Malaysia, 28  May 2021 - Universal Robots (UR), a Denmark-based collaborative robots (cobots) technology market leader, launched an enhanced UR10e with an increased payload of 12.5kg that will enable new possibilities for heavy-duty applications such as palletising, machine tending, and packaging. 

“Universal Robots is committed to continuous improvement based on meaningful conversations with customers and our ability to address critical market opportunities. Our customers have already deployed UR collaborative robots (cobots) on a wide variety of palletising applications. Over time, they have identified opportunities to utilise our UR10e cobot in handling tasks with heavier items,” said Kim Povlsen, President of Universal Robots. “In response to this demand, we have enhanced the UR10e to support greater payloads, thus providing customers with exciting new deployment capabilities.” 

The enhanced UR10e retains the small footprint, intuitive programming experience, uncompromising repeatability, commitment to quality, and trusted performance that Universal Robots customers have come to expect, but its increased payload capacity means that users can now do more:

• UR10e can be used in palletising applications with cartons weighing up to 10kg and a 2.5kg gripper. 
• UR10e is now more versatile for other material handling tasks, too, such as loading and unloading heavier workpieces in machine tending deployments and packaging of heavy items. 
• The enhanced UR10e’s greater payload takes more weight from the hands and shoulders of humans, leading to improved ergonomics and working conditions. In 2020, the Department of Occupational Safety and Health Malaysia (DOSH) recorded a total of 6,720 occupational accidents. 

“One of the major benefits of cobots is freeing human workers from dangerous and injury-prone tasks. UR cobots are designed to work alongside humans and perform best as a minimally disruptive solution to safety concerns. The results of deploying cobots are clear: a boost in productivity, improved quality outcomes, enhanced working conditions and leaving space for businesses to re-evaluate how to best use the problem-solving abilities of their workforce,” said James McKew, Regional Director Asia-Pacific Universal Robots.

Pushing the Boundaries 

Feedback from UR partners has been extremely positive. MBO Postpress Solutions in Germany has integrated the UR10e as part of its CoBo-Stack stacking cobot. “Increasing the payload of the UR10e will make our MBO CoBo-Stack much more profitable for our customers by expanding their application possibilities to include larger packages and heavier products, such as perfect bound or saddle stitched catalogues and brochures,” said Sebastian König, Head of Research & Development at MBO Postpress Solutions GmbH.

In addition, the updated UR10e also provides plug-and-play compatibility with products from Universal Robots’ UR+ ecosystem of hardware and software peripherals, ensuring that users can quickly and easily get started with collaborative applications. 

Nicolas Lauzier, Senior Product Manager at Robotiq commented: “The greater payload of UR10e makes a big difference to palletising applications by enabling users to handle loads up to 12.5kg in weight. With 25% greater automation potential, it also means that the UR10e can help whenever there is a single line that needs to palletise a wide range of products of different weights.” 

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