ABB New Next-Generation Robotics Control Platform OmniCore

ABB Robotics has introduced OmniCore™, an advanced automation platform designed to enhance speed, precision, and sustainability, aimed at future-proofing businesses. This innovative platform, backed by over $170 million in investment for next-generation robotics, marks a significant leap towards a modular and future-ready control system. OmniCore™ integrates cutting-edge AI, sensor technologies, cloud, and edge computing to enable the most sophisticated and autonomous robotic applications.

Sami Atiya, President of ABB’s Robotics & Discrete Automation Business Area, emphasized, “For our customers, automation is not just an option but a strategic necessity as they navigate global challenges like labor shortages, unpredictability, and the need for sustainable operations. Our advancements in mechatronics, AI, and vision systems have made our robots more accessible, versatile, and mobile. They must now collaborate seamlessly with each other and with humans to handle a growing array of tasks in diverse environments. OmniCore represents a new milestone in our 50-year legacy in robotics: a unique, unified control architecture that integrates our entire suite of leading hardware and software.”

OmniCore™ delivers unmatched motion performance, achieving robot path accuracy of less than 0.6mm, and supporting multiple robots operating at speeds up to 1,600mm per second. This breakthrough enables new automation applications in precision-intensive fields such as arc welding, mobile phone display assembly, gluing, and laser cutting. Overall, OmniCore™ allows robots to operate up to 25% faster while reducing energy consumption by up to 20% compared to previous ABB controllers.

Built on a scalable and modular control architecture, OmniCore™ offers a comprehensive range of functions, making it ideal for businesses expanding into automation across various sectors, including biotechnology and construction. With over 1,000 hardware and software features, it allows for easy design, operation, maintenance, and optimization. Key software tools like ABB's Absolute Accuracy and PickMaster® Twin, along with hardware options such as external axes and vision systems, support versatile and efficient operations.

Marc Segura, Division President of ABB Robotics, highlighted, “The distinctive feature of OmniCore™ is its ability to manage motion, sensors, and application equipment within a single unified system. It grants access to the entire ABB Robotics portfolio of hardware and software under one control platform, unlocking countless possibilities and new avenues for value creation. For example, OmniCore™ enables automotive manufacturers to significantly boost production speed, increasing press tending from 12 to 15 strokes per minute and producing 900 parts per hour. As we mark our 50th anniversary in robotics, OmniCore™ promises to facilitate many more industry breakthroughs, empowering our customers to tackle future challenges.”

OmniCore™ is the latest in a series of innovations from ABB Robotics over the past 50 years, beginning with the launch of the world’s first microprocessor-controlled robot in 1974, the introduction of RobotStudio® software in 1998, and the 2024 acquisition of Sevensense to incorporate advanced AI-based navigation technology into its mobile robots.

OmniCore™ will replace ABB Robotics' IRC5 controller, which is set to be phased out by June 2026. ABB will continue to support IRC5 customers with spare parts and services throughout the remaining life span of the robots.