Universal Robot launches next-generation cobot technology

“Our e-Series platform is leveraging our years of experience as the market leader within collaborative robots combined with our overall product philosophy of empowering, keeping it easy and making it accessible to everyone,” says Jürgen von Hollen, president of Universal Robots. “The technology behind e-Series as well as our unique Universal Robots+ ecosystem will give users much more operational ease and flexibility, and give them greater production output.”

Built-in, tool-centric Force/Torque sensor gives the e-Series the superior precision and greater sensitivity needed for deployment in an even wider range of applications. A re-designed intuitive and responsive-touch user interface reduces cognitive load and expedites program development by simplifying programming flow and reduces programming to a few clicks on a new lightweight, wide-screen Teach Pendant.

The e-Series offers unparalleled convenience. It takes just one hour to unpack the cobot, mount it and program the first task. A wrist-joint-tool communication interface reduces production line integration time and complexity. Meanwhile, from a service standpoint, all joints can be replaced in 2 to 6 minutes.

Seventeen safety functions, including customisable stopping time and distance, make collaborative automation easier than ever. Certified by TÜV Nord all these functions are in compliance with the EN ISO 13849-1 and EN ISO 10218-1 (Cat. 3 PLd) machinery safety standards for unobstructed human-robot collaboration.

Universal Robots will start taking orders for the e-Series immediately and plans to begin shipping units to customers from August 1, 2018. Lead time is expected to be the same as with its other products, five days.