Originally published in The Robot Report
Written by: Brianna Wessling

Universal Robots’ UR20 collaborative robot (cobot) is debuting its welding abilities with Vectis Automation, Hirebotics, and Melton Machine & Control Company at FABTECH.

The UR20’s extended range broadens the range of weldments the cobot can achieve in a given fixture setup. “Vectis Automation is ecstatic to offer the long-reach UR20 arm onto our integrated cobot welding and cutting tools,” Josh Pawley, co-founder of Vectis Automation, said.

The UR20 is Universal Robots’ fastest and strongest cobot ever. It features a 44 lb (20 kg) payload, 68.9 in (1750 mm) reach, and up to 30% more speed and torque when compared to other UR cobots.

“Coordinated motion enables fabricators to weld larger or more complex parts without having to manually reposition the work piece or welding robot,” Will Healy, Global Segment Manager for Welding at Universal Robots, said.

Also at FABTECH, Universal Robots partner Hirebotics will launch Beacon Recommendations, a new feature using AI to recommend welding and cutting parameters when setting up a part. This helps manufacturers save time while also improving the quality of their welds and cuts.

The company is also launching its Cobot Cutter, which is the first UR cobot-powered system for plasma cutting.