Big news! ABB's factory with an annual production capacity of 100,000 units is about to start production

Recently, Kang Liang, general manager of ABB (China) Co., Ltd., said that the company's new $150 million robot factory in Shanghai is in the final stage of commissioning and is expected to be put into operation in the next few months.

It is understood that the factory started construction in September 2019 and took three years to build. After completion, it will become ABB's most advanced, most automated and most flexible robot factory in the world - a center for using robots to manufacture robots. The production capacity data has not yet been announced, but previous news revealed that the annual production capacity can reach up to 100,000 units.

According to the introduction, the new factory will become a complete digital manufacturing ecosystem, where managers, engineers, operators and maintenance teams can use digital twin technology to gain data insights and the advantages of machine learning to improve production efficiency. At the same time, a machine learning-based system will be used to check robot assembly work to ensure the highest quality standards.

Sami Atiya, president of ABB Robotics and Discrete Automation, said the new facility will also house an on-site R&D center to help accelerate innovation in artificial intelligence, and an open innovation center where we will work with customers to co-develop tailored automation solutions.

According to ABB's plan, the new factory will provide high-end manufacturing solutions for Asia and become part of the group's comprehensive value chain in China: from research to sales and services.

"Robotics can fill labor and skills shortages while giving companies greater flexibility, and we have seen that much of the current demand for automation comes from new industries and companies that had not previously considered automation," said Atiyah.

One example is the flexible automated pharmacy built by ABB for Shanghai Seventh People's Hospital. In a busy inpatient pharmacy, robots can speed up the distribution of drugs to patients by 50%, make the entire process traceable, simplify inventory management, and ultimately reduce the labor intensity of medical staff so that they can complete more valuable work.

In addition, ABB will continue to create solutions in the future that combine AI-driven robotics with easy-to-use management and programming software. "We are at a turning point in transforming virtual world simulation, design and collaboration into real advantages for businesses, and we keep an eye on the latest developments in virtual technology and artificial intelligence," said Atiyah.