ABB has entered into a strategic collaboration with Engineering Software Steyr (ESS), a leader in the development of simulation software for the automotive industry . This agreement aims to optimize automotive paint shops, improving efficiency and reducing costs.
The implementation of these innovative solutions is expected to reduce operating costs by up to 30 percent. In addition, the transition to a more digitalized process will reduce CO₂ emissions, with a potential saving of almost 17,000 tons per year for manufacturers producing around 300,000 vehicles per year.
Automotive paint improves with digital technology
ABB Robotics division president Marc Segura stressed that this development is part of the company’s efforts to digitalize manufacturing in the automotive industry. The solutions developed together with ESS will not only accelerate the development process of new models, but will also improve the competitiveness and sustainability of car manufacturers .
In this respect, the simulation technology provided by ESS integrates seamlessly with ABB’s robotic solutions, such as PixelPaint, a vision-controlled painting system that achieves a perfect finish with up to 99 percent efficiency. This process, which traditionally involved more than 20 steps and a high cost in time and materials, can now be significantly optimized.
ESS and its innovation in simulation software
The collaboration with ESS allows ABB to incorporate advanced simulation technologies into RobotStudio , the world’s most widely used robotic simulation and programming tool. ESS, for its part, specializes in creating hybrid simulation software, which combines mesh-less and grid-based methods to provide more accurate analysis of painting processes.
Dr. Martin Schifko, CEO of ESS, stressed the importance of making these tools accessible to companies of all sizes. This will enable faster innovation, reduced environmental impact and a greater ability to remain competitive in an ever-changing market.
This is how the ABB and ESS simulation system will work. Source: ABB Robotics
The agreement between ABB and ESS reflects a growing trend in the automotive industry towards the adoption of digital solutions to improve efficiency, reduce costs and minimize environmental impact. Experts predict that this collaboration will be a key factor in the transformation of automotive paint shops, facilitating the digitalization of processes that have historically been complicated and costly.
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Source and photo: ABB Robotics