Universal Robots has lifted the bar in industrial cobots with the release of the new UR16e which can handle 16kg payloads – its strongest cobot ever.
The UR16e is built for heavy duty tasks like machine tending, material handling, packaging, material removal, and screw and nut driving applications.
It is especially useful for carrying heavy end of arm tooling and can lift multiple parts in a single pick, making tasks much more efficient by achieving shorter cycle times.
“The UR16e is designed for bigger tasks where precision and reliability are still of paramount importance,” the company said in a statement.
“The UR16e collaborative industrial robot is easy to program, offers fast set-up, is collaborative and safe, and like our other collaborative robots, offers one of the fastest payback times in the industry.
“The utility of this collaborative industrial robot is unmatchable.”
This new capability paves the way for the expansion of cobots into new industries that have traditionally used much larger industrial robots.
It also opens the door for more humans to be working collaboratively with machines.
The UR16e combines the high payload with a small footprint, reach of 900mm and pose repeatability of +/- 0.05 mm.
Developed on UR’s innovative e-Series platform, Universal Robots says the new model – just like others in the cobot series – can be unpacked, mounted and programmed to perform a task in less than an hour.
“In today’s uncertain economic climate manufacturers need to look at flexible solutions to stay competitive,” said Universal Robots president Jürgen von Hollen. “With UR16e, we meet the need for a collaborative robot that can tackle heavy-duty tasks reliably and efficiently.
“This launch significantly expands the versatility of our product portfolio and gives manufacturers even more ways to improve performance, overcome labour challenges, and grow their business.”
Safety functions
The UR3e, UR5e and UR10e, the other cobots in UR’s e-Series, offer 3kg, 5kg and 10kg payloads, respectively.
The cobot has been designed with numerous sensors enabling it to operate safely alongside humans.
The UR16e includes built-in force sensing, 17 configurable safety functions, including customisable stopping time and stopping distance, and an intuitive programming flow.
Since its launch in 2015, Universal Robots has achieved a highly impressive safety record globally, with only a few minor incidents resulting in injury.
The company is a world leader in cobot technology, with more than 37,000 units sold.
The 16e meets compliance and safety standards EN ISO 13849-1, PLd, Category 3, and full EN ISO 10218-1.
