ABB is empowering customer to fully automate production line and double productivity
Beijing, China, November 19, 2008 – ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, has announced an agreement with Chang’an Suzuki Automobile Co., Ltd (Chang’an Suzuki) to deliver ABB’s cutting-edge robotic solution in order to fully automate the automaker’s press line. ABB’s robots with 7th axis, the state-of-the-art technology in robotics and press automation, will enable Chang’an Auto, a leading sedan car manufacturer in China, to achieve a much higher degree of lean manufacturing.
Since 2007, with the increase of oil prices and growing environmental concerns, the demand for energy efficient cars has exploded on the Chinese market. In order to keep pace, Chang’an Auto has launched a number of key technological transformation projects including the 2000T press line automation project. With pressing, the first process in auto manufacturing, applied to the production of 24 large size parts as well as 31 medium and small size parts of the body shell, a high level of automation on the press line is key to the overall processing quality of the cars.
Tormod Gunleiksrud, Head of ABB Robotics Division China, said, “We are glad to once again be cooperating with Chang’an Suzuki. With extensive installation and adjustment experience of press automation lines and the most complete automation products, services and solutions, ABB will deliver a press automation system tailored for the customer, helping Chang’an Suzuki produce environmentally friendly cars powered by the latest production technology.”
Vice Managing Director of Chang’an Suzuki Mr. Huang Zhongqiang commented, “The press automation line project unites the engineering skills and extensive expertise of Chang’an Suzuki and ABB, a good marriage of leading technology and lean production.” As one of the key technological upgrades for Chang’an Suzuki in 2008, this project will secure high quality technical support to the automaker’s vehicle production.
ABB will apply its state-of-the-art press tending IRB6660 robot with patented 7th axis technology to the automation of the Chang’an Suzuki’s press line. A 7th axis robot can move independently to increase flexibility and shorten the inter-press distance for a more compact line, resulting in a shorter cycle time and twice the production speed, from 5 parts/min to 10. The robot is also equipped with a specially designed gripping point according to the geometry of the part, so as to minimize the risk during the handling and improve the yield rate remarkably.
In addition, the press line automation project will adopt the company’s automatically replaceable tooling and high level safety system. This upgrade will dramatically decrease the die change time by allowing tooling to be replaced without manual operation during changeovers and reduce the risk of accidents.
ABB is the world’s only supplier providing complete press automation solutions, including mechanical equipment, entire line monitoring equipment, destacking and finished stacking, oil scrubbing and greasing, and press machine replacement and die change systems. In April 2006, ABB relocated its global Robotics Business headquarters to Shanghai and remains the only multinational company producing industrial robots in China. To date, ABB has installed over 650 press lines around the world and has established a press automation technical lead center in China.
ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve their performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 120,000 people. ABB has a full range of business activities in China, including R&D, manufacturing, sales, and services, with 13,000 employees, 26 joint ventures and wholly owned companies, and an extensive sales and service network across 60 cities. To find out more about ABB in China, visit www.abb.com.cn.