The new robot family consists of five robot variants - each of them suitable for a specific application. The KR 800, for example, is impressive when handling payloads of up to 800 kg. The two KR 480 variants have very large reach ranges of up to 3,700 mm. In addition, the maximum permissible mass moment of inertia of the KR 640 and KR 560 can be significantly increased again with a high inertia variant for particularly long reach grippers.

"We developed the robots of the new KR Fortec ultra family in close cooperation with our customers. They are our answer to the changing requirements of the automotive industry with ever larger vehicles, very large components for electric cars or heavy batteries," explains Wolfgang Bildl, Portfolio Manager at Kuka.

Innovative double swing arm design

A particularly striking feature of the robots in the new KR Fortec ultra family is the double swing arm. This innovative design ensures a high level of rigidity and precision while simultaneously reducing the dead weight. This results in greater dynamics, optimum cycle times, lower energy consumption and a lower_{CO2 footprint} due to the reduced use of materials.

"In order to cover a payload range of 800 kilograms and high mass moments of inertia, customers from other manufacturers have to resort to robots in the next higher payload class, which are significantly heavier and more cost-intensive to purchase and maintain," says Wolfgang Bildl. Customers of the new KR Fortec ultra family can save themselves this trouble, as the robots offer a first-class performance-to-weight ratio.

The very high mean time between failure (MTBF) of up to 400,000 hours offers customers low spare parts costs and high availability. In addition, the new robots in the KR Fortec ultra family meet all customer requirements for excellent component accessibility and ease of maintenance and repair. Only three different maintenance tasks are required: oil change, visual inspection and lubrication of the cable set and the bearings on the counterbalance. "The KR Fortec ultra is the robot with the lowest total cost of ownership in its class," continues Wolfgang Bildl.

Modular concept for optimum lifecycle performance

The KR Fortec ultra modular system focuses on using as many identical parts as possible within the robot family, such as cast parts, motors and gearboxes. This helps to minimize the cost of stocking spare parts and standardize maintenance processes.

With the KL 5000, Kuka is also launching a new high-performance linear unit to increase the robot's working area. With a standard length of up to 31 m, it offers a great deal of flexibility in system design. Extensions and up to four robots per KL are possible. Modular segments enable simple integration without welding. The automatic lubrication system results in less maintenance and higher availability.

Another highlight is the new energy supply system with a new K-pipe and modified interface on axis 2, which is particularly impressive due to its long service life and minimized wear with a smaller interfering contour and simplified maintenance and replacement. It can also be adapted to different customer-specific requirements. Equipment that is perfectly matched to the robot saves time and costs during integration.