ABB’s collaboration with ESS marks an important step in digitising automotive manufacturing in paintshop. By harnessing advanced simulation technology, the partnership aims to cut paintshop costs by up to 30 percent and reduce emissions significantly, while levelling the digital playing field.
ABB Robotics has formed a strategic alliance with Austria-based Engineering Software Steyr GmbH (ESS) in another step in the relentless pursuit of efficiency and sustainability. The digitally-focussed partnership aims to further optimise automotive paintshop operations through cutting-edge simulation technology. ABB’s minority investment in ESS underpins this partnership, though financial specifics remain confidential.
“Delivering faster and more energy efficient solutions for the paint process is the final piece of the puzzle in digitalising the manufacturing transition in the automotive industry”
- Marc Segura, President, ABB Robotics division
Powering paintshop with digital technolgy
At the heart of the partnership lies an ambition to streamline and digitalise one of the most complex aspects of automotive manufacturing: the paintshop. By developing algorithms capable of simulating dust and droplet behaviour, heat transfer, and fluid flows, ABB and ESS intend to eliminate costly prototypes and significantly accelerate commissioning processes. These innovations promise to reduce paintshop operational costs by up to 30 percent and shorten production timelines by up to a month.
“We recognise how crucial it is for all players — large, medium and small companies — to have access to the right digital tools for innovation”
- Dr Martin Schifko, CEO, ESS
“Delivering faster and more energy efficient solutions for the paint process is the final piece of the puzzle in digitalising the manufacturing transition in the automotive industry,” said Marc Segura, President of ABB Robotics division.
“The innovative solutions we are developing with ESS will cut vehicle development time by up to a month and generate cost savings of up to 30 percent, making manufacturers more competitive, efficient and resilient.
Using the solution, a manufacturer producing 300,000 vehicles has the potential to cut CO2 emissions by nearly 17,000 tons annually – equivalent to flying an airliner around the Earth 19 times.”
ABB and ESS are levelling the digital playing field
The collaboration also addresses a fundamental challenge in the industry: accessibility to advanced digital tools. Dr Martin Schifko, CEO of ESS, highlighted this issue. “We recognise how crucial it is for all players — large, medium and small companies — to have access to the right digital tools for innovation. Currently, the complexity of such tools in the market makes it difficult for smaller companies to leverage the power of digital. We’re committed to levelling the playing field by making the simulation tech accessible to all manufacturers. With our solutions, they can innovate faster, reduce environmental impact, and stay competitive in a demanding industry.”
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ABB’s RobotStudio integrations for simulation optimisations
ABB plans to integrate ESS’s technology into RobotStudio, its industry-leading offline programming and simulation tool. The enhanced RobotStudio platform, available on desktop, cloud, and augmented reality platforms, will leverage ESS’s advanced simulations to optimise every aspect of the paint shop process.
This partnership builds upon ABB’s existing innovations in smart automation. ABB’s PixelPaint system, for instance, employs inkjet-style vision-controlled technology to replicate intricate designs with unmatched precision. Meanwhile, the RB1000i-S atomiser achieves an industry-leading 99 percent paint transfer efficiency, reducing material waste and environmental impact.
Technology takes another step towards sustainability
With sustainability as a driving force, ABB and ESS’s joint efforts are expected to deliver significant environmental benefits. ABB’s internal analysis indicates that a typical automotive manufacturer producing 300,000 vehicles annually could save nearly 17,000 tonnes of CO2. These savings stem from a combination of energy reduction, waste minimisation, and process efficiency improvements.
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