Thanks in part to the use of artificial intelligence, programming robots in the field is becoming increasingly simple and can also be carried out by untrained personnel. How much programming effort is involved in making this possible?
The development effort is comparable to that required to develop a new generation of control systems. Our aim is to make programming and controlling our robots as simple as possible - and thus make automation accessible to an ever wider target group. With our programming solutions, we provide customers with the best possible support so that they can quickly achieve the optimum result for their application.

Cobots can be taken by the hand for teaching, so to speak. Can classic industrial robots be programmed just as easily?
The advantages of simple programming open the door to robotics for many users - from SMEs to large companies. That's why we strive to make programming as intuitive as possible - from cobots to classic industrial robots, which are also incorporating more and more cobot functions.

At the end of 2020, for example, we made the Wizard Easy Programming software available for the classic IRB 1100 industrial robot. It significantly advances robot-supported automation - without any special programming expertise or knowledge of rapid code creation. Wizard Easy Programming is based on simple graphical blocks that represent actions such as "approaching a position", "picking up an object" and "repeating movements". This makes it quick and intuitive to create a series of simple processes for the robot to perform.

In February, we also presented Swifti, a fast and precise robot that bridges the gap between collaborative and standard industrial robots. It is based on the IRB 1100 industrial robot and is easy to program thanks to lead-through teaching. Using a lead-through device attached to the end effector of the robot, the robot arm can be guided to the required positions, which can then be saved using the FlexPendant. Once the positions have been saved, the device can be removed and used to program other robots.

What are the biggest challenges when integrating robots into production lines?
Today, integrated automation solutions must efficiently combine flexibility, productivity, quality and simplicity. Flexibility is necessary to enable production with smaller batch sizes, which is increasingly in demand. The space requirements and positioning of the robots play an important role for integration into production lines. In addition, the merging of robotics and machine control poses a challenge. A uniform architecture brings efficiency and significantly higher precision. ABB robots, for example, have been integrated into the automation portfolio of B&R, a unit of our division. The combined capabilities of ABB and B&R make us a strong partner.