Since its start in 2007, ABB’s FlexArc Global Application Center in Ostrava, Czech Republic, has been rapidly developing its capacities. Part of a new global concept, it serves the European market while similar centers in China and Mexico serve the Asian and American markets.

ABB’s FlexArc Global Application Center in Ostrava, Czech Republic, is part of a new global concept to provide a central location for services and support related to ABB arc welding robot cells.
FlexArc arc welding robot cells are one of ABB’s flagship products, used by customers such as Volvo, automotive components manufacturer Gestamp and other major manufacturers.

The Ostrava plant will serve customers in Europe while similar, newly established centers in China and Mexico will serve the Asian and American markets. Vladan Hlaváè, ABB’s arc welding operations manager in the Czech Republic, says this geographical concentration of resources will allow the company to react more flexibly to customers’ needs within each region.

The Czech Republic is a natural hub for ABB’s European FlexArc operations, he says, because the country is a leader in robotics in Central and Eastern Europe. “There are already about 1,600 ABB robots installed in the Czech Republic, which means our team here are highly experienced and competent in this area,” says Hlaváè. “Thus we are well placed to offer service and support to other countries.”

In addition to its catalog of standard cells, the Czech FlexArc center can produce customized robot cells with a wide range of options. “We can conduct an evaluation of a client’s specific needs and offer them a tailor-made solution,” says Hlaváè.

In mid-October, the company invited 40 existing and potential clients to an open house at the Ostrava plant to learn firsthand about the center. Many of those attending, such as German automotive parts producer Brose, already use ABB robots in their production cells and they came to get information on what is now available to them at the ABB facility.

The Ostrava plant has a robot refurbishment center that specializes in overhauling used robots and extending their service life. Purchasing functional, refurbished robots can realize savings of up to 40 percent compared with new machines.

Courtesy of ABB