Rapid Robotics, Universal Robots partner for swift cobot deployments

Automation suppliers Rapid Robotics and Universal Robots (UR) are partnering to provide swift deployment of collaborative robot (cobot) work cells in North America.

The collaboration will see UR, which is headquartered in Denmark, supplying collaborative robot arms for Rapid Robotics’ deployment of cobot work cells across North America.

“As the number of unfilled, critical manufacturing roles increases and global economic uncertainty continues to impact supply chains, more and more North American manufacturers are turning to automation,” said Jordan Kretchmer, CEO and co-founder of Rapid Robotics, which is based in San Francisco. “This collaboration with UR helps us deploy more cobots, with a wider variety of capabilities, at a faster rate, ultimately helping manufacturers of all shapes and sizes manage and even thrive through the adversity they are facing.”

Rapid Robotics is integrated with and can deploy any cobot from the UR product portfolio, Kretchmer said, allowing for expansion in capabilities such as palletizing, box building and packing, and operations requiring a heavier payload or longer reach. Rapid Robotics will also have greater flexibility in the design of work cells and selection of peripheral equipment.

UR offers a two-week ship program that makes it one of the fastest in the industry, Rapid Robotics said.

“Universal Robots has spent the last decade in North America focused on freeing up more manpower by automating a wide range of human-scale tasks with easy-to-deploy cobots,” said Bryan Bird, UR’s regional sales president. “We’re excited to work with Rapid Robotics in a partnership that will enable us to break down more automation barriers, deploying a robotic workforce to address those jobs manufacturers simply can’t staff.”