June 8, 2018 – Purple Robotics has launched the PR10, a vacuum gripper designed for collaborative applications. With its double-grip function, the PR10 can handle several items in a single operation.The PR10 requires no external air supply so there are no air hoses to manage and the gripper works independently of changes in the pressure, cleanliness and availability of external air. With round edges, the PR10 is designed for collaborative implementation alongside human workers, using any of Universal Robots (UR) three models. The PR10 is designed for a range of applications, including pick-and-place, machine tending and palletizing.
The global market for collaborative robots, or cobots, is estimated to reach USD 3.3 billion by 2020, with annual growth rates of more than 50%, according to Qyresearch Publishing. The PR10 gripper has the potential to be applied to the majority of cobot applications.
Purple Robotics has already signed two U.S. distributors—Olympus Controls and Thinkbot Solutions— and expects to shortly add nearly half a dozen more.
Purple Robotics has already entered into a partnership agreement with the founders’ former employer, Universal Robots and has just been included in the UR+ global online distribution channel for pre-certified robotics accessories. In this partnership, Purple Robotics joins more than 77 developers of robotics software, accessories, and end-of-arm tooling, who—after being screened and accepted—share this sales channel with Universal Robots.