Universal Robots to make robot automation accessible to all
levels of industry
Universal
Robots, a Danish robot manufacturer that pioneered collaborative robots discussed
the future of co-bots in India and accessibility to such technology that could
bring about a revolution in various industries.
The event was graced by Esben stergaard,
Chief Technology Officer of Universal Robots and Pradeep David, General
Manager, India.
Co-bots
are designed to work with humans and assist them with a variety of tasks which
help to automate and streamline repetitive and potentially unsafe processes
thus, ensuring safe work environment while increasing productivity and
efficiency. With the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) set to grow,
they are eager to adopt this technology. To ensure the success and adaptability
of co-bots, a study was conducted by MIT researchers at a BMW factory, where it
was seen and analyzed that teams made of humans and robots collaborating
efficiently can be around 85% more productive than teams made of either humans
or robots alone. Also, the cooperative process reduced human idle time by
virtue of its pace-setting ability.
Since
2003 Universal Robots has grown over 13 years from introducing the idea of
creating a light robot that would be user friendly for the industries. The
company has seen the evolution of robot arms from the UR3, UR5 and UR10, which
are built for respective payloads of 3kg, 5kg and 10kg.
UR3: The ultra flexible Universal Robots UR3 delivers high-precision
accuracy for smaller production environments. The UR3 can modulate payloads of
up to 3 kg (6.6 lbs), bringing value to scientific, pharmaceutical,
agriculture, and electronics and technology facilities.
UR5: The lightweight and flexible Universal Robots UR5 lets you
automate repetitive and dangerous tasks with payloads of up to 5 kg. Low-weight
collaborative processes, such as: picking, placing and testing are all perfect
for the UR5. With a working radius of up to 850 mm, the UR5 puts everything
within reach, freeing up your employees’ time to add value to other stages of
the production.
UR10: The Universal Robots UR10 is our largest industrial robot,
designed for bigger tasks where precision and reliability are still of
paramount importance. Automate processes and tasks that weigh up to 10 kg.
Heavier-weight collaborative processes, such as: packaging, palletizing,
assembly and pick and place are all well suited to the UR10. And with a reach
radius of up to 1300mm, the UR10 is designed to be more effective at tasks
across a larger area. This can save time on production lines where distance can
be a factor.
The global collaborative
robots market was valued at $128 Million in 2014 and is likely to reach $ 1
Billion by 2019, growing at a CAGR of 50.88%.
80% of the UR robots
worldwide operate with no safety guarding (after risk assessment) right beside
human operators. The safety system of our robots are approved and certified by
TÜV (German Inspection Association)
“Evolution has been evident in the past and we
thrive to nurture it and take it to the next step with human robot collaboration.
Collaborative robotic technology can be used to benefit all aspects of
task-based businesses irrespective of their size. Our robot arms are advanced
tools that can be used by all levels of production staff 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 are delighted to be able to provide the platform required for
the Indian market for increasing productivity, quality, and market
competitiveness. Our collaborative robots will help to ease out processes in
task driven industries like manufacturing, assembly and food processing,” said
Esben Østergaard, Chief Technology Officer, Universal Robots.
Universal Robots has been
servicing clients in India such as Mahindra, TVS, TATA Consultancy Services,
Siemens, Bajaj, BOSCH, Renault, Hindustan Unilever Limited, GE, Calvin Klein to
name a few. The companies have readily adopted the technology and Universal
Robots has sold close to 100 Units of
Co-bots (collaborative robots) till date.
Pradeep
David, General Manager, Universal Robots (India) further added, “Our three
different collaborative robots are easily integrated into existing production
environments. With six articulation points, and a wide scope of flexibility,
the collaborative robot arms are designed to mimic the range of motion of a
human arm. 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. The need of advanced robotics is
required for accessibility to anybody who wants to increase productivity while
maintaining high safety standards. We are growing our channel partner strength
in all major locations of the country and will continue to expand our network
in the coming years. With the government also supporting the growth of
industries and sectors, the demand and requirement for this technology is
growing”
About Universal Robots
Universal Robots makes robot technology accessible to all levels of industry.
Since the first UR robot entered the market in December 2008, the company has
seen substantial growth with the user-friendly robots now being sold in more
than 50 countries worldwide through a network of over 300 distributors. By
offering a user-friendly, affordable robot, Universal Robots lowers the
automation barrier enabling automation in areas previously considered too
complex or costly. The company is headquartered in Odense, Denmark, where all
development and production is carried out. The Indian headquarter is based in
Bangalore.