Teradyne Inc.

The Viam platform and Universal Robots' UR Series collaborative robots underpin transformative automation solutions for the manufacturing and marine sectors. 

NEW YORK, Nov. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Viam, the modern software engineering platform for robotics, today announced a new partnership with Universal Robots, the leading collaborative robot company. Universal Robots' UR Series collaborative robots (cobots) will be a flagship hardware partner as Viam expands its industrial robotic solutions.

Viam provides manufacturers with all-in-one robotic solutions that transform production. Leveraging cobots from Universal Robots, Viam has developed an AI-powered robotic surfacing system that helps accelerate key manufacturing processes, reduce delays, and ensure consistency. As manufacturers struggle with ongoing labor shortages, Viam's solutions can offer the opportunity to automate the most challenging and physically demanding tasks, unlocking new growth opportunities for companies and their teams.

"Viam's intelligent software layer combined with Universal Robots' cobots can enable rapid adoption of automation," shared Viam Founder and CEO Eliot Horowitz. "They are a true industry leader in robotic hardware and will help us to scale our solutions globally, both in the marine sector and in manufacturing broadly."

In the marine sector, Viam's AI-powered robotic block sanding solution enables consistent and efficient fiberglass sanding, helping major yacht manufacturers and boat builders use automation to streamline operations. Traditionally, fiberglass sanding is a labor-intensive and time-consuming process. Viam's AI-powered system introduces automation to reduce manual effort and deliver measurable ROI for manufacturers.

Paired with Universal Robots' versatile range of robotic arms, the system can adapt to diverse component sizes across marine manufacturing, from smaller parts to larger hulls. This allows Viam to offer the industry unmatched versatility through its hardware-agnostic intelligence layer, where arms can be easily switched out based on manufacturer needs.

In addition to marine applications, Viam's adaptive automation solutions also extend to gelcoat and paint application, wood sanding, and polishing, all key processes in furniture, construction, and industrial manufacturing.

"We're excited to partner with Viam," says Jean-Pierre Hathout, President of the Teradyne Robotics Group. "Viam's AI-powered software opens new applications for our collaborative robots and sets the stage for rapid innovation in the marine sector and across industries in the years ahead."

This week, Viam's robotic block sanding solution will make its European debut at Metstrade 2025, held from November 18–20 in Amsterdam. The solution, which features Universal Robots UR Series, was recently on view at IBEX 2025, the The International BoatBuilders' Exhibition & Conference, in Tampa, Florida. The Viam platform is hardware agnostic and can run on a wide range of robots and devices, from small sensors to the largest robotic arms. Viam has robotics laboratories at both its New York headquarters and in Italy, with engineers working across software and hardware to bring new solutions to market. 

About Viam:

Viam brings modern software engineering to robotics, with everything companies need to build and run intelligent machines. The Viam platform enables engineers of all disciplines to collaborate efficiently and build robotic solutions that are fast and future-proof. Viam powers solutions across sectors, including manufacturing, marine, climate, logistics, entertainment and more. Founded in 2020 by MongoDB co-founder and former CTO Eliot Horowitz, Viam is headquartered in New York City. viam.com

About Universal Robots:

Universal Robots is a global leader in collaborative robotics (cobots), used across a wide range of industries. Our mission is simple: Automation for anyone. Anywhere. With over 100,000 cobots sold worldwide, our user-friendly platform is supported by intuitive PolyScope software, award-winning training, comprehensive services, and the world's largest cobot ecosystem, delivering innovation and choice to our customers. Universal Robots is part of Teradyne Robotics, a division of Teradyne (NASDAQ:TER), a leading supplier of automatic test equipment and advanced robotics technology. For more information, please visit www.universal-robots.com.

Media Contacts:

Viam:

Christopher Farrell

Beginners

chris@wearebeginners.co

Universal Robots:

roboticspr@teradyne.com

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SOURCE Viam, Inc.

CHICAGO, Sept. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Robots (UR), the world's leading collaborative robot (cobot) company, today introduced a new addition to its portfolio, the UR8 Long, at FABTECH in Chicago. The long-reach industrial collaborative robot is available for order now, with shipping to begin in October.

With a 1750 mm (68.9 in ) reach and slim profile, UR8 Long combines reach, stability and precision in a rugged, compact, lightweight form, featuring an 8 kg (17.6 lbs) payload. This makes it ideal for space-constrained setups and industrial tasks, from complex weldments to precision dunnage picking and flexible multi-point inspections.

"The UR8 Long 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."

UR8 Long runs with both PolyScope 5 and PolyScope X, UR's industry-leading software platform, and can be extended with MotionPlus - UR's new advanced motion control technology that allows for ease of integration with linear axis, rotary positioners and rotary turntables for precise control, smoother trajectories, and consistent accuracy.

Combined with UR's upgraded freedrive capabilities, users can manually guide the arm with precision and ease - making lead-to-teach programming more intuitive and enabling quick, ergonomic setup even on complex parts, all without the need for layered interfaces or external tools. UR8 Long's lighter mass - 30% less than the UR20 - and compact wrist design also makes it perfect for mounting on gantries, rails, or overhead systems.

Ideal for welding

With its long reach, advanced motion control and stellar precision and repeatability, UR8 Long is ideal for welding. "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. "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." 

Perfect for bin picking

The longer reach combined with the new robot's compact tool flange and fast wrist joints, allow more pick positions and for the robot to reach deep into bin corners with ease. All features in high demand in industries such as automotive, where the UR8 Long will integrate seamlessly into space-constrained cells and offer more picks per bin and more uninterrupted workflows. The improved joint architecture delivers up to 30% faster cycle times compared to earlier generations of cobots.

UR8 Long's European debut will happen on September 15 at SCHWEISSEN & SCHNEIDEN in Essen, Germany.

UR8 Long images.

About Universal Robots  

Universal Robots is a global leader in collaborative robotics (cobots), used across a wide range of industries. Our mission is simple: Automation for anyone. Anywhere. With over 100,000 cobots sold worldwide, our user-friendly platform is supported by intuitive PolyScope software, award-winning training, comprehensive services, and the world's largest cobot ecosystem, delivering innovation and choice to our customers.

Universal Robots is part of Teradyne Robotics, a division of Teradyne (NASDAQ:TER), a leading supplier of automatic test equipment and advanced robotics technology. For more information, please visit www.universal-robots.com.

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