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The world of collaborative robotics just got a whole lot more exciting! Universal Robots recently announced the latest innovation to its cobot portfolio, the UR8 Long. Engineered to tackle the most demanding and space-constrained tasks, UR8 Long combines a long reach, compact design, and collaborative flexibility to deliver automation where it’s needed most. 

With a 1750mm reach, 10kg payload, Ø 204 mm footprint, and 44.7kg weight, UR8 Long is primed to take on applications that require precise linear motion and high-speed acceleration. It is the perfect collaborative robot to tackle skill shortages in demanding industries such as automotive manufacturing and metal fabrication.

What Makes the UR8 Long Unique? 

The UR8 Long isn't just another cobot; it's a significant leap forward in automation technology. Historically, engineers and welders have faced an undesirable trade-off: a heavy cobot with a long reach that's difficult to move, or a lightweight cobot with insufficient reach. The UR8 Long breaks this pattern.

Building on Universal Robots' renowned reputation for user-friendliness and safety, the UR8 Long introduces an extended reach that opens up new possibilities for automation.

Featuring the same 1750mm reach as the UR20, the UR8 Long can cover larger workspaces and handle tasks that were previously out of bounds for smaller cobots. While it may have the same reach as the UR20, UR8 Long has a significantly slimmer profile and lighter mass (30% less than UR20), making it ideal for facilities with limited space.

True to the Universal Robots philosophy, the UR8 Long is incredibly easy to program. Upgraded freedrive capabilities allow users to manually guide the arm with precision and ease through an intuitive user interface and lead-to-teach programming, delivering quick deployment and minimal training.

UR8 Long runs with both PolyScope 5 and PolyScope X, Universal Robots industry-leading software platform, and can be extended with MotionPlus - their new advanced motion control technology that allows for ease of integration with linear axis, rotary positioners and rotary turntables for precise control, smoother trajectories, and consistent accuracy.

Universal Robots are synonymous with accuracy, and the UR8 Long continues this tradition. Delivering industry-leading precision, you can expect consistent, repeatable performance, ensuring high-quality output every time.

Unleashing New Possibilities

The UR8 Long is poised to become an indispensable tool in the welding industry, directly addressing the challenges that welding engineers and fabrication shops face every day. It's designed specifically to deliver the reach, precision, and repeatability that modern welding demands, all while maintaining a remarkably compact and lightweight profile.

“UR8 Long delivers an easier teaching experience than traditional welding robots, better weld quality than manual welding, and less overall rework, saving time and money,” said Will Healy III, Global Industry Manager for Fabricated Metals at Teradyne Robotics. “Following feedback from fabricators around the world, the UR8 Long was designed with the collaborative welding process in mind, boosting productivity and helping leaders to attract new talent who are often more motivated to operate a robot than perform repetitive manual welding.”

The benefits of welding with UR8 Long include:

1. Optimal Reach Without the Bulk

One of the UR8 Long's standout features is its ability to provide extended reach without the unnecessary weight of traditional industrial robots. This solves a common problem: getting the reach you need for large weldments or complex assemblies while keeping the cobot easy to move and integrate. Its lightweight design enables the faster, more precise movement that high-quality welding requires and allows the arm to fit into tight spaces and tackle long seams and complex parts with consistency.

2. Superior Motion Control for High-Quality Welds

Exceptional weld quality hinges on consistent, precise motion. The UR8 Long’s advanced control provides better linear, circular, and weaving performance, especially at the slow speeds critical in welding. This consistent motion directly translates to cleaner welds, less grinding, and reduced rework, saving time and consumables in your fabrication shop.

3. Built for Practical Productivity

The UR8 Long is a ready-to-use welding robot that integrates quickly into your operations and scales effortlessly with your workload. By taking on repetitive and unergonomic welds, the UR8 Long helps shops maintain output quality amidst a shortage of skilled welders, allowing your valuable human talent to focus on higher-value, more complex fabrication tasks.

The UR8 Long delivers exactly what welding applications require: a powerful payload for your torch, the reach to handle complex geometries, and the motion control to ensure high-quality, repeatable results, all in a compact, manageable solution.

Why Choose Cobots Online as Your UR8 Long Partner?

Universal Robots is an industry leader in collaborative robots, and we’re proud to be a Certified System Integrator for UR. We integrate UR cobots into our range of automation solutions due to their exceptional reliability, ease of use, and unparalleled performance. 

As your trusted partner, Cobots Online guarantees seamless integration, comprehensive support, and a deep knowledge of cobots. Our team has extensive training and hands-on experience with all Universal Robots products, including the new UR8 Long, to help you leverage the full potential of your cobot solution and achieve the best possible return on your investment. From initial consultation and seamless integration to ongoing maintenance and training, we offer unparalleled support every step of the way.

The UR8 Long represents a significant step forward in collaborative automation, offering greater reach and payload without compromising on the safety and ease of use that Universal Robots are known for. We are incredibly proud to be at the forefront of bringing this exciting technology and are looking forward to bringing this revolutionary cobot to SMEs across the UK.

Ready to explore how the Universal Robots UR8 Long can transform your operations? Contact Cobots Online for a consultation and let's unlock your automation potential together.