Hirebotics offers no-code, explosion-proof cobot for painting

The new Cobot Painter handles liquid paint and powder coating with no dedicated paint cell required. | Source: Hirebotics

Hirebotics LLC today launched its Cobot Painter, an explosion-proof system built using its no-code Beacon platform and the FANUC CRX-10iA/L Paint hardware. The company said it offers metal fabricators and manufacturers a high-mix, low-volume alternative to manual spraying and complex automated lines.

“The Cobot Painter eliminates the need for dedicated paint cells and complex programming,” stated Matt Bush, co-founder and CEO of Hirebotics. “By combining FANUC’s world-class, explosion-proof hardware with our intuitive, no-code Beacon platform, we’ve created an affordable, flexible finishing solution.”

“Shops can now bring their coating in-house, deploy automation in days inside their existing booths, and deliver the flawless finishes their customers expect,” he asserted. “And they can do it all without a single robotics specialist on staff.”

Founded in 2015, Hirebotics designs and builds force- and power-limited robots for the metal fabrication industry. Its Cobot Welder, Cobot Cutter, and Cobot Painter all use its proprietary Beacon platform. These systems enable welders and fabricators to automate with no programming required, said the Nashville, Tenn.-based company .

In the past, fabrication shops and other manufacturers had to outsource coating work. Traditional automation lines were just too costly and complex. This resulted in a loss of control over lead times, quality, and profit margins.

Conventional paint systems often require dedicated cells and major exhaust or conveyor infrastructure overhauls. Hirebotics claimed that the portable, lightweight Cobot Painter works inside an existing manual spray environment. This means users can deploy the solution and get it working within days rather than months.

The company said it designed the Cobot Painter to be fully accessible to operators without robotics or programming experience. Using the Beacon interface on any tablet or phone, operators can simply use “click-and-teach” paths to guide the robot through the motions once. The cobot then repeats the exact speed, distance, and angle for every cycle.

The new system currently supports stationary painting, with parts placed in a paint booth where robots perform all spraying operations. Future versions will support line tracking, in which the robot will follow and paint parts while in continuous motion along a production line, said Hirebotics.

The FANUC CRX-10iA/L Paint cobot is an explosion-proof collaborative robot approved for liquid painting, powder coating, and gel coating applications in hazardous environments. It features a 55.82-in. (141.7 cm) reach.