ABB Robotics has launched the OmniVance Collaborative Surface Finishing Cell, a turnkey cobot system for automated sanding and polishing that the company describes as delivering "industrial-grade robotics in a simple, affordable, and scalable solution" for small and medium-size manufacturers. The cell centers on ABB's GoFa collaborative robot and ships as a fully self-contained unit requiring no additional engineering before production begins.
The system arrives CE-certified under the EU Machinery Directive with a tablet-style interface called Surfin Companion. ABB says programming time can be reduced by up to 90 percent through lead-through 3D path recording, 2D preset path creation, and Wizard Easy Programming blocks, allowing operators with no robotics background to create a finishing routine within minutes.
What's new here is that the GoFa's integrated force control and tactile sensing handle the variability inherent in surface finishing, from flat panels to complex 3D geometries, without requiring manual definition of every contact parameter. That matters in high-mix production environments where part geometry changes frequently.
The cell includes integrated dust extraction readiness as standard. ABB frames the launch against a Deloitte and Manufacturing Institute projection that 1.9 million U.S. manufacturing jobs will remain unfilled by 2033, arguing that automating repetitive finishing tasks lets skilled workers shift to higher-value work.
"A growing number of companies are looking to automate processes such as sanding and polishing, but many smaller businesses lack in-house robotics expertise," said Craig McDonnell, Managing Director Business Line Industries at ABB Robotics. The OmniVance Collaborative Surface Finishing Cell is available now for EU markets. ABB has not disclosed pricing.
