Cowin Robotics said on Nov. 10 it has won a new order for a robot integration system from a global energy storage system (ESS) company. The system will be deployed at the customer’s mid- to large-sized ESS manufacturing line. It did not disclose the counterparty or contract value for business reasons.

Cowin Robotics said it has continued to win ESS robot orders this year. In March, it won an order worth 20.4 billion won from Seojin System for ESS robots destined for the United States, and in August it agreed, via DFS, to supply robots worth 8.5 billion won for a domestic ESS manufacturing line. The company said it is discussing ways to supply robot systems to other gigafactories the customer is expanding in North America.

The company is expanding the use of robots across ESS production lines. Cowin Robotics has supplied ultra-heavy autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) that move mid- to large-sized finished ESS products weighing tens of tons. Its delivery record also includes robots that assemble enclosures, the outer housing of ESS, and manufacturing and logistics process automation systems.

With this contract, the scope of robot deployment expands to the front end of the manufacturing line. While previous supply focused on ESS assembly and finished-product logistics, robots will now also handle battery pack manufacturing and inspection processes. Cowin Robotics will supply an integrated package combining six-axis articulated robots and low-profile and high-profile high-pick AMRs that connect processes.

It is a strategy to respond to demand for robot transformation (RX) that shifts entire factories to robot-centered operations. The company said that as ESS demand rises, secondary battery and ESS manufacturers are increasing production capacity and that investment in production bases, mainly in North America, is also becoming a full-scale trend.

A Cowin Robotics official said, "ESS manufacturing processes have limitations when handled with general-purpose robots, and as this is a highly demanding site that handles weights of tens of tons, the capability to design and develop systems tailored to process characteristics and on-site working conditions is important." The official added, "Based on technological capabilities and references accumulated in the robot sector within the ESS industry, we will continue to expand new customers and projects in the global mid- to large-sized ESS market, including the United States as well as Europe and Asia."