Universal Robots UR16e

The UR16e is what Universal Robots calls its smaller heavy-duty industrial collaborative robot. The idea is a strong lifter that does not need a large footprint: 16 kg of payload with a 900 mm reach, for sites where workpieces are heavy but floor space is limited.

Designed for lifting

The page argues that not every heavy job needs a long reach or a big robot cell. The UR16e is meant for machine tending, material handling and packaging in smaller workspaces, and the maker credits Advanced Motion Control for moving objects fast with smooth movements. It also claims full-speed use of the payload range at maximum reach, and says the arm copes with a shifted centre of gravity if the way an object is held changes.

Applications

Universal Robots names machine tending, assembly, dispensing, sanding and polishing, material handling, material removal and quality inspection as typical uses. The page does not list industries by name.

Safety and deployment

Like other arms from the maker, it has built-in force-sensing and collision detection, which Universal Robots says allow work alongside people without safety barriers or cages. The page also says an untrained operator can typically unpack, mount and program a first simple task in under an hour, and points to UR Academy tutorials and UR Care Services for support.

Place in the range

At 3 m/s and 33.1 kg it is slower than the UR12e but lifts more. It is the heaviest arm in the e-Series and a lead-in to the larger-payload UR Series models such as the UR15 and UR18.

Key facts

• Payload: 16 kg (35.3 lbs)
• Reach: 900 mm (35.4 in)
• Maximum TCP speed: 3 m/s
• Weight: 33.1 kg (72.9 lbs)