Universal Robots (UR), a prominent figure in the collaborative robot (cobot) industry, has announced the integration of the Standard Robot Command Interface (SRCI) into its software, marking a significant milestone for the company.
The SRCI, hailed as a new standard for robotics manufacturers, endeavors to establish a unified interface between Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) and robots. UR’s full integration of SRCI into its software is poised to bolster the connectivity capabilities of its cobots, offering customers seamless integration with Siemens PLCs. Notably, Siemens stands as the inaugural PLC vendor supporting SRCI in the automation market.
Daniel Friedman, Global Director of Strategic Partnerships at Universal Robots, expressed pride in the company’s pioneering role, stating, “By seamlessly connecting our robots to an industry leader like Siemens, we can provide our partners and customers with faster integration and enhanced ease of use.” He emphasized UR’s commitment to simplifying cobot automation, making it accessible to all.
The SRCI’s uniform cross-manufacturer data interface facilitates interoperability in robot implementation, standardizing definitions and commands between UR cobots and Siemens PLCs. This standardization streamlines setup processes and expedites the deployment of UR robots within both existing and new Siemens ecosystem-based production lines.
Rolf Heinsohn, Senior Vice President of Factory Automation Segment Control at Siemens, echoed the sentiment, stating, “We want to accelerate Factory Automation and scale the use of robots in industry by making them simple and available to all our customers’ employees.” He highlighted the advantage for customers in seamlessly integrating and utilizing UR’s robots alongside Siemens PLCs in their production processes.
The SRCI integration is currently available for UR’s e-Series family and the next-generation robots UR20 and UR30. Installation and activation can be achieved with PolyScope version 5.15 or higher through the addition of URcap software. This move underscores UR’s ongoing commitment to innovation and facilitating enhanced connectivity for its customers in the realm of industrial automation.