ABB Robotics announced the release of a new RobotStudio Augmented Reality (AR) viewer to simplify robot installations through the use of an intuitive digital tool. The RobotStudio AR viewer, which has been added to the company’s PC-based RobotStudio offline programming software, provides a quick and convenient way of visualizing where and how robotic automation can fit into a beverage plant’s supply chain by using a smartphone or tablet, the company says. The AR Viewer app can facilitate the testing of any model created in RobotStudio, enabling users to get an idea of the size and scale of a robot or robot cell and how it can be deployed on a factory floor to fit around any existing production equipment. Using AR technology, the app overlays the modeled solution into the real-life production environment, with the ability to scale it to full-size and rotate it through a variety of angles to achieve the best result. Benefits enable the viewer to be able to watch the model in action and also replay a specific time in the animation to enhance performance or pinpoint a potential issue, it says. Until Dec. 31, RobotSudio is available free of charge on the Apple Store and Google Play Store and viewable on any compatible smart device. A free training course also is available to help users unlock the full potential of the software.

ABB Robotics, 1250 Brown Road, Auburn Hills, Mich. 48326; 248/391-9000; abb.com.