ABB Extends No-Code Programming to Industrial Robots

ABB Robotics has extended the scope of its free Wizard Easy Programming software to include its six-axis industrial robots powered by an OmniCore^TM controller in addition to its collaborative robots.

The move makes ABB the first robot manufacturer to offer an easy-to-use, no-code programming tool for cobots and six-axis industrial robots, lowering barriers to automation for new users and offering ecosystem partners and integrators an efficient tool to support their customers.  

“Addressing industry challenges and opportunities is essential to sustain and accelerate the worldwide adoption of robotics automation,” said Marc Segura, president of ABB Robotics. “By extending Wizard Easy Programming to our six-axis industrial robots, ABB Robotics is responding to the scarcity of skilled labor and rising manufacturer demand for simple and easy-to use robot programming software for their robot fleets.”

Wizard Easy Programming uses a graphical, no-code, drag-and-drop programming approach designed to simplify the development of robot applications. The software helps first-time and expert robot users to develop applications in minutes – a task that typically requires one week of training and another for development. Since it was first released in 2020, Wizard Easy Programming has been widely adopted in a range of applications using ABB’s collaborative robot portfolio, comprising the YuMi^®, SWIFTI^TM, and GoFa™. 

The software helps operators with no prior training to develop robot applications such as arc welding or machine tending.  It also increases operational flexibility, allowing users to modify existing programs and pre-programmed blocks that control various behaviors, ranging from robot movements to signal instructions and force control, through its intuitive graphical user interface.

Catering to novice and experienced users, Wizard Easy Programming comes with Skill Creator, a tool that helps system integrators and other expert users efficiently create customized, application-specific Wizard blocks for their customers' use. Skill Creator can simplify the creation of highly-specific tasks like machine tending and welding as well as intricate applications such as medical inspections. Meanwhile, ecosystem partners developing accessories such as grippers, feeders, and cameras will gain access to a digital tool to share product-specific functionalities regardless of the type of robot they will be deployed on.

Wizard Easy Programming comes preinstalled on all cobots and new six-axis industrial robots powered by OmniCore, ABB’s best-in-class robot controller family, which delivers an average 20 percent energy savings and futureproofs deployments by offering built-in digital connectivity and 1000+ scalable functions.