Universal Robots has introduced a new addition to its portfolio of collaborative robots (cobots), unveiling the UR15 at the Automate trade show in Detroit. According to the company, the UR15 is its fastest cobot to date, with a maximum TCP (tool center point) speed of 5 meters per second.
The UR15 is currently available for order and will begin shipping in June. It is positioned as part of Universal Robots’ new high-performance series, the UR Series, which also includes the previously released UR20 and UR30 models. The new model is intended for use across a range of industrial sectors where cycle time reduction and flexible deployment are priorities.
The UR15 supports a payload of up to 15 kilograms, which can be increased to 17.5 kilograms in wrist-down applications such as palletizing. It is designed for integration into various manufacturing environments, including automotive, metalworking, and electronics, and features an IP65 ingress protection rating.
The cobot operates with both versions of Universal Robots’ software platforms—PolyScope 5 and PolyScope X—and is compatible with the UR AI Accelerator toolkit. This toolkit, developed in collaboration with NVIDIA, enables integration with NVIDIA’s Jetson AGX Orin module and CUDA-accelerated AI libraries. At the Automate event, the UR15 is being demonstrated in an automated quality inspection application by 3D Infotech.
The UR15 incorporates a new motion control system, OptiMove, which is intended to improve trajectory smoothness and accuracy, particularly in high-speed and high-payload operations.
In conjunction with the UR15 launch, Universal Robots also announced updates to its e-Series product line. The UR5e model now supports a payload increase from 5 to 7.5 kilograms and has been renamed UR7e. Similarly, the UR10e has been renamed UR12e to reflect its 12.5-kilogram payload. The updated e-Series now consists of the UR3e, UR7e, UR12e, and UR16e.
Universal Robots stated that the UR15 is designed to address growing demand for faster and more capable collaborative automation solutions, while maintaining a compact footprint and ease of deployment.
