As cybersecurity requirements and ransomware attacks remain top areas of concern for manufacturers, some companies are integrating protections into their products while meeting upcoming regulations.  

Universal Robots showcased its technologies at PACK EXPO in Chicago last month, including its Gen 7 robotics platform for deployment of physical AI on factory floors and its Polyscope X software platform with built-in cybersecurity elements. The platforms are built for manufacturing environments for use by integrators, manufacturers and OEMs. 

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These products have cybersecurity embedded into their design, according to Silas Neale, the regional sales manager with Teradyne Robotics, which owns Universal Robots. 

"The Polyscope X platform has been built from the ground up to comply with Cyber Resilience Act, which is being implemented in Europe in 2027, and we suspect that'll soon follow here," Neale said.  

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The European Union’s Cyber Resilience Act, which took effect last year, marked a significant change in how manufacturers in the E.U. manage cybersecurity for connected products. 

As digital parts are included in everything from industrial machines to smart sensors, the CRA creates a consistent framework to make sure these products remain secure during their entire lifecycle. 

The safety functions of the Universal Robotics platform run on a PLd Category 3 safety system, Neale said, and is TUV certified to ISO 10218 and UL 1740. Teradyne Robotics is certified to IEC 62443‑4‑1 maturity levels, which evaluate how well a product manufacturer implements secure development lifecycle practices.  

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These features are released as manufacturers continue to struggle with ransomware and cyberattacks, as concerns rise in supply chain risks, business ecosystems, financial impacts of attacks, and overall safety issues when preparing for such incidents.      

Manufacturers were hit the hardest by ransomware attacks last year, with a 58% year-over-year increase in victims, according to one study.   

Manufacturing ownership 

At PACK EXPO, Universal Robots showcased how the Gen 7 platform combines the company's CB7 Core controller, TP7 Core teach pendant, the SP7 Smart Panel tool-flange interface and the PolyScope X software platform.  

The platform also uses Cognex 2D and 3D industrial vision systems, which operate directly on the Gen 7 platform, demonstrating how machine vision and robotics integrate. 

Other trends taken into consideration for the technologies include accessibility, connectivity, and physical AI deployment. For example, the unification of industrial vision systems with their platforms can help reduce complexity and lead to faster deployment of the technologies.

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"When we talk about the physical AI piece [...] we make that handshaking with our equipment and theirs virtually seamless. That's improved tremendously. Now that we have all the communication and additional power on board, we can power and communicate with a lot more peripheral equipment,"  Neale said. 

He said that from a larger trend perspective, the platform's design aims to allow smooth deployment of the technology for manufacturers. 

"As a manufacturer, you can take ownership of that automation. It's rapid to deploy and easy to take ownership," he said.