ABB, a well-established supplier to Volvo Cars, is set to provide over 1,300 robots and functional packages to support Volvo in constructing the next generation of electric vehicles, aligning with its ambitious sustainability objectives.
Marc Segura, President of ABB Robotics, commented on the automotive industry’s transformative shift, emphasizing the shared commitment to sustainable manufacturing. The partnership aims to contribute to global sustainability goals by addressing the increasing consumer demand for electric vehicles.
The comprehensive agreement encompasses functional packages designed for various production tasks such as spot-welding, riveting, dispensing, flow drilling, and ultrasonic weld inspection. Each package is a proven combination of hardware, software, and services, ready for use and will be implemented at Volvo Cars’ facilities in Torslanda, Sweden, and Daqing, China. ABB’s latest OmniCore robot controllers, known for their energy efficiency, are expected to deliver up to 20% energy savings at sites due to advanced power electronics and regenerative braking within the robots.
ABB will ensure uninterrupted production during deployment by leveraging its RobotStudio planning and programming software platform. This platform allows for visualization and optimization of robot deployment before installation. The collaborative efforts between Volvo Cars and ABB aim to create automation systems that can be engineered once and deployed multiple times by developing and validating solutions in a virtual space.
This ongoing collaboration builds on the longstanding partnership between Volvo Cars and ABB, with the first deployments anticipated in early 2024, marking another milestone in their joint commitment to enhancing the efficiency of car production and advancing industrial robot capabilities.
