Rapid Robotics announced a partnership with Universal Robots (UR) to provide North American manufacturers with fast, flexible automation. In this partnership, the Danish collaborative robot (cobot) producer will supply cobot arms for Rapid Robotics’ deployment of cobot work cells across North America.

Universal Robots is a proven manufacturer of high-quality, versatile robots. It will enable Rapid Robotics to serve a greater number of customers and maintain the rapid deployment times they’ve come to expect even as Rapid Robotics continues to expand its national footprint.

“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.

“This collaboration with UR helps us deploy more cobots, with a wider variety of capabilities, at a faster rate. Ultimately, it will help manufacturers of all shapes and sizes manage and even thrive through the adversity they are facing.”

Speed up Cobot Deployment

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

Together, Rapid Robotics and UR also bring new levels of speed to cobot deployments. UR’s two-week ship program makes it one of the fastest in the industry. Meanwhile, Rapid Robotics owns a powerful mix of state-of-the-art AI, advanced vision systems and unique software stack. This means robots can be up and running in customer facilities in a matter of weeks versus the typical months to years.

“Universal Robots 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,” says Bryan Bird, Universal Robots’ 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.”

A greater variety in how and what can be automated represents a powerful shift for both new and existing Rapid Robotics customers. There are existing customers wanting to grow their business or fill empty machine operator roles. They can see even more of their lines automated due to new capabilities afforded by UR’s cobots. For new customers, Rapid Robotics’ expanded portfolio makes the automation journey more accessible, and faster than ever before.