🇨🇭 ABB

About ABB Robotics

ABB was formed in 1988 through the merger of Swedish engineering company Asea and Swiss conglomerate BBC Brown Boveri. ABB Robotics, headquartered in Zurich, is one of the four dominant global industrial robot manufacturers. ABB has the largest installed base of robots globally by some measures, with over 500,000 robots deployed across manufacturing, logistics, food and beverage, and electronics sectors.

The cobot range is led by GoFa CRB 15000, marketed as the fastest collaborative robot in its class, and YuMi, the dual-arm collaborative robot designed for small parts assembly in electronics and pharmaceutical manufacturing. ABB's industrial arms span payload ranges from 1 kg to over 800 kg, covering virtually every industrial manipulation application. ABB RobotStudio is the simulation and offline programming environment used across the product range and is widely taught in engineering education.

ABB's competitive strength is breadth: it can supply a complete automation solution from cobot to heavy industrial arm with consistent software, integrated safety, and global service infrastructure.

Key Products

• GoFa CRB 15000: Fast collaborative arm; 5 kg payload, 950 mm reach
• YuMi IRB 14000: Dual-arm cobot; 0.5 kg per arm, small parts assembly
• IRB series (various): Industrial arms; payload 1 kg to 800 kg, broad application coverage
• ABB RobotStudio: Simulation and offline programming platform

UK Market Presence

ABB has a major UK subsidiary with facilities in Longbenton and multiple regional offices. UK automotive, food processing, and pharmaceutical manufacturers are significant customers. Cobot pricing starts at approximately £30,000 to £40,000 for GoFa configurations. ABB's UK service network provides maintenance, spare parts, and training with short response times. The ABB Robotics UK team also offers turnkey cell integration.

Buying Used ABB Equipment

Used ABB robots are among the most readily available on the UK market through Surplex, robot dealers, and industrial auctions, at £4,000 to £40,000 depending on model and age. IRC5 controllers are well supported with software available. Buyers should check the axis brakes, inspect wrist seals on older units, verify the controller software version, and confirm any external axes are included. ABB's widespread UK service presence means finding competent repair support for used hardware is straightforward.