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A UR cobot arm working on a palletizing task. | Source: Universal Robots

MachineMetrics announced it released its connector for Universal Robots (UR). The connector allows users to easily and quickly connect to their robots and capture data from any UR equipment. MachineMetrics’ connector is available through the UR+ program to all current UR collaborative robot (cobot) users. 

With MachineMetrics’ connector, users can maximize the uptime of their robots, increase productivity and drive additional throughput. The system is designed so customers can capture data from any piece of floor equipment within minutes. 

“Connecting to, and capturing real-time data from, manufacturing equipment is what enables our customers to quickly and easily understand their production performance and the health of their machines,” Bill Bither, CEO and co-founder of MachineMetrics, said. “By connecting UR cobots to MachineMetrics, users can now gain real-time insights into cobot productivity, alert teams when issues arise, and remotely troubleshoot and diagnose issues to get the cobot back up and running.” 

The connector can be installed by users without needing any expensive or time-consuming system integration work. Once it’s installed, the data is instantly and securely streamed to the MachineMetrics Cloud Platform. The MachineMetrics Cloud Platform lets users visualize and analyze data from any asset. 

“MachineMetrics, like Universal Robots, is at the forefront of delivering innovative solutions that lower the barrier to automation for manufacturers,” said Christopher Savoia, Regional Head UR+ Ecosystem. “Their unique ability to deliver real-time insights into the health and performance of UR collaborative robots means increased reliability, uptime, and productivity of automated work cells.”

MachineMetrics closed its last funding round in June 2021. The Series B round totaled $20 million and was led by Teradyne, UR’s parent company. 

UR recently released its UR20 cobot, the company’s fastest and strongest cobot arm ever. The UR20 is expected to be available for pre-order in late Q4 2022 and will begin shipping in Q2 2023 for an undisclosed price.