For packaging operations like case packing or palletizing that need a collaborative robot (cobot) to stretch farther in the workspace to get the job done, a new teachable robot has a reach of 1.25 meters (4+ feet) with a payload of 4 kilograms (almost 9 lbs). Like other cobots, this 7-axis system learns tasks without programming.

The OB7-Stretch from Productive Robotics Inc. is the fourth product in the company’s line of 7-axis cobots. Any of the OB7 models — OB7, OB7 Stretch, OB7 Max 12, and OB7 Max 8 — have extra dexterity to reach around obstacles and perform well in confined spaces, compared to 6-axis systems. How? Because each joint can rotate 360 degrees — both clockwise and counterclockwise. Zac Bogart, Productive Robotics’ president, says, “The extreme rotation capability of each of OB7’s 7 axes give OB7 unmatched maneuverability.”

The OB7-Stretch sells for $25,000, which, Bogart tells us, is substantially less expensive than other long-reach cobots. To hit this price point while extending the reach of the standard OB7, the OB7-Stretch shares the engineering design of the standard 5kg OB7 but with a lower payload capability.

Bogart explains how the new OB7-Stretch fills the need for a longer reach at an affordable cost for packaging operations: “Packaging applications require more floor space than machine tending. The longer reach is needed to support the larger area required for packaging.”

Here’s how the new OB7-Stretch (second from the top) compares to other products in the OB7 line.