Automation & Robotics

Today most robots are used in manufacturing operations; the applications can be divided into three categories: (1) material handling, (2) processing operations, and (3) assembly and inspection. Material-handling applications include material transfer and machine loading and unloading. Material-transfer applications require the robot to move materials or work parts from one location to another. Many of these tasks are relatively simple, requiring robots to pick up parts from one conveyor and place them on another. In robotic processing operations, the robot manipulates a tool to perform a process on the work part. Examples of such applications include welding, sanding, polishing, and spray painting. Spot welding of automobile bodies is one of the most common applications of industrial robots in the United States. The robot positions a spot welder against the automobile panels and frames to complete the assembly of the basic car body. Sanding and polishing are ideal applications for finishing prior to painting . Spray painting involves the manipulation of a spray-painting gun over the surface of the object to be coated. Other operations in this category include grinding, polishing, and routing, in which a rotating spindle serves as the robot's tool. The third application area of industrial robots is assembly and inspection. The use of robots in assembly is expected to increase because of the high cost of manual labour common in these operations. Inspection is another area of factory operations in which the utilization of robots is growing. In a typical inspection job, the robot positions a sensor with respect to the work part and determines whether the part is consistent with the quality specifications.

Cobots are cost effective, flexible, safe and user-friendly collaborative robots that work closely with people in production environments. Collaborating robots are making automation easier than ever before for small and medium sized businesses. Thanks to technological development, cobots is the future of the automation industry. Discover the significant benefits you can obtain by automating your production – all of these benefits have made the cobots a game-changer within the industrial and collaborative robot industry.

In 2005, Universal Robots is officially founded, with the goal of making robot technology accessible to small and medium-sized enterprises. We believe that collaborative robotic technology can be used to benefit all aspects of task-based businesses – no matter what their size. Our robot arms are advanced tools that can be used by all levels of production to help increase productivity, reduce injury, and boost morale. With a Universal Robots robot arm, you can automate and streamline repetitive or potentially unsafe processes, so staff can be assigned to jobs that provide them with new challenges. We believe that the latest collaborative robot technology should be available to all businesses. The nominal investment cost is quickly recovered as our robotic arms have an average payback period of just six months.

Dynabrade orbital sanders are now fully integrated with UR cobots through the UR+ platform. Another manual task now addressed by cobots is sanding. Dynabrade's new robotic sander kit includes a pneumatic sander, robot mount, and a solenoid enabling robotic operation via the UR teach pendant. Dynabrade is finding that many customers are interested in mounting our tools on robots. Cobots are very affordable and user-friendly, allowing our end users to bring automation into their workplace without the expense and learning curve of traditional robots. UR being the leader in the cobot industry, it is obvious to bring Dynabrade sanders to the UR+ platform.

Caps are to robots, what apps are to smart phones: useful accessories, hardware and software extending the capabilities of UR robots handling many different tasks. Now Universal Robots has created a platform for robot users worldwide providing a shortcut to proven combinations of robots and accessories. URCaps is a platform where distributors and integrators can present accessories that run successfully in UR robot applications at end users. Any supplier of robotic accessories and solutions that have proven to be suitable for UR robots can download an application form. After this, the dialogue with Universal Robots begins. If the proposal is approved by UR, suppliers can now offer their products directly to interested buyers - in the countries where the CAPS are sold. The first URCaps are a combination of workbenches, vision solutions, cables, jaws and grippers. Caps is an abbreviation of the word capabilities. The first 24 caps are already featured on the platform. These caps have been through a thorough trial integration testing, a vital requirement that URCaps must be proven and in use within the industry.