Universal Robots A/S has been the world’s leading developer of collaborative robot arms for a number of years. In 2023, the Teradyne subsidiary generated $375 million in revenue. Teradyne has said its robotics portfolio, which also includes Energid (motion planning software) and Mobile Industrial Robots (autonomous mobile robots) has penetrated less than 5% of its market opportunity.

Universal Robots (UR) continued to diversify its cobot lineup in 2023 with the introduction of the UR30. With a 30 kg (66.13 lb.) lifting capacity, 1,300 mm (51.2 in.) reach, and weight of 63.5 kg (139.9 lb.), the UR30 can tend larger machines, palletize heavy products, and support high-torque screw driving.

Built on the same architecture as the UR20, the UR30 cobot arm offers more payload capacity in a compact footprint. Anders Billesø Beck, vice president of strategy and innovation at Universal Robots, told The Robot Report that the UR30 was in development for more than a year before it was introduced. He said that, despite the popularity of the UR20, some customers wanted a robot with a smaller footprint and a higher payload capacity.

The UR30 offers six degrees of freedom and a new “steady mode” that it said opens up the cobot arm to different screwdriving applications, including in the automotive industry.

The diversification of its product line should enable UR to maintain its position atop the cobot arm market. While the UR30 isn’t the first cobot to offer a 30 kg payload, it comes with UR’s top-notch global support, industry-leading accessories, training, and service programs. This continues to make UR a true one-stop shop for a user’s collaborative robotics needs.

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