ABB, a leading power and automation technology company, said that it will deliver over 250 robots to Valmet Automotive for use at its Mercedes-Benz GLC SUV body shop in Uusikaupunki, Finland.

ABB’s flexible and intelligent manufacturing technologies will help Valmet Automotive reduce investment costs, increase productivity and respond quickly to market demands, said a statement from the company.

The production of the GLC sport utility vehicle will begin in early 2017, it added.

This is the largest contract for industrial robots ever signed in Finland. Valmet Automotive’s total number of ABB robots will double to more than 500, it said.

The recently announced new production line is a greenfield project, which consists of the main lines and sub-assembly cells. The additional robots will boost the Finnish automotive supplier’s flexible manufacturing allowing it to enhance its operations by improving productivity and shortening lead-times, further added the statement.

ABB Robotics’ robot solutions guarantee customers like Valmet Automotive superior efficiency in their manufacturing processes, allowing them to build cars with much more precise welds, closer tolerances and more accurate engineering overall.

The order includes the IRB 6700 robots line, introduced in 2013, which is more robust and 15 per cent more energy efficient than its predecessor. The maintenance has been simplified, making it the best performing robot with the lowest total cost of ownership in the 150-300 kg class.

The IRB 8700 line, ABB’s largest robot launched in November 2015 with a reach of 3.5 m and capable of handling a payload of up to 800 kg, is also part of the order.

Pekka Tiitinen, president of ABB’s discrete automation and motion division, said: “ABB’s flexible and intelligent manufacturing technologies will help Valmet Automotive reduce investment costs, increase productivity and respond quickly to market demands.”

“Improving industrial productivity is one of the major growth drivers of ABB’s Next Level strategy,” he added.

ABB Robotics is a leading supplier of industrial robots - also providing robot software, peripheral equipment, modular manufacturing cells and service for tasks such as welding, handling, assembly, painting and finishing, picking, packing, palletizing and machine tending.

Key markets include automotive, plastics, metal fabrication, foundry, electronics, machine tools, pharmaceutical, and food and beverage industries. A strong solutions focus helps manufacturers improve productivity, product quality and worker safety. ABB has installed more than 250,000 robots worldwide, it stated. – TradeArabia News Service