New Scania battery assembly plant in Sweden will rely on ABB industrial robots
«The factory is designed in line with Scania's efforts to be at the forefront of industrial digitalization, automation, and the use of advanced robotic technology to streamline production processes with increased flexibility», said Tony Persson, Head of Scania's battery assembly.
By the end of year, Scania is expected to inaugurate a new battery assembly plant in Södertälje, Sweden. The global truck and bus manufacturer has indeed invested quite a lot of money (108 million dollars) on this project, which is supposed to boost the company’s electrification strategy. Now, we know something more about the assembly process, as ABB announced the supply of «a comprehensive range of robotic solutions». Multiple ABB robots will be involved in the assembly process, including the IRB 390, IRB 4600 and IRB 6700 models, along with additional solutions to support the production process as for batteries to be used on Scania electric truck models.
Scania and ABB: a long-lasting collaboration
Indeed, Scania and ABB have worked in partnership for more than four decades and are collaborating on building production infrastructure for electric vehicles. Recently, they joined forces to create charging solutions for heavy goods vehicles that will also be powered by batteries manufactured by Northvolt. The Northvolt facility – Europe’s largest lithium-ion battery factory – has also been developed in partnership with ABB.
How the new Scania battery assembly plant will be
Tony Persson, Head of Scania’s battery assembly, said: «The factory is designed in line with Scania’s efforts to be at the forefront of industrial digitalization, automation, and the use of advanced robotic technology to streamline production processes with increased flexibility. That is where the robots and solutions from ABB fit in. For Scania, the factory is also an investment that will further strengthen Sweden’s position as a hub for cutting-edge technology in the electrification of heavy vehicles, which is crucial in the transition to sustainable transport».
«We are delighted to work with one of our longest-standing clients to help deliver their electrification roadmap», commented Joerg Reger, Managing Director of ABB Robotics’ automotive business line. «The automotive industry has always been at the forefront of automation. But with the shift to electrification, it faces wholesale changes to established manufacturing processes. With our expertise, we will design and help implement the manufacturing flexibility that is vital for market leaders such as Scania in delivering this change».
