New Danish robot eliminates all automation barriers

ODENSE, Denmark, Aug. 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The UR5 robotic arm manufactured by Universal Robots has been announced "The world's most innovative robot" by The International Federation of Robotics and IEEE Robotics and Automation Society. The US audience will now see the award winning robot - along with its big brother UR10 – for the first time.

The UR5 and UR10 robotic arms are aimed at companies that thought robots were too expensive, cumbersome and hard to program and integrate in existing production. The lightweight, flexible UR5 and UR10 can work alongside personnel and generally require no safety shielding. The robotic arms are easily moved around the production area and present a plug-and-play solution; a simple user interface lets employees with no previous programming experience quickly set up and operate them.

Universal Robot's CCO Thomas Visti looks forward to introducing IMTS attendees to UR5 and UR10:

"Many companies worldwide have invested in UR robots to save manpower, whereas others have used them to boost product quality or productivity. Sometimes they are used in repetitive tasks to improve working conditions for employees. We see potential in all these applications in the US market."

Instead of expensive sensor technology, the UR5 robotic arm utilizes a unique patented technology to measure electrical current in its joints to determine force and movement. The innovation enables the robot to undercut the price of other automated solutions. This enables even small and medium-sized enterprises to automate production previously unthinkable.

"Small and medium-sized enterprises demand a fast return on investment. Besides the robot's low initial cost, it operates very cost-efficiently and is profitable in only six to eight months," says Thomas Visti. 

Universal Robots will be at booth E-4601 at IMTS in Chicago, Sept. 10-15, 2012.

About the robots:
Universal Robots is a result of many years of intensive research in robotics. The six-axis robot arms can easily be implemented in many industries; from a small CNC lathe production to large automobile assembly lines.

Esben Ostergaard, founder and CTO at Universal Robots, explains how the robots were designed to be as user friendly as possible:

"We decided to make programming intuitive by developing a graphical user interface combined with a "teaching function" allowing the user to simply grab the robot arm and show it how a movement should be performed.  The robot can be integrated into any production process very quickly. Our experience shows this is generally done in a few hours."

The robots weigh as little as 40lbs enabling them to be moved around the production area to perform different tasks. The UR5 can handle a load of up to five kilos (11.3lbs), the UR10, 10 kilos (22.6 lbs) respectively. A significant benefit is the robot's capability to operate with no safety shielding; As soon as an employee comes into contact with the robot arm and a force of at least 150 Newton is exerted, the robot arm will automatically stop operating.

About the company:
Universal Robots is an innovative and globally successful Danish manufacturer of robots. Since the first UR robot entered the market in 2009, the company has seen substantial growth. This year alone, Universal Robots expects to sell 800-1000 robots globally.

European portfolio customers include companies such as Lear, Oticon, Bosch, BMW, Scandinavian Tobacco Group, LG, Samsung, LUK and GN Resound. In Asia, UR robots are used extensively by the Bajaj company in the yearly production of 4 million vehicles, motor cycles and auto rickshaws.

Universal Robots is a "first mover" within a new segment for industrial robots with focus on user friendliness and flexibility. The Danish company has approx. 50 employees. All development and production is carried out in Odense in Denmark. For more information about Universal Robots please go to: http://www.universal-robots.com and watch the company video produced for the IMTS contest here: bit.ly/NIjupG

High resolution pictures, videos and brochures can be found at:

http://www.universal-robots.dk/DK/Presse/Multimedia.aspx

SOURCE Universal Robots