UNIVERSAL ROBOTS TAKE PRECISION TO THE NEXT LEVEL IN PAINTING WITH UR10

Collaborative robots like the UR10 are reshaping industrial painting in remarkable ways. One standout example is Brandt A/S, a Danish company with over 60 years of experience. In October 2024, the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) released a study highlighting how integrating UR10 cobots in finishing operations has enhanced precision, consistency, and efficiency across the board.

Unlike traditional industrial machines, the UR10 is a cobot—built to work side by side with humans. With an extended reach and optimal payload for handling spray guns and other peripherals, it’s equipped with advanced safety sensors, allowing for safe collaboration with workers in shared spaces.

Brandt A/S, originally focused on automotive painting, transitioned to industrial coatings and powder applications. Yet even with their expertise, they faced an ongoing challenge: achieving a flawless, repeatable finish through manual painting, where variables like operator fatigue and technique made consistency difficult.

Enter the Mimic module from Nordbo Robotics—the cobot’s “brain.” The solution at Brandt combines the UR10 arm, Mimic’s body-tracking technology that records the painter’s movements with millimeter accuracy, and the Gema powder box by G.A. Hansen, a key component in applying powder paint. This setup allows a human to “teach” the robot through natural motion—just as they would perform the task manually—and the cobot replicates the routine autonomously.

The results speak volumes. The robot eliminates human variability, delivering a more uniform finish even during detailed touch-ups. Productivity has soared, with operators able to focus on complex tasks while cobots handle repetitive painting 24/7, automatically detecting the start of each item on the production line.

Thanks to the UR+ ecosystem, even non-experts can program the UR10 simply by using their regular spray gun—tearing down technical barriers. As Sabina Kethelz, Managing Director at Nordbo Robotics, puts it: “We’ve made it possible to program a robot just like using a spray gun.”

Safety is also key: the system meets ATEX Zone 22 certification, ensuring it can be used safely in controlled explosive environments.

Strategically, Brandt sees human–robot collaboration as the future. CEO René Damgaard Hansen confirms plans to expand the cobot’s use to other production lines. Meanwhile, Universal Robots’ Country Manager Sune McDonald Bertelsen points out that high volume isn’t a requirement for profitability, nor is intensive training—making this technology viable even for small and mid-sized enterprises.

Beyond Brandt, advanced teleoperation is opening new doors. A parallel case involves UR10 integration with the Inverse3 haptic controller, developed by Haply Robotics and successfully tested at the Aerospace Technology Centre in Quebec. This setup allows precise remote operation with human-level control, minimizing chemical exposure and boosting flexibility across diverse production needs—an ideal solution in sectors where tactile safety is paramount.

The adoption of UR10 cobots in painting represents a leap in collaborative automation—more consistent, efficient, and secure. Technologies like Mimic and haptic control capture human expertise and automate it without replacing the operator.

This evolution empowers companies to:

• Enhance quality without constant supervision
• Redirect talent toward higher-value tasks
• Expand production capacity while maintaining safety

More than just automation, UR10 cobots are leveling the playing field—ushering in an industrial future where humans and machines work in harmony, not opposition. In a world where competitive edge increasingly hinges on quality, agility, and efficiency, painting cobots like the UR10 are poised to become key players in the next industrial revolution.