Collaborative robot and human worker sharing tasks and work space (Image credit: ABB AG)

ABB Dual-Arm Concept Robot (DACR)

Flexible and agile production is typical for the consumer electronics industry, but increasingly also in other market sectors. In order to meet these objectives, ABB has developed a dual arm assembly robot concept that also includes flexible grippers, parts feeding systems, camera-based part location and state-of-the-art robot controller.

The concept robot was created in response to requests from ABB Robotics’ existing customer base to develop robotic solutions for manufacturing environments in which humans and robots would be able to work seamlessly together. This 14-axis, dual arm robot, is the initial output from ABB Corporate Research’s initiative for industries requiring new and innovative solutions for their small part assembly operations.

A Portable Robot

The robot is compact and intended to fit into spaces ergonomically designed for human workers. This allows the robot to be easily interchanged with a human co-worker when the production order is changed or a new layout is required. The robot concept is a portable dual-arm configuration with a controller that is integrated into the torso. This enables it to be carried around easily and mounted into work stations with minimum installation requirements.

DACR is easily moved between work stations to accommodate changes in production layout (Image credit: ABB AG)

Safety first

Due to the inherently safe design of the proposed robot solution, the complexity of the risk assessment for an installation is significantly reduced. For the class of applications addressed, no enclosures are required, which allows for very fast installation, commissioning and relocation.

Key technology features and benefits include

• Safe and harmless robotic coworker for industrial assembly
• Human-like arms and body with integrated robot controller
• Complements human labor with scalable automation
• Soft padded dual arms ensure complete safety of co-workers
• Lightweight and easy to mount for fast deployment
• Agile motion control based on industry-leading ABB robot technology

As a result of the positive reaction to the introduction, ABB is now engaged in the further development of this robot. It is also part of a research project aimed at evaluating new robotic solutions for modern manufacturing concepts (FP7 Rosetta). Market introduction of the dual-arm robot is expected in 2015.

The DACR is designed for safe collaboration with human workers (Image credit: ABB AG)

Video: “The ABB dual-arm concept robot” on YouTube