ABB Robotics introduces two new high-performance robots for precision manufacturing
Quick Answer
ABB Robotics has launched the IRB 1700 and IRB 1700ID robots, achieving up to 20% shorter cycle times and 15% lower power consumption, catering to the precision manufacturing sector.
Quick Take
These compact robots are designed for high-speed tasks and feature a 50% smaller footprint, enhancing productivity and reducing operating costs.
Key Points
- IRB 1700 family offers payloads from 6 kg to 12 kg across five variants.
- Achieves precise path repeatability of 0.03 mm and joint speeds of 700 degrees/second.
- IRB 1700ID features Integrated Dressing design for simplified installation.
- Public debut at China International Industry Fair, showcasing arc welding and sanding applications.
- Robots designed to meet growing demand in electronics and automotive sectors.
DeepSignal Analysis
What happened
ABB Robotics has launched two new robots, the IRB 1700 and IRB 1700ID, aimed at precision manufacturing. These robots promise up to 20% shorter cycle times and 15% lower power consumption, catering to sectors like electronics and automotive. Their compact design features a 50% smaller footprint compared to previous models.
Key evidence
- The IRB 1700 and IRB 1700ID deliver up to 20% shorter cycle times than comparable robots, enhancing productivity in manufacturing.
- These robots offer payloads ranging from 6 kg to 12 kg and are powered by OmniCore controllers, which improve uptime and reduce operating costs.
- The IRB 1700ID model includes an Integrated Dressing design, allowing for better cable management and simplifying installation in various industrial applications.
Why it matters
The introduction of these robots addresses the increasing demand for efficiency and precision in manufacturing processes. By reducing cycle times and power consumption, ABB Robotics aims to help manufacturers lower their operational costs while maintaining high-quality production standards. This could potentially lead to wider adoption of automation technologies across various industries.
📖 Reader Mode
~3 min readABB Robotics introduces two new high-performance robots for precision manufacturing
-New, compact IRB 1700 and IRB 1700ID deliver up to 20% shorter cycle times with higher motion accuracy, higher payloads -Meeting growing demand for high-speed and precision manufacturing, from electronics to automotive -Lower total cost of ownership by reducing power consumption and increasing service intervals
ABB Robotics is expanding its industrial robot portfolio with two new compact, high-performance robots, the IRB 1700 and IRB 1700ID, delivering up to 20% shorter cycle times than comparable robots on the market.
"Precision manufacturing across sectors from electronics, automotive, to general industries is facing the pressure to produce more, while maintaining quality and reducing operating costs," said Craig McDonnell, Managing Director, Business Line Industries, ABB Robotics. "The IRB 1700 family addresses these challenges with a new level of speed, accuracy, reliability and energy efficiency. It gives manufacturers and system integrators a flexible platform for high-performance automation."
Offering payloads from 6 kg to 12 kg across five variants and powered by OmniCore controllers, the new robots help manufacturers increase productivity, with up to 20% shorter cycle times, and improve uptime and reduce operating costs, with up to 15% lower power consumption and service intervals of up to 20,000 hours between oil changes.
Precise path repeatability of down to 0.03 mm and joint speeds of up to 700 degrees per second make the new robots ideal for high-speed precision tasks such as material handling, arc welding, deburring, sanding, and machine tending. The high-performance robots are also suited to new electronics applications such as AI server rack assembly, meeting the surging demand for AI servers and computing.
The new robot offers a footprint 50% smaller than its predecessor, and for even greater packaging efficiency, the IRB 1700ID model features ABB Robotics' Integrated Dressing (ID) design, routing cables and hoses inside the robot arm, simplifying installation across industrial applications.
The IRB 1700 family extends ABB Robotics' comprehensive mechatronics portfolio and ABB Robotics' development of more autonomous and versatile robotics (AVRTM), with access to an expanding portfolio of programming and AI-powered software, including RobotStudio®, AI Robot Trainer, OmniCore EyeMotion and automatic collision-free path planning.
The IRB 1700 and IRB 1700ID will make their public debut at China International Industry Fair (CIIF), Shanghai, October 12-16, 2026, demonstrated in a fully functional arc welding and sanding application on the ABB Robotics stand.
ABB Robotics as one of the world's leading robotics companies, is the only company with a comprehensive and integrated AI-powered portfolio covering robots, cobots and Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs), designed and orchestrated by our value-creating software. We help companies of all sizes and sectors - from automotive to electronics and logistics - to outperform by becoming more resilient, flexible and efficient. ABB Robotics is at the forefront of developing and commercializing a new generation of Autonomous Versatile Robotics (AVR), leading a global innovation ecosystem of partners in advancing efficient hardware and intelligent software with industrial performance. The business employs approximately 7,000 people. go.abb/robotics
— Originally published at roboticstomorrow.com
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