Universal Robots (UR) has launched an enhanced UR10e collaborative robot with an increased payload of 12.5kg, creating new possibilities for applications such as palletising, machine tending, and packaging. The robot’s price remains unchanged.

Kim Povlsen, president of Universal Robots, said: “We are committed to continuous improvement based on meaningful conversations with customers and our ability to address critical market opportunities.

“Our customers have already deployed UR cobots on a wide variety of palletising applications. Over time, they have identified opportunities to utilise our UR10e cobot in handling tasks with heavier items. In response to this demand, we have enhanced the UR10e to support greater payloads, providing customers with exciting new deployment capabilities.”

The upgraded UR10e retains the small footprint, intuitive programming experience, uncompromising repeatability, commitment to quality, and trusted performance that Universal Robots customers have come to expect, but its increased payload capacity means that users can now do more.

It can now be used in palletising applications with cartons weighing up to 10kg and a 2.5kg gripper and is more versatile for other material handling tasks such as loading and unloading heavier workpieces in machine tending deployments and packaging of heavy items.

Moreover, the enhanced UR10e’s greater payload takes more weight from the hands and shoulders of humans, leading to improved ergonomics and working conditions. With over-exertion and repetitive motion accounting for an estimated 24% and 8% of workplace injuries respectively in the USA alone, this provides significant relief to human workers.

Mr Povlsen added: “Humans are not designed to lift heavy goods repeatedly, but our cobots handle these tasks with ease. By taking over these activities, UR cobots boost productivity, improve product quality, and help businesses rethink how to best use the creative and problem-solving abilities of their workforce — all while keeping people safe.”

Feedback from UR partners has been extremely positive; MBO Postpress Solutions in Germany, for example, has integrated the UR10e as part of its CoBo-Stack stacking cobot.

Sebastian König, head of R&D at MBO Postpress Solutions, said: “Increasing the payload of the UR10e will make our MBO CoBo-Stack much more profitable for our customers by expanding their application possibilities to include larger packages and heavier products, such as perfect bound or saddle stitched catalogues and brochures.”

In addition, the updated UR10e also provides plug-and-play compatibility with products from Universal Robots’ UR+ ecosystem of hardware and software peripherals, ensuring that users can quickly and easily get started with collaborative applications.

Nicolas Lauzier, senior product manager at Robotiq said: “The greater payload of UR10e makes a big difference to palletising applications by enabling users to handle loads up to 12.5kg in weight. With 25% greater automation potential, it also means that the UR10e can help whenever there is a single line that needs to palletise a wide range of products of different weights.”