IRB 6 was the first commercially available all-electric industrial robot, launched by ASEA in 1975.
Swedish company ASEA developed the robot as a six-axis manipulator for industrial work. Its electric motors and computer-controlled movement represented a major alternative to hydraulic industrial robots, which had dominated earlier factory automation. The IRB 6 could handle tasks such as machine loading, material handling, and arc welding.
The robot’s six-axis design allowed it to orient tools in many directions, making it more flexible than simpler fixed-purpose machines. ASEA later became part of ABB, whose robotics business continued the IRB product family.
The IRB 6 is sometimes mixed up with Unimate, installed at General Motors in 1961. Unimate was the first industrial robot, but it was not the first commercially available all-electric model. The IRB 6’s significance lies specifically in its electric actuation and commercial availability.