Universal Robots (UR), the global leader in collaborative robot (cobot) technology, has unveiled its latest innovation, the UR8 Long, at FABTECH 2025 in Chicago. This new long-reach collaborative robot expands the company’s portfolio with a powerful solution engineered for complex industrial automation tasks, particularly in welding, bin picking, and inspection.

With a reach of 1750 mm (68.9 inches)—matching the capabilities of the widely popular UR20—but in a significantly slimmer and lighter package, the UR8 Long is designed to deliver precision, reach, and stability in tight spaces. It supports a payload of 8 kg (17.6 lbs), making it ideal for a wide range of applications, from handling intricate weldments to performing accurate dunnage picking in space-constrained environments.

”The UR8 Long is a smart robotic arm that can reach farther and do more than ever before. It’s designed to help people and businesses work faster, more safely, and with less physical effort,” said Jean Pierre Hathout, President of Universal Robots. “Whether it’s lifting, moving, or handling tasks that are repetitive or hard on the body, this robot makes the job easier. Its longer reach means it can cover more space, and its advanced features open new ways to automate work that used to be done by hand.”

The UR8 Long is now available for order, with shipping scheduled to begin in October 2025.

The new cobot is compatible with UR’s PolyScope 5 and PolyScope X software platforms and can be enhanced with MotionPlus—UR’s advanced motion control technology. This enables seamless integration with external components such as linear axes, rotary turntables, and positioners, allowing for precise coordination and smooth multi-axis trajectories.

The upgraded freedrive functionality allows operators to guide the robot manually with enhanced ease and precision, streamlining lead-to-teach programming even for intricate tasks. Weighing 30% less than the UR20 and featuring a compact wrist design, the UR8 Long is particularly well-suited for mounting on gantries, rails, or overhead systems, supporting more efficient and ergonomic deployments.

With its extended reach and high repeatability, the UR8 Long is especially suited for welding applications. “UR8 Long delivers an easier teaching experience than traditional welding robots, better weld quality than manual welding, and less overall rework, saving time and money,” said Will Healy III, Global Industry Manager for Fabricated Metals at Teradyne Robotics. “Following feedback from fabricators around the world, the UR8 Long was designed with the collaborative welding process in mind, boosting productivity and helping leaders to attract new talent who are often more motivated to operate a robot than perform repetitive manual welding.”. FABTECH visitors can experience its capabilities first-hand through live demonstrations at multiple partner booths, including THG Automation, Hirebotics, and Vectis Automation.

“The improved features of the UR8 Long enables expansion into new welding and plasma cutting applications; all without sacrificing safety or man-machine collaboration,” said Marcus Yakawich, Product Manager at Vectis Automation. “We can’t wait to share these long-reach advantages with our customers.”

At UR’s own booth (B13045), the cobot showcases its ability to reach deep into full dunnage bins, a critical task in automotive, plastics, metals, and general industrial manufacturing. The compact tool flange and high-speed wrist joints offer greater pick flexibility and improved access to bin corners—features that help increase throughput and reduce cycle times by up to 30% compared to previous generations.

The UR8 Long will make its European debut next week at SCHWEISSEN & SCHNEIDEN in Essen, Germany. Demonstrations will be held at partner booths including Smooth Robotics, while Lorch Schweißtechnik GmbH will feature the cobot in Universal Robots’ booth in Hall 3, Stand 3C18. A special presentation will also take place on Thursday, September 18 at 11:30am on the Future Hub stage.

With the launch of the UR8 Long, Universal Robots continues to push the boundaries of collaborative automation, offering flexible, high-performance solutions for the evolving needs of modern manufacturing.