ABB Robotics has launched PickMaster Lite, a simplified version of its PickMaster software suite built for packaging OEMs and system integrators deploying high-speed, vision-guided picking cells. The software reduces engineering effort by 30 percent and commissioning and deployment time by 25 percent compared to conventional pick-and-place software or PLC-based systems, according to ABB.
PickMaster Lite delivers vision-guided picking, conveyor tracking, and motion control through a task-based interface. Pre-configured templates and guided workflows remove the need for specialist programming expertise, a design choice ABB credits for most of the setup time savings. The software also connects to ABB's RobotStudio platform, letting engineers build digital twins, simulate machine layouts, and optimize robot paths before physical installation.
Engineers integrating PickMaster Lite into existing production lines will care about its PLC and HMI compatibility. The software communicates through ABB's OmniCore controller, letting machine builders manage recipe selection, start, stop, and pause functions directly from their current control systems without reworking existing machine designs.
ABB targets PickMaster Lite at cost-sensitive, high-volume picking in consumer goods, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, electronics, and e-commerce. The company cites World Manufacturing Foundation data showing 74 percent of manufacturers face ongoing labor shortages, alongside Deloitte figures showing nearly 80 percent of consumers expecting more personalized products, as the market pressure behind the launch.
PickMaster Lite sits at the entry point of a three-tier product family. Users can move to PickMaster for more complex tasks requiring greater customization, and to PickMaster Twin for simulation and real-time optimization of live picking lines. ABB has not disclosed pricing or regional availability dates.
