ABB is opening its NEMA Motors Division world headquarters in Fort Smith, Arkansas, to the local community on Thursday, October 3, in celebration of Manufacturing Day (MFG Day), officially observed on Friday, October 4. This open house event is intended to educate and inspire students, parents, educators and community leaders about the future of manufacturing careers. ABB plans to engage with attendees through facility tours, demonstrating the industry’s critical role in driving innovation and highlighting diverse, sustainable career paths.

Global challenges and industrial competitiveness are having an impact on the training and continuous education of skilled workers and students. In addition to theoretical principles, practical knowledge is also in demand, particularly with regard to digitized and networked manufacturing processes. Virtual learning factories based on 3D simulation platforms offer interesting possibilities when it comes to Industry 4.0: The Mechatronic Simulation Wall developed by MHJ Software GmbH & Co. KG is a mirror image of real mechatronic systems and can include up to four different stations, e.g. magazine, processing, quality assurance and sorting. This type of configuration makes it possible to program each station individually, or run the entire system, which opens up a wide range of learning scenarios with varying degrees of complexity.

ABB Robotics recently announced its sponsorship of MassRobotics, the leading innovation hub and startup accelerator for robotics in the United States.