28 n AUTOMATICA July/August 2023 www.drivesncontrols.com Automatica bounces back Covid played havoc with the schedule of the German automation trade show Automatica in recent years. The biennial event – which has a strong focus on robotics – had been due to take place at its Munich venue in June 2020, but had to be postponed until December that year because of the pandemic. But then that event was itself transformed into “a compact in-person event” in mid-2021. In 2022, a more conventional show attracted around 28,000 visitors and 574 exhibitors – considerably down on the 46,000 visitors and 890 exhibitors that attended the last pre-pandemic show in 2018. So a lot was riding on the 2023 event – especially as it was being held just a year after the 2022 exhibition to allow the organisers to return to a two-year schedule in odd-numbered years. There was obviously relief that the show attracted around 40,000 visitors and 650 exhibitors to Munich in June. The organisers hailed it as “a roaring comeback”. About a third of the visitors came from outside Germany. There will now be a two-year gap before Automatica returns from 24–27 June, 2025. Here, we look at some of the highlights of the 2023 event. n Cobots carry more, reach further and improve repeatability ABB launched two new variants of its GoFa collaborative robot (cobot) with heavier payload capacities (10-12kg), “best-in-class” reach, and “market-leading” repeatability. The GoFa 10 and 12 cobots can handle an expanded range of tasks, while improving safety and productivity. They are also claimed to lower barriers to entry for firsttime users, SMEs and educators by offering easy programming and rapid integration into production environments. ABB says the cobots offer “class-beating” tool centre point (TCP) speeds of up to 2m/s with 0.02mm of deviation for greater repeatability – a two-fold improvement over rival systems. They are IP67-protected against moisture and dust, and extend the benefits of fast and accurate collaborative robotics to applications such as machinetending, welding, parts-handling, polishing and assembly. The GoFa 10’s 1.62m reach – 14% further than others in its class – makes it suitable for palletising applications. The cobots are Cat 3/PL d safety certified, allowing close collaboration with workers “Since we launched our YuMi cobot in 2015, we have built an industry-leading cobot portfolio meeting growing demand for safe and easy-to-use automation solutions to plug gaps in skilled labour,” says ABB Robotics president, Marc Segura. “Addressing the need for cobots with higher payloads and longer reach, our GoFa 10 and 12 cobots extend the benefits of automation to new industrial applications, even for first-time users.” Lead-through programming and Wizard software simplify set-ups, allowing even non-specialists to automate applications using simple graphical command blocks rather than having to write complex code. ABB’s SafeMove app, installed on the cobots’ FlexPendant controllers, supports safe speed limits, standstill monitoring, and orientation supervision, allowing close After a few years of Covid-induced disruption, the German Automatica exhibition returned in June with numbers of exhibitors and visitors that approached pre-pandemic levels. ABB says its new GoFa cobots will lower barriers to entry for first-time users and SMEs
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