Published on: May 14, 2025 / update from: May 14, 2025 - Author: Konrad Wolfenstein
The UR15 from Cobot-Pionier Universal Robots: higher productivity and cost efficiency in collaborative robotics-Image: Universal Robots
The UR15 from Cobot-Pionier Universal Robots: higher productivity and cost efficiency in collaborative robotics
Universal Robots presents Meilenstein in collaborative robotics
With the introduction of the UR15 by Universal Robot, the collaborative robotics reaches a new milestone in industrial automation. At the Messe Automats in Detroit (from May 12th to 15th, 2025), the Cobot-Pionier Universal Robots presented its fastest collaborative robot to date, which sets new standards through impressive speed and precision. With a maximum TCP speed of 5 m/s, the UR15 can reduce the cycle time for pick-and-place applications by up to 30% compared to other original models. He retains the characteristic light construction and the small footprint of the Universal Robots. The Cobot, which can be ordered from June from June, promises significant productivity increases and cost efficiency for a wide variety of industrial areas thanks to its innovative technology and versatility.
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Technical innovation and performance
Speed and movement control
The UR15 represents significant progress in cobot technology, especially due to its impressive speed. At a maximum TCP speed of 5 m/s, it is the fastest cobot from Universal Robots so far. This speed enables shorter cycle times, increased productivity and reduced costs in various areas of application and industries. In the event of pick-and-place applications, the speed increase leads to an improvement in cycle times by up to 30% compared to other original models.
One of the central innovations of the UR15 is the integration of Optimove, the new movement control technology of Universal Robots. This technology improves the smoothness and ensures consistently precise movements - even at high speeds and high load capacity. The improved trajectory accuracy is particularly important for applications that require both speed and precision, such as in electronics production or automated bin picking.
Power load and range
The UR15 has a standard payload of 15 kg, which is sufficient for many industrial applications. This payload can even be increased to 17.5 kg for special applications with the wrist directed downwards, such as palletizing. This flexibility makes the robot suitable for a wider range of tasks, from the precise handling of small components to the transport of heavier loads.
The range of the UR15 is 1300 mm, which gives it a spacious work area. Despite this remarkable range, the UR15 retains a compact footprint, which facilitates integration into cramped production environments. This combination of range and compact design makes it particularly valuable for manufacturing environments in which space is a critical resource.
Software and AI integration
Another outstanding feature of the UR15 is its software compatibility and AI ability. The cobot runs with the proven software platform Polyscope 5 and the newer polyscope X. This dual compatibility makes it easier to transition for existing Universal Robots users and at the same time offers access to the latest software functions.
The AI ability of the UR15 is particularly remarkable. It can easily be used with the UR AI Accelerator, a tool kit for the development of AI-based applications that Universal Robots developed together with Nvidia. This integration uses Nvidias Cuda-accelerated libraries and models and runs on the Nvidia Jetson Agx Orin system-on modules. AI integration opens up new opportunities for adaptive robotics, machine learning and visual detection, which makes the UR15 future-proof for future manufacturing requirements.
Areas of application and industry solutions
Automotive industry
The automotive industry is a key sector for the use of the UR15. In this industry, where space is often limited and flexibility is very important, the UR15 with its small footprint and full area of work offers performance without compromises at space or speed. Typical automotive applications, which were historically limited by the production speed of Cobots-such as automated bin picking, machine folding and inspection-can now be clearly accelerated, while at the same time the highest precision is guaranteed.
The ability of the UR15 to quickly switch between different tasks is particularly valuable in the automotive industry, where production has to be often adapted to manufacture different models or variants. This flexibility enables automotive manufacturers and suppliers to quickly configured their production lines without having to make extensive changes to their automation infrastructure.
Metal and mechanical engineering
In the metal and mechanical engineering industry, where environments can often be rough and demanding, the UR15 offers improved protection through its IP65 protection class. This type of protection ensures that the cobot can work reliably in environments with dust and moisture, which is crucial for metal processing and mechanical engineering applications.
The high payload capacity of the UR15, combined with its easy-to-use, makes it ideal for tasks such as handling metal parts, the folding of CNC machines and other applications that require both strength and precision. The ability to move heavy workpieces and at the same time carry precise positioning can significantly increase productivity in metal processing companies.
Electronics and technology industry
The UR15 offers excellent clean room classification, compact design and extraordinary movement control for the electronics and technology industry, where precision and compact design are decisive. These properties make it ideal for high-speed-pick-and-Place applications and seamless integration with autonomous mobile robots (AMR) and driverless transport systems (FTS).
The ability of the UR15, small electronic components to handle at high speed and accuracy, can significantly improve the production throughput rates in electronics production. In addition, its compatibility with AMRS and FTS enables integrated automation solutions that can optimize material and product rivers in electronics production systems.
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Economic advantages and increase in efficiency
Productivity improvements and work efficiency
The introduction of the UR15 takes place at a time when increasing labor productivity is a challenge for many companies. According to current data from the Federal Statistical Office, labor productivity has only increased slightly in all economic sectors in Germany in recent years or has even decreased slightly (-0.6% in 2023, -0.1% in 2024). In this context, the UR15, with its ability to reduce cycle times by up to 30%, offers considerable potential to increase productivity.
The increased speed and efficiency of the UR15 can help companies increase their production capacity without having to hire additional workers. This is particularly relevant in view of increasing wage costs - the employee fee per hour of workers rose by 5.3% in 2024 compared to the previous year. By using the UR15, companies can improve their competitiveness and at the same time control their wage costs.
Return on Investment (ROI)
Although the basic price of the UR15 is around $ 45,000 higher than with conventional cobots, the return on investment is convincing. In particular, the investment can amortize in six months, as the example of a German automotive supplier shows, which was able to achieve a fast ROI through the 24/7 use of a comparable solution.
The UR15 also consumes 35% less energy than hydraulic systems, which can lead to annual cost savings of around $ 8,000 per unit (according to Energy Star forecast). This energy efficiency not only contributes to reducing costs, but also supports the sustainability goals of companies.
Integration into existing production environments
A special strength of the UR15 is its ability to be seamlessly integrated into a wide variety of production environments. This is particularly valuable for companies that work with smaller lot sizes - an increasing trend in the manufacturing industry. As experiences from practice show, many companies today produce in quantities of 5 to 300 and therefore have to implement flexible automation solutions.
The easy programmability and quick conversion of the UR15 enables companies to flexibly adapt their production processes to changing requirements. This is particularly important in markets that ask increasingly individualized products and have shorter product life cycles.
The UR15 in the context of cobot development
Comparison with previous original models
The UR15 complements the existing portfolio of Universal Robots, which already includes several cobot models with different payloads and ranges. This portfolio includes the UR3E (3 kg of payload, 500 mm range), UR5E (5 kg, 850 mm), Ur10e (12.5 kg, 1300 mm), UR16E (16 kg, 900 mm), UR20 (25 kg, 1750 mm) and UR30 (35 kg, 1300 mm).
Compared to its sibling models, the UR15 positions itself as the fastest cobot in the original portfolio, which predestines it for high-speed treatments. With its payload of 15 kg and a range of 1300 mm, it fills a strategic gap between the Ur10e and the Ur16e.
Classification in the automation landscape
The UR15 is part of a broader movement towards more flexible and adaptive automation, which is made possible by collaborative robotics. As a pioneer of cobot technology, Universal Robots has contributed significantly to democratization of robotics by developing automation solutions that are also accessible to small and medium-sized companies.
The UR15 fits into the growing market for collaborative robots, which will probably reach a volume of over $ 12 billion in 2025. This market is powered by a shortage of workers and the need for agile production - both challenges for which the UR15 offers solutions with its speed, flexibility and simple integration.
Efficiency increase through robotics: what makes the UR15 so special
The UR15 of Universal Robots represents significant progress in collaborative robotics, which enables higher productivity and cost efficiency through unsurpassed speed, precision and flexibility. Its ability to reduce cycle times by up to 30%, combined with its seamless integration into existing production environments, positions it as a valuable tool for companies that want to improve their competitiveness in an increasingly digitized and automated manufacturing landscape.
The integration of AI skills by the UR AI Accelerator also opens up new opportunities for adaptive and intelligent robotics applications that go beyond traditional automation tasks. This future security makes the UR15 a strategic investment for companies that not only strive for short -term productivity increases, but also want to benefit from developments in the field of intelligent production in the long term.
With its combination of speed, precision, flexibility and AI integration, the UR15 sets a new standard for collaborative robotics and helps to implement the vision of adaptive, efficient and human-centered automation. For companies that are looking for ways to increase their productivity and at the same time optimize their production costs, the UR15 offers a convincing and future -proof solution.
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