Automate 2026: Hirebotics launches no-code, explosion-proof cobot offering for painting

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Hirebotics announced the release of what the company said is the first explosion-proof cobot offering, built using its no-code Beacon platform and the FANUC CRX-10iA/L Paint hardware.

The company said that the Cobot Painter is available now, offering metal fabricators and manufacturers a practical, high-mix, low-volume alternative to manual spraying and complex automated lines.

Painting with cobots is safer, more sustainable

Hirebotics said that in the past, ​​fabrication shops and other manufacturers ha​​d ​​to outsource coating work, as traditional automation lines were ​​too costly and complex. ​This ​resulted in a loss of ​​control over lead times, quality and profit margins. ​

Compared to ​traditional automated paint systems that require dedicated cells and major exhaust or conveyor infrastructure overhauls, Hirebotics said that its portable, lightweight Cobot Painter works inside a manufacturer's existing manual spray environment. ​This means ​the painting offering can be deployed and working within days rather than months.​

"The Cobot Painter eliminates th​​e​​​ ​need for dedicated paint cells and complex programming,” said Matt Bush, co-founder and CEO of Hirebotics. “By combining FANUC’s world-class, explosion-proof hardware with our intuitive, no-code Beacon platform, we’ve created an affordable, flexible finishing solution. Shops can now bring their coating in-house, deploy automation in days inside their existing booths, and deliver the flawless finishes their customers expect. And they can do it all without a single robotics specialist on staff."

Hirebotics said that the FANUC CRX-10iA/L Paint cobot is the first explosion-proof collaborative paint robot on the ​​market​ ​approved for liquid painting, powder coating and gel coating applications in hazardous environments. Featuring a 55.82-inch reach, the company said that the FANUC cobot handles large and complex parts with repeatable precision, delivering a consistent coat every time while significantly reducing paint waste and overspray.

Like Hirebotics’ welding and cutting technologies, the company said that the Cobot Painter is designed to be fully accessible to operators without robotics or programming experience. Using the Beacon interface on any tablet or phone, Hirebotics said that operators can simply use "click-and-teach" paths to guide the robot through the motions once. The company said that the cobot then flawlessly repeats the exact speed, distance and angle for every cycle.

“Built on the CRX-10iA/L Paint cobot, the system brings the safety and precision of explosion-proof automation into standard manual coating environments,” said Dave Wagenhauser, manager of paint robot sales, FANUC America. “The CRX Paint series is designed to deliver consistent, high-quality performance in painting and finishing applications, combining collaborative safety features, ease of deployment and FANUC’s proven reliability for manufacturers seeking flexible automation. Our collaboration with Hirebotics and its Beacon platform further streamlines setup and programming, helping reduce integration complexity and enabling faster deployment in high-mix, low-volume production environments.”

Hirebotics said that the Cobot Painter currently supports stationary painting, with parts placed in a paint booth ​​where​​ robots perform all spraying operations. The company said that future versions will support line tracking, with the robot tracking and painting parts while in continuous motion along a production line.