ABB launches newest member of YuMi family

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The new single arm YuMi is ABB’s most agile and compact robot and is designed to fit easily into existing production lines to increase flexibility while working safely alongside people. The new collaborative robot is also one of the first of a new generation of robots from ABB to be built on a flexible new modular design platform that will allow a greater variety of robots and sizes, and more tailored solutions.

In 2015 ABB introduced YuMi. As part of the connected “Factory of the Future”, the YuMi family heralds a new era of robotic co-workers which are able to work side-by-side on the same tasks as humans while still ensuring the safety of those around it.

“The new single-arm YuMi continues our innovation in collaborative automation, helping make our already leading portfolio even more flexible,” said Per Vegard Nerseth, managing director of Robotics at ABB. “It offers added flexibility and scalability to manufacturers of all sizes, helping to meet their current challenges and anticipating future ones.”

Today’s manufacturers need flexible automation solutions to face challenges of high-mix, low-volume production in shorter cycles. Like the dual-arm version, the single-arm YuMi can work safely next to human operators, while also offering a very small footprint and can be mounted on floors, tables, walls or ceilings. This allows manufacturers to quickly and flexibly add collaborative applications to their production, with minimal interruption to existing operations.

Thanks to its versatility, the YuMi family of robots can be combined in many ways. For example a single-arm YuMi robot can be used to feed parts to a dual-arm YuMi to speed up cycle time, or added as an extra arm to integrate a testing and inspection station into an electronics assembly application.

The single-arm YuMi also features the same intuitive, easy-to-use lead through programming as the dual-arm YuMi, meaning even workers without specialised training can setup and operate the robot. Combining this simplicity with the robot’s deployment flexibility can help manufacturers in many industries offset shortages of skilled workers. It also removes entry barriers for many new potential robot users, particularly small and medium enterprises which are the backbone of many economies.

ABB Robotics https://new.abb.com/uk