ABB, one of the company's that makes robot arms, is running a seminar to help small companies decide if they could benefit from the not inconsiderable investment in a robot.

The seminar is called Switch to Robots. It will explain how ongoing reductions in the cost and complexity of robotic automation are opening up new opportunities for UK SME (small to medium sized) manufacturing companies.

It will take place at ABB’s Milton Keynes site on Tuesday 1 November. It aims to provide a simple, step-by-step guide to introducing robot automation to the factory floor, covering specifying, installing and operating a robot, including how to assess which processes can be automated and how to develop the right solution for your needs.

Other topics covered will include how to calculate the potential return on investment that can be achieved in different types of applications and how to make the financial case for the investment if you need to borrow money for it.

There will also be a hands-on workshop session in ABB’s training centre, providing the opportunity to see and use some of the latest robot technology, including ABB’s RobotStudio offline programming software, which helps to reduce significantly the time and cost of setting up a robot system by enabling robot cells to be modelled and tested off-line.

“Misconceptions about the cost, flexibility and complexity of robots are stopping many small to medium sized UK manufacturing companies from realising their true potential,” says Mike Wilson, General Industry Sales Manager for ABB Robotics in the UK and Ireland.

“Our Switch to Robots event has been designed to help businesses to easily identify whether a robot could be beneficial and explain the steps they need to take in specifying and installing the best solution for their requirements.”

To book a place at the seminar, email robotics@gb.abb.com or call 01908 350300. For more information about the event, visit bit.ly/S2RNov16.