ABB has introduced RoboMasters today, a novel app-based training resource that provides unmatched flexibility for acquiring the skills necessary to program and manage ABB robots. Offering access to a variety of ABB robot training courses presented in modules, the app allows users of all experience levels to design their own learning journeys at their own speed.
Developing internal expertise required to operate robots can pose a challenge for numerous companies contemplating robot investment. In a worldwide survey conducted by ABB Robotics* involving 1,650 companies, 34 percent of those surveyed pointed to a skills shortage and worries about complexity as obstacles to incorporating robots in their operations. Among them, 29 percent indicated they would rethink their choice if training were offered.
ABB has firmly positioned itself as a top trainer in robotic automation, attracting more than 25,000 individuals annually to its 40 training centers worldwide. The RoboMasters app enhances these physical training programs by offering a user-friendly, accessible tool for individuals to design and oversee their own educational journeys. Created for users of all skill levels, the app can be customized to provide individualized learning experiences, supported by elements like tutorial videos, feeds, and a community function that facilitates discussions and interactions with fellow learners and instructors.
Offered in more than 50 languages, the course materials come in various formats, such as interactive lessons, simulations, and challenges aimed at improving the user’s robotics skills. To enhance user involvement and interaction, the app employs social learning strategies such as gamification, competition, rewards, target achievement, and ranking. Similar to ABB’s face-to-face training sessions, participants will be awarded a certificate upon successfully completing all modules within a course unit, which serves as evidence of proficiency in programming and operating ABB robots.
For businesses, using the app as part of their robot training efforts can reduce or eliminate the cost and disruption of sending employees on physical courses, especially in locations that may not be close to ABB’s training center network.
The app can also be used as a refresher for ABB’s physical courses, enabling past delegates to practice and further develop their skills using the provided materials and learning functions. This adds value for businesses both by maximizing the original investment in attending ABB’s training courses and providing users with an ongoing way of staying up to date on the latest developments and techniques.