ABB Showcases Its ASTI Mobile Robotics

Following ABB’s acquisition of ASTI Mobile Robotics in July 2021, the company showcased ASTI’s autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) as part of its exhibit at Modex 2022 in Atlanta. In its exhibit, ABB focused on the new EBot 350, an AMR designed for use in e-commerce, warehouse logistics, and manufacturing applications.

The EBot 350 features 360 degrees of protection to ensure against collisions with people or objects. ABB says two safety lasers on the Ebot 350 provide “full coverage of the vehicle’s perimeter.” The AMR also uses a safety PLC to further ensure safe operation.

According to ABB, ASTI robotics technologies allow users to replace linear production lines with flexible networks, where intelligent AMRs autonomously navigate materials, parts, and finished products between smart connected workstations in factories and logistics centers.

Real-time communications on the EBot 350 enables AMR monitoring for alerts and diagnostics, as well as remote software updates and customizable dashboards. Connectivity can be established using direct machine-to-machine protocol communications as well as Wi-Fi and 4G LTE.

The EBot 350’s navigation can be achieved via QR codes or SLAM (simultaneous localization and mapping)-Natural navigation. You can see use of QR code navigation in the video accompanying this article. SLAM algorithms allow users to build a map and localize AMRs in that map. ABB says users can manage hundreds of locations with the EBot 350’s multi-origin and multi-destination capabilities with its Smart QR code/RFID reader system.

Sami Atiya, president of ABB’s Robotics & Discrete Automation business, said, “With this acquisition (of ASTI), ABB will be the only company to offer a full automation portfolio of AMRs, robots, and machine automation solutions, from production to logistics to point of consumption.”           

In the accompanying video above, Andres Arranz, business development engineer (originally with ASTI and now with ABB), explains the integration of ASTI’s collaborative AMR technology into ABB’s robotics portfolio.