27 February, 2007
ABB releases RobotStudio 5.08
RobotStudio with Microsoft Visual Studio Tools for Applications empowers customization and innovation on the factory floor
Detroit, USA, 27 February, 2007 – ABB Robotics’ intensive industrial process know-how, based on 150000 installations worldwide, professional project management, and high-performance technology enhances the competitive advantage of customers in markets where just-in-time production, higher and constant product quality, process reliability, and manufacturing flexibility are crucial.
ABB Robotics is one of the first ISVs worldwide to release Visual Studio Tools for Applications (VSTA) which is integrated into ABB’s offline programming software, RobotStudio. RobotStudio brings customers and integration partners an easy-to-use software product for true offline programming and simulation of robot systems using a standard Windows PC.
To achieve true offline programming and customization, RobotStudio utilizes Visual Studio Tools for Applications® Technology which is used in conjunction with the actual robot system software controls for robot simulation. This way ABB reduces risk by visualizing, simulating and testing robotic solutions without interrupting production. Optimization of robot programs increases productivity, generates higher part quality and output, maximizing the profitability of robot systems.
Ray Roxe, Group Product Manager at Microsoft Corp says: by integrating VSTA into the ABB’s RobotStudio Software, ABB gains a powerful development technology for rapidly customizing solutions to better meet specific manufacturing or robotic operation demands. These standardized tools not only streamline customization for developers and IT departments, but also provide managed customization options to robot operators.
For example, VB.NET and C# developers can more quickly and easily write code for ABB Robotics Software’s user- and operator interface components, tailoring the robot operation logic to fit specific customer needs. IT departments benefit from a standard infrastructure, compatibility with Visual Studio, and granular control over the customization experience.
“Most companies will agree that a customized solution is superior to a standard solution. This is especially true when it comes to Robot operator interfaces on the factory floor”. The ability to enable customers and partners to use our products as a development platform to build tailor-made robotic solutions has always been one of our main goals,” explains Bertil Thorvaldsson, Senior Product manager of ABB Robotics. He continues: “Now, as one of the first Industrial Automation Vendors in the world to offer VSTA integration, we deliver developers the ability to customize RobotStudio with the premier development languages found in Microsoft’s industry standard Visual Studio Development Environment: Visual Basic and C#. Now they can deliver solutions that fit better with customer requirements without being scared of product versioning. We believe the agility and ease of these solutions will expand our business and increase end user satisfaction.”
About ABB Robotics: ABB has one of the world’s largest installed base of industrial robots - also providing robot software, peripheral equipment and modular manufacturing cells for tasks such as assembly, painting and finishing, and machine tending. Key markets include the automotive, foundry, packaging, material handling and consumer industries. A strong solution focus leverages thousands of successful applications for manufacturers worldwide.
About ABB:
ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve their performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 108,000 people.
For more information on the ABB Robotics Software, please visit www.abb.com/robotics or call Karin Dunberg at +46 31 773 85 88 or email . For more information on VSTA, please contact Summit Software, Microsoft Authorized Agent, at or +1 (315) 445-9000.