Online Ecosystem Universal Robots+ on the INDUSTRY Top List 2017

Helmut-Schmid, General Manager Western Europe

The expert jury of the INDUSTRY AWARD 2017 has awarded the online ecosystem Universal Robots+ by Universal Robots (UR) in the category "Services & Solutions" with the label BEST OF 2017. This recognizes the independent jury of industry experts, professors, and trade journalists for particularly innovative industrial products that possess not only economic and technological benefits but also significant social and ecological advantages. As an innovative solution that opens the way to automation and thus Industry 4.0 for small and medium-sized enterprises, Universal Robots+ convinced the expert panel.

"We are very pleased with this award. Because it is further confirmation that with our initiative, we are not only pioneers but also provide an important service to the entire industry," says Helmut Schmid, Managing Director of Universal Robots (Germany) GmbH and General Manager Western Europe. "Universal Robots+ is a central part of our 'Do it yourself' strategy. Our goal is to significantly lower the barriers to entry into automation by further reducing complexity and costs during implementation. Applications in robotics, indeed the entire technology, must be so simple to implement and flexible that truly everyone can handle it." With its online platform, UR has created a toolbox for its partners and customers, where they can find everything they need to assemble the most suitable robot application for their company and requirements as a plug & play solution.

More than just an online community

Since its launch, Universal Robots+ has formed a comprehensive ecosystem for developers, sales partners, and end customers, where all conceivable applications around the UR3, UR5, and UR10 robot arms can be developed and showcased. The online platform consists of two parts: In the so-called showroom, innovative end effectors, accessories, and software solutions are available – all plug & play components, ensuring seamless integration with UR robots. With the free UR+ Developer Program, UR also provides developers with a comprehensive support and marketing platform, for example, with free assistance in developing new accessories for the robots and access to a globally growing network of distributors and customers. The fact that the concept is meeting strong demand is reflected in the growth of the ecosystem: While 22 products were represented in the showroom by the end of 2016, there are currently 35, and with the same growth rate, it is expected to reach 100 by the end of 2017. Already, 260 developers have registered for the UR+ Developer Program, and by the end of 2017, this number is expected to rise to 400.