ABB, a leading power and automation technology group, today introduced YuMi, the world’s first truly collaborative dual-arm industrial robot, at the world’s leading trade fair for industrial technology, Hannover Messe.

YuMi’s introduction is another step in ABB’s next level strategy aimed at accelerating sustainable value creation.

The strategy is building on ABB’s three focus areas of profitable growth, relentless execution and business-led collaboration. The company is driving profitable growth by shifting its center of gravity toward high-growth end markets, enhancing competitiveness and lowering risk in business models, the company said.

“The new era of robotic coworkers is here and an integral part of our Next Level strategy,” said ABB CEO Ulrich Spiesshofer. “YuMi makes collaboration between humans and robots a reality. It is the result of years of research and development, and will change the way humans and robots interact. YuMi is an element of our Internet of Things, Services and People strategy creating an automated future together.”

In 1974, ABB introduced the world’s first microprocessor controlled, all-electric industrial robot and kick-started the modern robotics revolution. ABB now has an installed base of more than 250,000 robots worldwide. With the introduction of YuMi, ABB is once again pushing the boundaries of robotic automation by fundamentally expanding the types of industrial processes which can be automated with robots, it said.

While YuMi was specifically designed to meet the flexible and agile production needs of the consumer electronics industry, it has equal application in any small parts assembly environment thanks to its dual arms, flexible hands, universal parts feeding system, camera-based part location, lead-through programming, and state-of-the-art precise motion control, it said.

"YuMi can operate in very close collaboration with humans thanks to its inherently safe design. It has a lightweight yet rigid magnesium skeleton covered with a floating plastic casing wrapped in soft padding to absorb impacts. YuMi is also compact, with human dimensions and human movements, which makes humans coworkers feel safe and comfortable—a feature that garnered YuMi the prestigious “Red Dot ‘best of the best’ design award,” the company said.

"If YuMi senses an unexpected impact, such as a collision with a coworker, it can pause its motion within milliseconds, and the motion can be restarted again as easily as pressing play on a remote control. YuMi also has no pinch points so that nothing sensitive can be harmed as the axes open and close," it said.

ABB is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 140,000 people.  - TradeArabia News Service