When Universal Robots (UR) recently surveyed 1,200 manufacturers across North America and Europe about their use of technology and future investment plans, over 50% of the respondents indicated they are now using AI and machine learning in their production processes.

At UR’s IMTS September 9-14 in Chicago, the company will show a machine-tending application with new AI-based perception capabilities running on NVIDIA Jetson and Isaac acceleration libraries integrated into UR’s new PolyScope X platform. This combination enables dynamic path planning, ensuring the robot takes the most effective, collision-free paths in and out of the machine without requiring extensive user configuration. UR plans to make this cutting-edge technology available for a wide range of applications, including machine tending and other material handling tasks.

“We’re looking forward to showing IMTS attendees robust deep learning solutions that will significantly impact manufacturing, especially for high mix/low volume production, which is increasingly common in machine tending,” Kumar adds. AI will also be a focal point during UR’s popular Cobot Walks — guided tours throughout IMTS that explore the latest cobot innovations in machine tending, metal fabricating, support tools, UR+ peripherals, and education.

With more than 60 collaborative robot arms from UR hard at work throughout the show floor at McCormick Place, IMTS 2024 is a testament to the rapidly expanding UR ecosystem with OEM, UR+, and Certified System Integrator partners exhibiting a wide range of UR cobot-powered applications.

The UR+ ecosystem recently hit a milestone, announcing 500 UR+ products. Some of these will be featured at IMTS including Groundlight AI; visual inspection and anomaly detection using AI, Zimmer's tool changing interface also compatible for Schmalz grippers, SICK’s End-of-Arm Safeguard, Impaqt Robotics’ pneumagiQ, a universal pneumatic gripper interface, and Olis Robotics’ remote diagnostic and monitoring solution.

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