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Product category: Embedded Software and Operating Systems
News Release from: Wind River Systems | Subject: VxWorks
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial Team on 1 April 2003

Industrial power robot grabs cool award

Wind River Systems has given ABB Robotics a "cool customer design" award for the IRB 6600 industrial robot, the newest addition to the ABB Power Robot generation

Wind River Systems has given ABB Robotics a "cool customer design" award for the IRB 6600 industrial robot, the newest addition to the ABB Power Robot generation and the most compact robot in its class. ABB - the supplier of the world's largest installed base of robotic products and the first company in the world to sell more than 100,000 robots - has been using Wind River since 1994 at the heart of its robot design projects and leveraged Wind River technology to accelerate the development of the innovative IRB 6600.

The IRB 6600 is equipped with a unique "bending-backwards" flexible arm that enables it to complete multiple tasks in real-time, including upper arm extension and a selection of wrist movements to precise detail.

Because the IRB 6600 can be swung over backwards, it can handle the toughest applications in spot welding, material handling and machine tending and makes the unit more compact and less costly.

With this extended working range, manufacturers can build more compact production cells and have the freedom to modify their production environments without having to reorganise the entire production line.

"Since the mid-90s, ABB relied on Wind River's technology as an operational foundation to accomplish our design goals.

In the case of the IRB 6600, we were able to get a head start on the project and focus on the complex programming that makes this new robot more humanoid and flexible that any of its predecessors or competitors in its class", said Kent Vasberg, Manager of Base Software Development at ABB Robotics.

"Wind River's technology allowed us to focus on innovation and competitive differentiation, so ABB can offer manufacturers creative solutions to bring greater automation, control and efficiency to their production lines".

"Time and time again ABB has trusted Wind River technology to speed product development in order to deliver robots that increase efficiencies and have a profound impact on production lines worldwide", said Tom St Dennis, CEO for Wind River.

"Because this new design illustrates a new way of solving production line challenges, Wind River is pleased to honour ABB with Wind River's Cool Customer Design Award for the IRB 6600.

With its ground-breaking range and accuracy of motion, the IRB 6600 can enable many industrial applications where automation was not possible before".

ABB used a combination of Wind River Technology in the development of the IRB 6600.

The control system for the IRB 6600, which was built on Wind River's VxWorks real time operating system (RTOS), allows users to customise the robot to control different tasks and build on additional applications simply and on an as needed basis.

With Wind River's networking technology, ABB also built into the IRB 6600 a Service Information System (SIS), which allows users to monitor the motion and load of the robot remotely through an Ethernet connection to a handheld device or a PC.

The system can anticipate service levels, making it easy for plant controllers to plan the service and maintenance requirements of either a single robot or an entire line.

Wind River met ABB's internal safety critical standard "Active Safety" allowing Wind River technology to be used by ABB engineers.

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