Automate 2025: Universal Robots introduces UR15 cobot

Global cobot provider Universal Robots (UR) recently presented the newest addition to its portfolio, the UR15, at Automate 2025 in Detroit. The company is displaying its robot arms in booth 4023.

The trade show is being hosted by the Association for Advancing Automation (A3) May 12-15 at the Huntington Place Convention Center in Detroit, Mich.

The new UR15 cobot is available for orders now with shipping to begin in June.

30% cycle time improvements over other UR models

With a maximum TCP speed of five meters per second, UR15 is the fastest ever UR cobot, which the company said can enable reduced cycle times, increased productivity and reduced costs across applications and industries. 

For pick-and-place applications, the UR15 delivers up to 30% cycle time improvements compared to other UR models, all the while retaining UR’s lightweight design and small footprint to deliver flexibility for integration in tight workspaces.

“For 20 years, we’ve pushed the boundaries of collaborative automation, making it easier, safer, and more powerful for businesses around the world,” said Tero Tolonen, UR chief product officer. “Today, we take another leap forward with the UR15, which is designed specifically to operate at higher speeds with the smoothest performance in robotics today.

“This makes it a seamless fit for diverse production environments and provides our vast ecosystem of partners with an opportunity to boost existing applications and to develop new, transformative solutions that will take collaborative automation to the next level,” Tolonen added.

Combined with OptiMove, UR’s new motion control technology, those gains can go even further, enhancing trajectory smoothness and ensuring consistently accurate movements - even in high-speed and high-payload applications.

UR15 with AI Accelerator demonstration at Automate

UR15 runs with both PolyScope 5 and PolyScope X, UR’s software platform, and is ready to be equipped with AI to enable improved usability. 

The UR15 can easily be used with the UR AI Accelerator, UR’s toolkit for developing AI-powered applications. The UR AI Accelerator is developed in collaboration with NVIDIA using NVIDIA Isaac’s CUDA-accelerated libraries and models and running on the NVIDIA Jetson AGX Orin system-on-module.

At Automate 2025, 3D Infotech will demonstrate a turnkey quality inspection process with the UR15 and UR AI Accelerator demonstrating the potential of physical AI in the UR15. 

Cobot offers flexibility, efficiency, and reliability

The UR15 has a payload of 33 pounds (15 kilograms) which can be increased to 38.58 pounds (17.5 kilograms) for applications with wrist-down orientation, such as palletizing. 

UR15 Data Sheet - Click to enlarge. Source: Universal Robots

UR said its UR15 is a versatile cobot designed to empower multiple applications and manufacturing industries - each with their own unique challenges where flexibility, efficiency, and reliability are critical.

Three of these industries are:

• Automotive, where space is tight, and flexibility is key. Here UR15’s small footprint and full work envelope can deliver performance without compromising space or speed, the company said. Common automotive applications historically limited by the production speed of cobots - such as automated bin picking, machine tending, and inspection - can now be sped up while retaining precision.
• Metal and machining, where environments can be harsh. The UR15 offers improved ingress protection, IP65, and high payload capability - combined with easy deployment. 
• Electronics and tech, requiring precision and compact design. With cleanroom class capability, compact form, and motion control, the company said UR15 is ready for high-speed pick and place and smooth integration with autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and automated guided vehicles (AGVs).

“When designing our products we start with the needs of our widely diverse customer base,” Tolonen said. “Each industry has a unique set of requirements which shape our approach to both our cobots and our ecosystem solutions. The UR15 will help customers to meet the challenges of today and seize the opportunities of tomorrow.”

Updates to e-Series cobots

UR15 joins the UR20 and UR30 in UR’s new high-performance series, the UR Series, designed for end users who need higher payloads, advanced capabilities, and certifications for demanding environments.

In addition, UR has updated its e-Series:

• The UR5e has received a 5.5 pound (2.5 kilogram) payload upgrade to unlock more potential in existing setups.
• The UR10e, which already carries 27.55 pounds (12.5 kilograms), will be renamed. 

To better reflect the capabilities of each robot, UR is introducing new names: UR7e and UR12e. 

In addition to UR7e and UR12e, the e-Series also consists of UR3e and UR16e.