Danish robotics company, Universal Robots, is to renew its focus on the UK after a record year in 2011 which saw growth of 250 per cent and over 400 of its six-axis robotic arms sold worldwide – mostly to Germany, Denmark and other global growth markets. The company’s UR5 robotic arm uses unique patented technology to measure electrical current in its joints to determine force and movement rather than expensive sensor technology. This means the five kilo payload robot can undercut the price of robot solutions from the better known manufacturers by more than 50 per cent.
“This puts the UR5 in the price range that can be afforded by even small firms looking to make a move into automation for the first time,” says Kristian Hulgard, UK and Nordic sales manager.
Universal Robots has also invested heavily in developing highly simplified software with a touch screen graphical user interface for robot control. With the use of standard routines that can be dragged and dropped into an on screen ‘script’ for the robot, inexperienced users can have the UR5 up and running in 10 minutes without any expensive programmer support at all. In most applications, the robot is also approved to operate without a safety cage as it has an automatic stop function should it encounter resistance. This makes the robot very flexible and low cost to install.
“We are keen to recruit a number of specialist distributors and resellers for the UK and see a great opportunity here as firms tool up and look at investing for future growth,” says Hulgard.
Universal Robots
T: +45 8993 8989
