Ultra Accuracy feature boosts path accuracy in ABB GoFa cobots

ABB Robotics today launched Ultra Accuracy, a new feature for its GoFa collaborative robot line. The company said it enables more than 10 times greater path accuracy compared with other cobots on the market.

“As industries look to automation to enhance product quality and achieve tighter tolerances — continuously decreasing the maximum allowable deviation from the standard in quality control — there is a growing need for robots that can perform tasks with exceptional precision,” stated Andrea Cassoni, global head of collaborative robots at ABB Robotics.

“By combining ultra-accurate path performance with GoFa’s inherent simplicity, safety, and flexibility, ABB’s new Ultra Accuracy feature opens a wide range of possibilities for the use of cobots in businesses including electronics, automotive, aerospace, and metal fabrication,” he added.

Ultra Accuracy gives GoFa abilities for more applications

ABB said Ultra Accuracy meets the demands of applications where exact positioning is crucial for maintaining product quality and operational efficiency. They include gluing and sealing in consumer electronics production, laser welding of car parts, composite material layers in aerospace manufacturing, and precision laser cutting in metals fabrication processes.

The new feature can also be used for accurate positioning of additive layers in building prototypes in 3D printing, as well as for performing precision quality checking in metrology applications.

In addition, ABB touted the combination of precision with speed and a full range of motion. Unlike conventional 2D gantry systems traditionally used in electronics manufacturing, GoFa cobots offer full 6D motion across their entire workspace upon delivery, it said.

The robots do not require additional calibration work, providing the flexibility and mobility to handle a broader range of tasks, according to ABB.

GoFa’s compact and portable design ensures that it can be easily integrated into existing production lines without the need for expensive customization, offering a distinct advantage over gantry-based systems, asserted the company.

It also said GoFa with the Ultra Accuracy feature can be introduced into production with minimal installation and deployment time, as the calibration is done in the factory prior to delivery.

ABB says feature is compatible with RobotStudio

The combination of Ultra Accuracy and RobotStudio enables the programming of applications offline, said ABB. This provides “a 99% match between the simulation and reality, eliminating the need for touch-ups and guaranteeing precise and efficient implementation,” it said.

The Ultra Accuracy feature is available for new GoFa collaborative robots and as a retrofit option for existing GoFa cobots.

ABB Robotics claimed that it is the only automation provider whose integrated portfolio includes industrial robots, autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), and machine automation. The unit of Zurich-based ABB Group employs approximately 11,000 people in about 53 countries and has U.S. offices in Auburn, Mich.

Editor’s note: John Bubnikovich, president of ABB Robotics U.S., will participate in a keynote panel on “Driving the Future of Robotics Innovation” at RoboBusiness 2024, which will be on Oct. 16 and 17 in Santa Clara, Calif. Register now to attend.

Register now.