ABB Robotics – Assembly of electrical sockets
When it comes to using robots to increase productivity, reduce costs & improve working conditions for employees ABB is happy to practice what it preaches. So when ABB Elektro-Praga decided to install a new production line for its “child-proof” dual-plug electrical safety socket at its factory in the Czech town of Jablonec, it chose a system that featured three robots purchased from ABB Robotics.
“The small IRB 140 robot is ideal for this task. Although it’s small, it is exceptionally fast, accurate and powerful — it has one of the fastest cycle times of any articulated robot,” confirms Petr Prade, Chief of Design at MMT, the system integrator that built & installed the new production line.
Jana Dolková, who used to help assemble the sockets by hand before the advent of the robots, believes the new system is actually more “people friendly” than the one it replaced: “The sockets we are making contain fiddly components like screws and springs … before, I almost had to squint to see them. This is a much healthier environment for me.” “And of course,” Dolková adds, “unlike humans, the robots leave no fingerprints!”
At the moment, Elektro-Praga — which specializes in low-voltage circuit breakers, switches, control products, wiring accessories and cable systems — only employs the ABB robot system to turn out its “Tango” line of dual plug sockets. But in the near future, it plans to use it for several other variants. In fact, as it takes no more than 10 minutes to set up the line for another variant this will make it possible to change the variant up to 30 times per week – which results in real flexible ‘production to order’.
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Conference for the Alliance for Universal Power Supplies.
Conference for the Alliance for Universal Power Supplies.
Conference for the Alliance for Universal Power Supplies. One plug for most electronic and portable battery charging devices. A change in power supply thinking. The Green Plug 
Conference for the Alliance for Universal Power Supplies. One plug for most electronic and portable battery charging devices. A change in power supply thinking. The Green Plug 
Conference for the Alliance for Universal Power Supplies. One plug for most electronic and portable battery charging devices. A change in power supply thinking. The Green Plug 
Conference for the Alliance for Universal Power Supplies. One plug for most electronic and portable battery charging devices. A change in power supply thinking. The Green Plug Supported Solution. Robert Socolow, PHD Co-Director Princeton University 
• A combination of smart sockets and remote control enables you to cut power to any appliance in standby mode • Some appliances can still use up to 25% of the energy they normally do when switched on • Save energy and money – reduce your electricity bill by switching off devices left on standby within your home • Save the environment – prevent the release of unnecessary carbon emissions into the atmosphere • Fire prevention – reduce the risk of household fires from electronic devices by …
Green Plug showcased its intelligent power sources that eliminate wasted “phantom power” and work with any device, at CES 2008 press event, Lunch@Piero’s. Green Plug is the developer of green talk – a secure, digital protocol for real-time communication between devices and their power sources. 
How to work with dodgey circuitry.