North American distributors of Universal Robots are now opening Authorized Training Centers, offering classes spanning basic to advanced programming of UR cobots. The first four Training Centers have launched, with another nine to follow by end of 2019.
One of the many things customers love about Universal Robots is its commitment to making collaborative robots (cobots) in the workplace accessible to all. The company is now building on the popular online modules offered through the UR Academy by enabling its sales channel to open Authorized Training Centers (ATCs). Through hands-on classes hosted by UR trained teachers, the ATCs will broaden users’ understanding of the UR cobots’ endless range of use cases, while providing opportunities for hands-on practice in real-life applications.
Worldwide, UR is planning 50 fully authorized ATCs in 2019, 13 of which will be in North America. The first four ATCs in the U.S. were just authorized and are now offered by UR sales partners Advanced Control Solutions, HTE Technologies, Ralph W. Earl Company, and Applied Controls.
Vice President of Product Marketing at Advanced Control Solutions (ACS), Cale Harbour, stressed how the new Training Center enables ACS to move from simply being a vendor to becoming a trusted partner and product expert. “From a business perspective, being able to offer this type of training also improves our place in the market, ensuring that current and potential customers start to rely on us as automation experts,” he said. “As our customers build their knowledge, they can deploy the technology faster and see the benefits to their production – and their bottom line – quicker. It’s a win-win for everybody involved.”
Universal Robots Certified Trainers will conduct training modules that cover a range of core and advanced cobot programming skills, including cobot scripting, industrial communication, and interface usage. Small class sizes with student-centered objectives and hands-on practice with UR robots ensure that participants come away with valuable skills they can apply immediately in their workplace.
At HTE Technologies, Marv Dixon, vice president of business development and sales, explained how opening an ATC has allowed the company to fulfill its overall mission of becoming a full-service training center. “Using this approach, we’ve expanded our role as supplier to assist with the application process as well. The Training Center has also provided us with the perfect scenario in which we can introduce other products that our customers might not have otherwise considered, such as grippers and conveyors,” he said. “With the Authorized Training Center distinction, we’ve become a resource that our customers can count on for up-to-date, accessible training and support.”
Regional Sales Director of Universal Robots’ Americas division, Stuart Shepherd, sees the ATC launch as an answer to sales partners’ request for more tangible ways in which to offer support and training in a setting that allows customers to come and experience the cobots. “Now, current and potential customers can get in-person training, customizing their specific applications and needs,” noted Shepherd. “Not only are our partners excited about this opportunity, they’re virtually lining up to be the next rollout.”
The modules of the Authorized Training Center program include:
“Customers want to understand and take full advantage of the robots’ capabilities themselves, and that’s exactly what this training empowers them to do,” said Bill Gerbig, president, Ralph W. Earl Company. “Now, they can get up and running faster, make adjustments if necessary, and redeployment is a breeze. Universal Robots did a great job constructing the entire program. We’ve been impressed, and customer reaction has been extremely positive.”
The Authorized Training Centers in North America are located here:
Advanced Control Solutions: Marietta, Georgia
Applied Controls: Malvern, Pennsylvania
HTE Automation Technologies: St. Louis, Missouri, Lenexa, Kansas
Ralph W. Earl Company: Syracuse, New York
In addition to the ATCs hosted by UR partners, four training centers are also opening at Universal Robots’ offices in Ann Arbor, Michigan; Irving, Texas; Garden City, New York; and Irvine, California.
For class schedules and more information, visit:
universal-robots.com/academy- click "Start Training Now", then "In-Class Training".
We believe that collaborative robotic technology can be used to benefit all aspects of task-based businesses – no matter what their size.
We believe that the latest collaborative robot technology should be available to all businesses. The nominal investment cost is quickly recovered as our robotic arms have an average payback period of just six months.