Universal Robots elevates its training program to the next level with worldwide, certified training centers

Just in time for the start of Hannover Messe, Universal Robots is expanding its training concept: In addition to the free online training modules of the Universal Robots Academy, the world market leader in collaborative robotics is opening certified training centers worldwide.

As part of its mission to make the benefits of collaborative robotics accessible to the general public, Universal Robots (UR) has initiated the development of a global network of certified training centers that complement the popular online training offerings of the Universal Robots Academy. In newly designed, practical-oriented training sessions, conducted by Universal Robots as well as its worldwide partner network, certified trainers impart both basic and advanced programming skills to users—from beginners to experienced users. The training enhances understanding of the possibilities of collaborative robots (cobots), provides insights into their diverse application spectrum, and offers opportunities to try out concrete applications.

Already, 13 certified training centers in Europe, America, and Asia have launched with specific training programs. By the end of 2019, Universal Robots plans to open 50 fully certified centers worldwide. To date, over 500 customers have successfully completed training at these new centers, operated partly by UR itself and partly by partner companies. The proportion of partner-operated centers is expected to increase significantly in the coming months.

"Automation can support manufacturing companies of all sizes in increasing their productivity, quality, and competitiveness. However, many manufacturing operations still have skills gaps that hinder this potential," explains Jürgen von Hollen, President of Universal Robots. "That’s why Universal Robots has been supporting companies for many years in closing these gaps through free online training modules of our Universal Robots Academy. With the expanded offering of practical training for beginners and advanced users, manufacturing companies can further expand the use of collaborative robots and achieve even greater value from their automation investments. At the same time, the training helps them to deploy their employees optimally."

Qualification of employees through UR Academy training

Since the launch of the Universal Robots Academy in 2017, more than 55,000 users from over 130 countries have completed online training. A recent example is Darex, a small US company that wanted to prepare its employees for the planned deployment of cobots in its daily production operations. At the same time, the company needed a team member who could grow into the role of a robot technician to operate and monitor the two robot applications in the company independently. Interested employees were invited to familiarize themselves with the basics of robot programming through UR Academy’s online training modules. This was followed by a programming competition, allowing them to apply for the new position simultaneously.

26-year-old Brittany Mohrman was awarded the new technician position and says: "UR’s online training gave me an understanding of the different programming cycles and taught me how to change waypoints or locate the tool center point and center of gravity. Today, I definitely enjoy my work more and find it much more interesting."

New certified training courses for a wide range of programming skills

The training modules provided by certified trainers of Universal Robots cover a broad spectrum of basic and advanced programming skills, especially Cobot scripting, industrial communication, and interface usage. The training groups are small and focused on achieving a high level of practical application of UR robots. This ensures that participants acquire valuable skills that they can immediately implement at their workplace.

The training program includes the following modules:

- Basics: For users who have completed the online modules. Topics: safe setup, simple applications, flexible reconfiguration.
- Advanced: For users, technical sales staff, and integrators with the practical need to optimize applications or find new deployment opportunities for UR robots. Topics: scripting, advanced applications of force control and TCP, conveyor tracking.
- Industrial Communication: For users and developers who want to network cobots with external devices. Topics: Modbus/TCP, FTP server, dashboard server, socket communication, Ethernet/IP, and Profinet.
- Interfaces: For users and developers who need qualified know-how on establishing connections to UR robots via script interfaces. Topics: UR scripting, socket communication, client interfaces (ports 30001-30003), real-time data exchange, and XML/RPC.

The 13 certified training centers are located in Germany, Denmark, Italy, Spain, the Czech Republic, China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Mexico, and at three locations in the USA. More information about UR certified training centers and their availability in specific regions can be found at https://www.universal-robots.com/academy/.