ABB Builds World's Most Advanced Robot Factory in Shanghai

The latest in the research of connected digital technologies, state-of-the-art robots based on human collaboration and artificial intelligence comes together in a historic investment to build the most sophisticated, automated and flexible "Factory of the Future".  With this $150 million investment, ABB will further strengthen its No. 1 position in the world's largest robotics market  Digital innovations will gain momentum, artificial intelligence will advance thanks to the expanded on-site R&D Center  Innovative factory design makes maximum use of every meter of production  China, where ABB has invested $2.4 billion since 1992, is now the firm's second largest market Pioneering digital technology company ABB is today, It announced a $150 million investment to build the world's most advanced, automated and flexible robot factory – a groundbreaking hub where robots make robots – in Shanghai, China. The new Kangqiao manufacturing center, which will be established near ABB's ever-expanding China robotics campus, will be the "Factory of the Future," where the company's connected digital technologies, including ABB Ability™ solutions, state-of-the-art robots based on human collaboration, and innovative AI research come together to create a highly sophisticated and environmentally sustainable manufacturing facility. The center is expected to be operational by the end of 2020. According to today's announcement, this project is a milestone for ABB as the No. 1 robot manufacturer in China and a crucial investment in global growth in the world's largest robotics market. In 2017, China bought a third of the robots sold around the world, or about 138,000 robots. Today, ABB employs around 5,000 people in Shanghai, while the company's robotics business in China employs more than 2,000 engineers, technologists and operations leaders at 20 locations across the country. ABB has invested more than $2.4 billion in China since 1992, with a total of more than 18,000 employees. In addition, ABB today signed a comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement with the Shanghai local government to support industry, energy, transport and infrastructure in the region, as well as the "Made in Shanghai" manufacturing initiative. The agreement was signed by Shanghai Mayor Ying Yong and ABB CEO Ulrich Spiesshofer. "China's determination to transform its production is a beacon for other countries of the world," Spiesshofer said. "The country's strategic understanding of the latest technologies in the fields of artificial intelligence, advanced robotics and cloud-based computing should be adopted by every country that wants to have production facilities that can compete at a global level. Shanghai has become a vital hub for both ABB and the world in terms of leadership in advanced technology. We look forward to working with Shanghai Mayor Ying Yong, other community leaders and our customers at this new stage where our journey to become China's leading Robotics manufacturer began more than two decades ago in Shanghai has reached a major expansion of our significant presence in the country." Leading the Way with the Digital Factory of the Future – Custom Solutions and Better Performance The new Shanghai factory, which will feature a number of features such as machine learning, digital and human-machine collaboration solutions, will be the most advanced, automated and flexible factory in the robotics industry. In addition, the on-site R&D center will contribute to the acceleration of innovations in the field of artificial intelligence. With ABB's new, global design concept announced earlier, the factory will have the possibility to significantly increase both the width (types of robots) and the depth (variants of each type) of the robots to be produced, so that special adaptations to meet customer requirements can be made more and faster. ABB will also be able to combine this expanded robot portfolio with an almost unlimited number of custom solutions. Sami Atiya, Head of Robotics and Motion division at ABB: "The concept behind this factory is the same thing we advise our customers every day: to invest in automation solutions that provide the flexibility and agility to grow in any direction the market goes. At ABB, we are proud to help our customers in China and around the world with solutions that take full advantage of the latest technologies that overcome the challenges of customer-centric mass production, faster cycles and constant change, which have become the new normal for our own factories." The entire Shanghai factory will be modeled with its digital twin so that management, engineers, operators and maintenance professionals can make the best decisions with intuitive operation dashboards customized for them. This includes analyzing the status and performance of ABB robots in the factory by collecting AI data through ABB Ability™ Connected Services; this will enable potential anomalies to be identified in advance. ABB Ability™ offers advanced digital solutions that improve performance, reliability and energy use as well as avoid costly operational downtime, as well as provide access to the world's best platforms, such as the Microsoft Azure enterprise cloud, the first international public cloud service operated in China Innovative Design for Better Utilization of Manufacturing Space The plan for the new factory is more than fixed assembly lines, It will have an innovative, flexible design based on interconnected automation islands. ABB logistics automation solutions will be used throughout the factory; The auto-guided cars will autonomously follow the robots in motion throughout the production process, and these vehicles will supply parts to the robots at local stations. In this way, production will be able to effectively adapt and scale to changes in the Chinese robot market without additional capacity extensions. Per Vegard Nerseth, Head of ABB Robotics, says: "As the path we are following has been geared towards meeting the demands of the future, our view of factory size and capital expenditure (CAPEX) has changed drastically. The concept behind our new factory is to use every square meter of production in the smartest and most flexible way. This is achieved by combining agile automated solutions with the extraordinary skills of our people." ABB's SafeMove2 software will be used extensively at the new Shanghai factory to help move customer-centric mass production and provide the highest levels of productivity and flexibility. Thus, it will be ensured that people work safely with robots from very close range. In addition, ABB's YuMi robots will enable close-range human-robot collaboration on many small parts assemblies needed to produce an ABB robot. ABB is one of the first companies to enter the Chinese robotics market and the country's first global robot supplier with a complete local supply chain, including R&D, manufacturing, system integration and service. ABB is engaged in local production with close customer collaborations; China's first automobile press, welding and painting lines; the first mobile phone assembly line; and helped introduce many 'firsts' such as the first white goods automated press line. ABB China Chairman of the Board and AMEA regional Chairman Dr. Chunyuan Gu said: "2018 marks the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening up policy. ABB is one of the first companies to arrive in China, and today we have a fully localized supply chain, supported by China's remarkable economic and social development. As the market leader of the Chinese robotics industry, we are pleased to build on the foundations of this success and continue to accelerate our investments." The new Shanghai factory, with its recently upgraded Västerås plant in Sweden and the factory in Auburn Hills, Michigan, where the company operates as the only global robot supplier with a manufacturing footprint in the United States, will be a core part of ABB's global robotics procurement system, with its extensive on-site R&D center. ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a leading technology leader in the fields of power grids, electrification products, industrial automation and robotics and motion, providing global services to customers in the government, industrial, transportation and infrastructure sectors. Continuing its tradition of more than 130 years of innovation, ABB today writes about the future of digitalization in industry with two distinct value propositions: bringing electricity from any power plant to any outlet and automating industries from natural resources to the finished product. ABB, the title partner of Formula E, the fully electric international FIA motorsport class, is pushing the boundaries of e-mobility to contribute to a sustainable future. ABB operates in more than 100 countries with approximately 147,000 employees.