Visitors to the McWane Science Center, Birmingham, Ala., can challenge a robot, observe robots interacting with one another, and compare early robot technology against the robots of today thanks to four robots on loan from Auburn Hills, Mich.-based ABB Robotics, a division of ABB, Inc., the leading power and automation technology group.

The state-of-the-art robots are on display in the science center’s ScienceWorks area, an interactive collection of exhibits that engages visitors and allows them to experience the many ways in which science works. The area, which is presented by Alabama Power Foundation and opened in October 2006, features four themes: Illusions, Animation, Environment and Technology, where the ABB robots are housed.

“A trustee of the science center suggested there might be a fit for ABB’s robots in the science center’s new exhibit area, ScienceWorks. We felt loaning these high-tech machines would help create a unique and memorable display, while getting visitors of all ages excited about automation and robotics – and in science as a whole,” said Art Bond, senior account manager, ABB.

The Technology area features:
Robot Challenge: Visitors can challenge an ABB FlexPicker®, a quick and nimble robot typically used for packaging applications. With end of arm tooling added to the robot, challengers can try to beat the robot in three levels of expertise: beginner, intermediate and expert. The results: 99.9 times out of 100, the robot wins!

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Offline Programming: Visitors have the opportunity to meet some of the automotive industry’s most popular robots: the IRB 140, ABB’s smallest robot. In this exhibit, two ABB robots interact with one another under the control of an IRC 5, ABB’s fifth generation robot controller. The synchronized pair simulates typical real-world applications, including light part material handling, adhesive dispensing, and component assembly and inspection.

Early Technology: On display is an early ABB robot, produced in 1972, that lets visitors compare this early technology to the advanced robots of today.

The robots will be on loan through 2007. For more information on ABB robots, please visit www.abb.com.

About ABB, Inc.

ABB is a global 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 107,000 people.

About ABB Robotics

ABB has 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 automotive, foundry, packaging, material handling and consumer industries. A strong solutions focus leverages thousands of successful applications for manufacturers worldwide.