Universal Robots, a supplier of collaborative robots (cobots), has introduced a new cobot to its portfolio, the UR8 Long. Featuring the same 1750 mm (68.9 in) reach as the UR20, but with a significantly slimmer profile, the UR8 Long has an 8 kg (17.6 lbs) payload. Universal Robots says this “makes it ideal for space-constrained setups and industrial tasks, from complex weldments to precision dunnage picking and flexible multi-point inspections.
According to Universal Robots, the UR8 Long’s lighter mass (30% less than the UR20) and compact wrist design enables it to be mounted on gantries, rails or overhead systems, where external axes can operate more efficiently.
UR8 Long runs Universal Robots’ PolyScope 5 and PolyScope X software platform, and can be extended with MotionPlus, the company’s advanced motion control technology that allows for integration with linear axes, rotary positioners and rotary turntables for precise control, smoother trajectories and consistent accuracy.
Speaking to the cobot’s welding capabilities, Will Healy III, global industry manager for fabricated metals at Teradyne Robotics (Universal Robots’ parent company), said the UR8 Long “delivers an easier teaching experience than traditional welding robots, better weld quality than manual welding and less overall rework.”
He added that the UR8 Long was developed “following feedback from fabricators around the world … to boost productivity and help attract new talent who are often more motivated to operate a robot than perform repetitive manual welding.”
