ABB Robotics: "Omni Vance Collaborative Surface Finishing Cell" Robot Sands And Polishes

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ABB Robotics introduces the fully automated grinding and polishing cell, the "Omni Vance Collaborative Surface Finishing Cell." This solution enables small and medium-sized manufacturing companies in particular to automate surface finishing processes cost-effectively.

Surface finishing is a critical manufacturing step in nearly all sectors of the metal, plastics, and woodworking industries. However, increasingly complex production requirements and a shortage of skilled workers are creating a double challenge for companies. According to estimates by Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute, 1.9 million jobs in the manufacturing industry will remain unfilled by 2033.

Simple, Flexible Systems Are Needed

Craig McDonnell, Head of the Industries Business Line at ABB Robotics, explains: “More and more companies want to automate tasks such as grinding and polishing. However, many smaller businesses lack in-house robotics expertise. And although they must consistently deliver perfect quality, until now there was often no solution that met their requirements. Many companies are hesitant to invest in complex, custom-built automation solutions. At the same time, common off-the-shelf solutions often lack the necessary flexibility and performance. With our new ‘OmniVance Collaborative Surface Finishing Cell,’ we are introducing industrial robotics as an easy-to-use, cost-effective, and scalable solution.”

Collaborative And Ready to Use

ABB Robotics’ collaborative processing cell is a turnkey solution that bridges the gap between custom automation and standard entry-level solutions. It utilizes a “Go Fa” collaborative robot, which enables high-quality and precise surface finishing—without requiring in-depth robotics expertise.

The cell is a ready-to-use plug-and-play solution. It includes a cobot and all safety components. It is fully CE-certified and requires no additional technical adjustments to become operational and start production. It is also highly adaptable. Additional tools and accessories can be easily retrofitted, which is particularly advantageous when many product variants need to be manufactured.

More Productive And Reliable

By automating repetitive grinding and polishing tasks, the cell increases throughput. It also reduces scrap and the effort required for rework, thereby delivering cost savings. The integrated dust extraction system contributes to a clean, healthy work environment and also improves the quality of the final products. Skilled workers are relieved of this burden and can focus on higher-value tasks.

Intuitive to Use

The machining cell combines industrial quality standards and efficiency with ease of use, thanks to the intuitive software from ABB Robotics. This software was developed to control the entire finishing process. The tablet-like user interface is easy to use even for users without robotics experience and requires no custom programming. Features such as 3D path tracing, the setup of preset 2D paths, and intuitive path editing—which are integrated as programming blocks in the “Wizard Easy Programming” software—can reduce programming time by up to 90 percent.

(kmu)

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