Danish robotics manufacturers Universal Robots has announced its collaborative robot arms have now been certified for use in ‘cleanroom’ environments.
Universal’s robot arms are designed for use in manufacturing plants and are used to automate repetitive or dangerous tasks. Three Universal models (the UR3, UR5 and UR10) have received the ISO 14644-1 certification, meaning they are cleared for use in cleanrooms classed ISO 5.
A cleanroom is a controlled environment with a low level of environmental pollutants such as dust, airborne microbes, aerosol particles or chemical vapours. These environments are typically used in the manufacture of pharmaceutical products, food production or even aerospace semiconductor engineering.
Cleanrooms can be rated from ISO 9 (roughly equivalent of the air outside) through to ISO 1 (a virtually sterile environment).
“This certification will pave the way for a great number of new application opportunities for our robots,” Universal Robots co-founder Esben Ostergaard says.
“UR robots can now increasingly be deployed in laboratory automation as well as throughout the medical and pharmaceutical sectors,” he adds.
“There is also a significant variety of cleanroom applications in the food industry, the production of microchips and semiconductors as well as in the electrical and opto-electronical industries that can now implement our robots.”
The new classification will open up a number of potential industries to Universal Robots. Previously the company’s robotic arms have been used in production by car makers BMW and Volkswagen, hearing aid engineers Oticon and pharmaceutical brand Johnson & Johnson.