ABB Robot Education Package – Empowering Tomorrow’s Engineers

ABB designed a new robotic packaged to demonstrate and teach real-life industrial robot concepts in the classroom. In 2011, ABB began offering schools, colleges, and universities this educational package to help equip the engineers of the future with the necessary skills for a robotic career.

The package is based around ABB’s IRB 120 and its compact robot controller. The program will increase students’ awareness and understanding of the operation of industrial robots used in manufacturing applications.

Students will get hands-on experience with insight into how industrial robots are programmed and operated. They will actually be able to use the off-line programming software RobotStudio. They will also learn about the design and control principles of robot work cells, and will learn about the hazards of robot cells.

In 2010, ABB linked up with Fox Valley Technical College in an agreement for the college to provide certified training. Only three other colleges in the nation are ABB Robotics certified. ABB provides the college with a state-of-the-art lab that includes seven ABB robots with related software and controllers. The college is able to offer the training to employers and equipment for learning for the students. Having access to the robots during their education enables the students enrolled at the college to have a guaranteed job upon graduation.