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ABB buys Gomtec to boost its collaborative robotics drive

17 April, 2015

Although YuMi was designed primarily to meet the flexible, agile production needs of the electronics industry, it could be applied in any small parts assembly environment where its dual arms, flexible hands, universal parts feeding system, and camera-based part location, would be advantages.

YuMi will cost around $40,000. Spiesshofer estimates it will typically pay for itself in two years, through productivity and flexibility benefits. At Hannover, he revealed that ABB has taken its first orders for the machine. “YuMi is not just a true revolution in robotics technology,” he declared. “It has also garnered an enthusiastic reception from customers.”

ABB says that Gomtec’s technology will strengthen its development of a new generation of “safe-by-design” collaborative robots, opening up new applications.

German chancellor Angela Merkel, ABB CEO Ulrich Spiesshofer, Hans-Georg Krabbe, head of ABB in Germany, and Indian prime minister Narendra Modi, get to know the YuMi collaborative robot at the Hannover Fair

“We are seeing an increasing trend of automation innovation where humans and robots work side-by-side in ways that weren’t possible before,” explains Pekka Tiitinen, president of ABB’s discrete automation and motion division. “The addition of Gomtec to our robotics offering will help accelerate ABB’s expansion into new markets as well as our penetration of traditional industries as manufacturers pursue new ways to increase flexibility, agility and competitiveness.”

“We have found the best partner for the next step in our journey,” says Gomtec CEO, Bernd Gombert. “ABB’s global reach and broad installed base, coupled with its world-class operations will help us bring innovative robots and solutions to the rapidly growing market for collaborative automation.”

BCG Research predicted recently that by 2025, adoption of advanced robots will boost productivity by up to 30% in many industries and lower labour costs by 18% or more in countries such as South Korea, China, the US, Japan, and Germany.

•  The Danish pioneer of collaborative robotics, Universal Robots, has revealed that it is on track to meet its goal of doubling its turnover each year between 2014 and 2017. It is aiming to achieve sales of more than $150m by 2017. It took on 50 new employees in 2014 and expects to recruit a similar number this year.




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