ABB has acquired Sevensense, a Swiss startup specializing in enhancing the mobility of business robots by the applying of artificial intelligence and 3D imaginative and prescient. The long-term purpose is to construct higher navigation throughout the firm’s factories and warehouses.
This fashion, ABB is responding to the rising want for autonomous and cellular capabilities in industrial robots.
Sevensense, headquartered in Zurich, focuses on growing sensor and AI programs, offering manufacturing unit robots chargeable for transporting elements to manufacturing traces with the flexibility to understand their environment and navigate by manufacturing vegetation.
Historically, robots supplying manufacturing traces have been confined to following mounted magnetic strips, which have been labor-intensive to put in and lacked flexibility. The appearance of ABB’s newest robots marks a big departure from this mannequin, permitting robots geared up with “eyes and a mind” to freely navigate your complete manufacturing unit.
These robots, every fitted with six cameras, boast a capability to move 2 tons of supplies at speeds reaching 1.5 meters per second. The improved flexibility of those robots ought to result in environment friendly adaptation to adjustments in manufacturing traces, enabling duties like including new manufacturing cells with ease.
ABB initiatives sturdy progress available in the market for autonomous cellular robots (AMR), estimating an annual growth of roughly 20% till 2026, with the market worth anticipated to rise from $5.5 billion in 2023 to $9.5 billion by 2026.
This progress price surpasses the projected annual growth for typical mounted robots, the place ABB foresees an 8% improve.
ABB’s latest acquisition of Sevensense pits it in opposition to rivals like Japan’s FANUC and Germany’s Kuka. This strategic transfer follows ABB’s growth of its U.S. manufacturing unit within the earlier 12 months and the acquisition of ASTI Cell Robotics in 2021.
The particular monetary particulars of the Sevensense acquisition stay undisclosed. Nonetheless, the corporate is already actively integrating the acquired expertise into its merchandise.
Notable prospects, resembling automaker Ford and French tire producer Michelin, have already adopted ABB’s robots geared up with Sevensense expertise, with Ford buying 300 robots for its Tennessee plant in the US.
Written by Alius Noreika
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