News
RobotWare 5.13 powers ABB’s
new IRC5 Compact controller.
Precision programming
New robot control software
supports lean cell design
ABB recently introduced a new ver-
sion of their robot controller software,
RobotWare 5.13, to deliver even bet-
ter per formance, ease of use and
enhanced safety for industrial robot-
ic applications. The updated software
provides manufacturers with improved
programming and control of robotic
equipment, as well as enhancing func-
tionality, safety and motion control. This
facilitates smar ter, leaner robot cell
concepts and the enhanced control of
production lines.
This version of RobotWare takes safe-
ty to a new level. Powerful new features
have been added to SafeMove, ABB’s
market-leading, next-generation robot
safety system, and even more precise
control of robot motion can be achieved
with the new features – further allowing
integrators to optimize cell design and
production flow.
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ABB robotics 2|10
Moreover, the ‘indexing conveyor’
function allows a conveyor to be driv-
en by the robot as an additional axis.
When combined with ABB’s FlexPicker
IRB360, this feature increases picking
and packing cycles to 450 products
per minute. This function also elimi-
nates the need for expensive racetrack
installations and helps to significantly
reduce the overall cost of a packing in-
stallation.
Another new feature integrated into
RobotWare 5.13 is ABB’s new Torque
Slave software, which enables multiple
motors to be driven as a single logical ax-
is. Using this function, the robot is able
to control large, heavy-duty equipment
such as workpiece positioners.
To enable more users to reap the
savings associated with the low cost
DeviceNet™ Lean bus, ABB has extend-
ed it to support up to 20 units and to allow
the control of third party I/O units. In addi-
tion to significant cost savings, the Lean
version of the DeviceNet communications
protocol also offers new auto configura-
tion and bus scan tools for seamless com-
munications with all connected devices.
RobotWare 5.13 sof tware is also
100% compatible with ABB’s new IRC5
Compact controller, which combines
the powerful performance of the stan-
dard IRC5 controller – including supe-
rior motion control and flexible RAPID
language, with a significantly reduced
footprint.
ABB Product Manager Mats Myhr
says, “What should interest many robot
users is that we are rolling out the recent-
ly introduced Compact version of the IRC5
controller on a wide range of robot types.
In addition to the small IRB 120 robot, the
new version of RobotWare 5.13 allows the
IRC5 Compact controller to be used with
the IRB 140 and IRB 1410 robots – this
range will further expand during 2010.”
Myhr is enthusiastic about ABB’s
rollout of new products. “We have also
introduced a wide range of other improve-
ments that deliver added efficiency and
ease of use in many robot applications.
These changes are a direct result of the
feedback we receive from our users. What
remains unchanged is ABB’s advanced
motion technology, which still provides the
most accurate path following and shortest
cycle times on the market.”
Thanks to RobotWare 5.13, the IRC5
compact controller can be used for a
greater range of robots.