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A rendering of ABB’s new robotics campus in Sweden. | Credit score: ABB
ABB is constructing one other state-of-the-art robotics campus to proceed the enlargement of its world robotics management. ABB will make investments $280 million on a brand new robotics campus in Västerås, Sweden that can function the hub for ABB Robotics’ choices in Europe.
Development on the brand new campus is anticipated to begin within the first quarter of 2024 and be accomplished by the tip of 2026. This new facility will enhance ABB’s manufacturing capability for its collaborative and industrial robotic arms by 50% and allow it to higher serve the European market. Marc Segura, president of ABB Robotics, advised The Robotic Report ABB will max out its manufacturing capability at its present services by 2026.
Merchandise of ABB’s autonomous cellular robots (AMRs), a results of the corporate’s acquisition of ASTI Cellular Robotics in 2021, will stay in Spain, the place ASTI was based. Segura mentioned R&D and manufacturing should be in the identical place. “With ASTI, we acquired the workforce in addition to the expertise,” he advised The Robotic Report. “So to separate that from manufacturing wouldn’t be possible in our pondering.”
The 65,000 sq. meter campus will embody a brand new manufacturing unit, workplaces, a analysis and growth middle, an expertise middle and a coaching middle for purchasers and guests. The manufacturing unit may even characteristic AMRs as a key part in transporting supplies and merchandise between the warehouse, meeting stations and meeting departments.
The brand new facility will substitute the 9 separate buildings which have grown organically since 1974 and at present represent the robotics operations in Sweden. The brand new campus may even function an innovation hub for robotics startups, Segura advised The Robotic Report. Watch the video beneath to take a digital tour of what the constructing will seem like when full.
“We’ve our personal expertise roadmap that we wish to fill by way of natural growth, acquisitions and investments,” he mentioned. “This new campus will assist us match the startup community with our tech roadmap. We are going to provide startups help to run proof of ideas, we’ll lend them merchandise and expertise experience and doubtlessly enterprise capital. We’re designing the constructing in Sweden to be accessible at no cost to have startups making an attempt issues out with our expertise stacks.”
When the campus is accomplished, ABB could have invested $450 million in its three robotics services since 2018. In late 2022, ABB opened a $150 million, 67,000-square-meter robotics mega manufacturing unit in Shanghai, China. ABB additionally just lately spent $20 million to broaden its U.S. robotics manufacturing unit in Auburn Hills, Mich. that can higher serve its prospects within the Americas.
“This can be a nice time to spend money on robotics and automation,” mentioned Sami Atiya, president of ABB’s Robotics & Discrete Automation Enterprise Space. “This new Campus [in Sweden] is a big a part of our world progress story and key in supporting our European prospects as they speed up funding in robotics and AI as a result of reshoring of trade, the transfer to extra sustainable provide chains and long-term labor shortages. Our Robotics Campus will assist us to serve our prospects extra effectively and help new and present sectors like automotive, electronics, logistics, healthcare, e-commerce and prescription drugs to unlock the complete potential of automation.”
The campus in Sweden can be constructed in step with ABB’s 2030 Sustainability Targets that purpose in direction of carbon neutrality inside ABB’s operations by decreasing greenhouse gasoline emissions and rising the preservation of sources. To help this, consideration can be made within the collection of constructing supplies and building processes in addition to in the usage of photo voltaic panels on the roof.
Segura, who has labored at ABB for greater than 25 years, joined The Robotic Report Podcast in July 2023. He gave us his perspective on the present state of the robotics market, the roadmap for ABB merchandise and the way forward for cellular robots. He additionally detailed the brand new lineup of ABB industrial robots with changeable hyperlink sizes. You’ll be able to take heed to that interview beneath beginning on the 20:13 mark.