Organization: KUKA
Country: Germany
Website: kuka.com
Year Founded: 1898
Number of Employees: 500+
Innovation Class: Business & Management
KUKA has been a leading provider of industrial robot arms for years. It has also dabbled in the mobile robotics space. But in late 2023, it added some serious punch to its mobile robot portfolio.
KUKA introduced three new mobile robots in 2023: the KMR iisy mobile cobot, KMP 1500P, and KMP 600-S diffDrive. The new iisy model is a mobile manipulator that includes the LBR iisy cobot with a payload capacity of 11 to 15 kg (24.2 to 33 lb.) and a mobile platform that can carry a supplementary load of up to 200 kg (440.9 lb.).
The KMP 1500P is built for heavy-duty applications and can transport up to 1.5 tons of material, while the new KMP-600S model can move payloads of up to 600 kg (132.2 lb.). KUKA’s AMRs are designed for a range of sectors, including the manufacturing, logistics, and automotive industries. Some of its older models are omnidirectional to ensure maximum freedom of movement and high-precision transport even with heavy loads. The company’s AMRs come with advanced sensor technology, no-code programming, state-of-the-art battery technology, and higher energy density.
KUKA joins a long list of companies with strong mobile robotics portfolios. But KUKA is more of a household name than many of its competitors. And, again, it seems to be more serious about mobile robots with its “new AMR generation.”
With these new models, KUKA continues to set itself apart from most other robotics providers by being a true one-stop shop for automation.
Explore the RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards 2024.