THE TOUGH COOKIE OF ABB POWER ROBOTS LAUNCHED
14 February 2003 - ABB Limited (Group Headquarters)

ABB has launched the IRB 6600, a high-precision, agile yet robust robot, specially designed for demanding process applications such as spot welding, materials handling and machine tending.

The IRB 6600 is flexible and has been designed to accommodate production changes with an extremely simple modular concept. The upper arm extenders and selection of wrist modules allow easy customisation, while the working range is greatly extended by its ability to bend fully backwards. The 'bend-over-backwards' capability means that space, a precious resource, is not wasted. Further benefits are that cycles times are speeded-up and as there's no need to rotate around axis 1, the arm simply swings backwards thereby making the cell more compact and less costly. In addition, the working range and capacity of the robot is easily extended affording the freedom to make future changes in production.

The entire robot, which is IP 67 classified and foundry protected, is resistant to corrosive environments and fluids and, unlike its predecessors, submerge it in water and it will still work. In addition, the IRB 6600 is designed with a number of bottom-line boosting benefits, including active collision detection, self-tuning performance, an on-board service information system and ABS brakes. The rugged cast steel construction allows the robot to withstand high stress and collision forces - even when travelling at speed. A range of software products has also been added to provide 'active safety' which will protect not only personnel in the unlikely event of an accident but also the robot.

Active safety features include LoadID, which identifies loads and measures tool inertia, and this works in tandem with Collision Detection to protect peripheral equipment while cutting downtime. An Electronically Stabilised Path keeps the robot on its pre-programmed path. Software sensors 'sense' accelerations and stresses in metal, motors and transmissions helping to optimise each work cycle. Furthermore, self-tuning performance permits the robot to adapt to payload - it runs faster with low loads and slower with a high load, both reducing cycle time and facilitating higher throughput.

The IRB 6600 is productive, flexible and dependable and has five models in the range featuring a handling capacity of up to 225kg, a reach of up to 3.2m and a wrist torque of up to 1320 Nm. The robot is fully equipped with an optimised cable package for most processes and electricity, water and compressed air are perfectly integrated with the robot to provide quick installation and efficient production.

As robot-based automation spreads to ever-more industries and applications, the demands placed on hardware and software grow more rigorous, as does the quest for efficiency.

David Marshall, Business Manager, Robotics, ABB, comments: "With every hour of downtime being a drain on the balance sheet, industry is looking for solutions that are easy to integrate, program and use, but also utterly dependable. The quest for efficiency is crucial and with the launch of the IRB 6600, ABB is making every effort to ensure that manufacturing systems stay on-line. The IRB 6600 is designed to protect customers' investment, and the robot's speed, sheer toughness and advanced safety features all make a valuable contribution to increasing production and profitability."

http://www.abb.co.uk

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