FEATURE ANNIVERSARY SUPPLEMENT
Documenting a revolution in robotic automation
Robotic technology has undergone a huge transformation in the last four decades says ABB, with new capabilities expanding the range of applications where robots can be used
D
uring the last 35 years, industrial production technology has developed
at an astonishing rate. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the case of industrial robots. From just a handful of units with limited capabilities sold in the early 1970s, the take-up of robots has grown exponentially, with recent estimates from the international Federation of Robotics (IFR) pointing to 1,946,000 robots likely to be in use by 2017.
EVOLUTION TO REVOLUTION The evolution of the industrial robot can be traced back to the Unimate, the first programmable industrial robot built in 1954 by American inventor George Devol. This robot, which used drum memory, was installed in a General Motors plant in 1961 to lift hot pieces of metal from a die casting machine. This was the beginning of the industrial robot’s long and successful career in the automotive industry, although it was not until the 1970s that demand was really to take off. Another industry-first occurred in 1974,
with the launch of the ASEA IRB 6, the world’s first microprocessor-controlled robot. This model allowed five-axis movement with a lift capacity of 6 kg and was adapted into a series which could be used for material handling, packing, polishing, welding and grinding. ASEA merged with Brown, Boveri & Cie in 1988 to form ABB.
Since 1974, robotic technology transformed, with new capabilities being added that have expanded the range of
applications where robots can be used. A good example is welding. In 1979, ABB launched its IRB 60, the first electrical robot used for spot welding. Since then, there have been massive developments in ABB’s own robot welding technology, with complete cells now available that can handle various welding tasks. These same
developments have also been mirrored in robots for a variety of other industries such as the plastics, wood, electrical, education and even entertainment sectors. Opportunities have also opened up in the pharmaceutical sector, where advances in robotic vision, handling and hygiene are seeing robots being adopted in increasing numbers.
ROBOT CONTROL Aside from the design of the robots themselves, much of the expanded capabilities of today’s robots can be attributed to the advances made in robot control technology. For example, ASEA’s IRB 6 robot was operated through the wardrobe-sized S1 controller, which used Intel’s first chipset, the 8008 8-bit microprocessor. The front of the controller had a series of buttons and knobs through which the user could operate the system. Although very advanced for its time, it still required specialist knowledge to program and operate. Although this kind of controller would
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The IRB6 is said to be the first microprocessor- controlled robot
35th Anniversary
seem antiquated when placed alongside today’s intuitive hand-held solutions, it was an innovative leap forward in comparison with its contemporaries. The Unimate was operated using a sequential control system. In the same way that you programme a washing machine there were a number of set steps with a variety of programmable positions but no control over the robot’s path. This was very limiting - unlike the S1 which could expand into both path and sensor control. When Bertil Thorvaldsson, global product
manager for ABB Robotics presented ‘Smartphone simplicity for robot users – from rotary dials to holograms’ at the ‘Engineering an Automation Nation’ event in May of this year, he compared the rotary dial telephone with the 1974 teach pendant, a cast iron box with a small alpha-numeric display. 25 years later the first smart phone arrived and by this time the teach pendant had an ergonomically- designed Windows interface unit, fewer buttons and a joy-stick. Nowadays we are familiar with the simple screens of smart devices such as iPhones. Today’s FlexPendant utilises this same technology, offering a touch-sensitive screen and the ability to quickly and easily create customised set up and monitoring displays.
IRB 6700 with FlexGun
INTERNET OF THINGS With the ‘internet of things’ calling for connectivity over a number of devices, ABB has also developed the soft teach- pendant, an application which runs on any Windows 8 device, including tablets. This allows the user to program, commission, operate and supervise robots on the move. The first step is a calibration tab which allows synchronisation between mechanical units on the shop floor and the controller. Testing the programme is performed through the RobotStudio Online Tune app which provides an edit screen to modify the code. Further modifications of the robot’s movements can be performed with the Jog app and a handheld safety device. This new approach to control extends to
smart phones, too. Production supervisors and maintenance staff have immediate access to data about all the robots in their plant such as events, alarms and status through the MyRobot app. Arguably, the technological experience of
Generation Y would lead them to expect no less than ABB’s latest advancements in robot control. But when the strides that ABB has made over the past four decades are considered, the future of robotic automation looks more exciting than ever.
IRB60 with SI controller
ABB T: 01908 350300
www.abb.com/robotics
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