ABB Robotics Launches IRB 1700 and IRB 1700ID for Precision Manufacturing

ABB Robotics is expanding its industrial robot portfolio with two new compact, high-performance robots, the IRB 1700 and IRB 1700ID, delivering up to 20 percent shorter cycle times than comparable robots on the market.

The new robots offer payloads from 6 kg to 12 kg across five variants and are powered by OmniCore controllers. According to ABB Robotics, the family helps manufacturers increase productivity with up to 20 percent shorter cycle times, while improving uptime and reducing operating costs with up to 15 percent lower power consumption and service intervals of up to 20,000 hours between oil changes.

Precise path repeatability of down to 0.03 mm and joint speeds of up to 700 degrees per second make the new robots suited to high-speed precision tasks such as material handling, arc welding, deburring, sanding and machine tending. The robots are also suited to new electronics applications such as AI server rack assembly, addressing surging demand for AI servers and computing.

The IRB 1700 offers a footprint 50 percent smaller than its predecessor, and for greater packaging efficiency, the IRB 1700ID model features ABB Robotics' Integrated Dressing (ID) design, routing cables and hoses inside the robot arm to simplify installation across industrial applications. The family extends ABB Robotics' mechatronics portfolio and its development of more autonomous and versatile robotics (AVR), with access to programming and AI-powered software including RobotStudio, AI Robot Trainer, OmniCore EyeMotion and automatic collision-free path planning.

The IRB 1700 and IRB 1700ID made their public debut at the recent China International Industry Fair (CIIF) in Shanghai, with a demonstration featuring a fully functional arc welding and sanding application.

Craig McDonnell, managing director, business line industries, ABB Robotics, stated:

"Precision manufacturing across sectors from electronics, automotive, to general industries is facing the pressure to produce more, while maintaining quality and reducing operating costs. The IRB 1700 family addresses these challenges with a new level of speed, accuracy, reliability and energy efficiency. It gives manufacturers and system integrators a flexible platform for high-performance automation."