Universal Robots Opens Authorized Training Centers

North American distributors of Universal Robots (UR) 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.

UR is building on 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 aim to broaden users’ understanding of the UR cobots’ range of use cases while providing opportunities for hands-on practice in real-life applications.

Worldwide, UR is planning 50 fully authorized ATCs, 13 of which will be in North America. The first four ATCs in the United States were just authorized and are now offered by UR sales partners Advanced Control Solutions (Marietta, GA), HTE Technologies (St. Louis, MO, Lenexa, KS), Ralph W. Earl Company (Syracuse, NY) and Applied Controls (Malvern, PA).

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 students obtain 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 says.