IRB 6700 Robot Family

ABB Robotics has introduced the IRB 6700 robot family, its seventh generation of large industrial robots. The new IRB 6700 is available in payloads from 150 to 300 kg, and reaches from 2.6 to 3.2 meters, and is designed for spot welding, material handling and machine tending. In addition to enhanced speed, payload and accuracy, the power consumption has been lowered by 15 percent, total cost of ownership has been reduced by up to 20 percent, and maintenance has been optimized, doubling the time between service intervals.

The new model is available with LeanID, a new Integrated Dressing (ID) designed for easier programming and a smaller footprint. It has also been built to withstand the harshest working environments and is available with ABB's ultimate Foundry Plus 2 protection system.

In determining what improvements to include, ABB studied the detailed field reports from the IRB 6700's predecessor and engaged closely with customers during a year-long study.

Our aim from the beginning was to deliver a robot with the lowest total cost of ownership available," says Ola Svanstrom, ABB Robotics product manager for large robots. "When we asked our customers what they value most in our large robots their answer was virtually unanimous — reliability. So, we revisited every aspect of our current range to improve everything we could in this regard. It may not look that different from its predecessor on the outside, but the hundreds of small improvements on the inside are what count."

Every robot in the 6700 family has been designed to accommodate Lean ID and achieve a balance between cost and durability by integrating the most exposed parts of the dress pack into the robot. Equipping an IRB 6700 with Lean ID makes it easier to program and simulate with predictable cable movements, creates a more compact footprint, and lengthens service intervals due to lessened wear and tear.

"As a direct result of close collaboration with our suppliers, the IRB 6700 also includes a new generation of accurate, efficient and reliable motors and compact gearboxes," said Nick Hunt, ABB Robotics manager of technology and support, North America. "We spent a great deal of engineering effort making the robot as rigid as possible to better protect and prepare it for the harsh environments in which it operates. We also validated and tested more robot prototypes than ever before to ensure our predictions for reliability are accurate in the real world."

In designing the new robot, easier serviceability was identified as a critical aspect for improving its total cost of ownership. Service routines for the machine have been shortened and intervals between them have been increased. Access to motors has also been improved and technical documentation for maintenance has become easier to read and understand through the use of improved graphics and 3D simulations called "Simstructions."

At introduction, the IRB 6700 family will include four variants ranging in payload from 150 to 235 kg and reaches of 2.65 to 3.20 meters. Four additional variants will be added over the next 18 months to meet the needs of higher payloads up to 300 kg, as well as shorter reaches on lower payload models.