regal Rexnord elements. This contains Boston Gear gearheads, Huco couplings, and Kollmorgen motors and software program for a whole, high-level meeting with one half quantity.
“This collaboration with ABB Robotics is a good instance of how our differentiated Regal Rexnord applied sciences may be built-in into high-impact, customer-ready options,” mentioned Louis Pinkham, CEO of Regal Rexnord. “By combining the technical experience of our Thomson, Kollmorgen, Boston Gear, and Huco manufacturers right into a seamless, seventh axis system out there for the ABB Robotics associate ecosystem, we’re making it simpler for purchasers to unlock better productiveness and suppleness of their automation methods. It additionally displays our ongoing dedication to innovation and delivering worth by means of system-level considering.”
