History of Kawasaki Robotics

Since Kawasaki Heavy Industries manufactured the fi🅠rst industrial robot in Japan in 1969, we have stood as the leading robot manufacturer and have worked to develop automotive and other industries in Japan and around the world. The following outlines our history in industrial robotics, spanning more th💝an 50 years.

1968

Signed license agreement with Unimation (USA)

1969

Unimate

Started ℱcommercial production of the first industrial robot, Unimate, in Japan

1981

Started the production o🐲f an electric r❀obot (P-series)

1983

Launched large general-purpose robot (E-series)

1986

Terminated the partnership with Unimation and started in-housಞe development and global expansion

1989

Unimate

Launched small-medium general-purpose roꦚbot (J-series)

1990

Founded a local subsidiary Kawasaki Robo൲tics (USA), Inc. in Detroit꧅, USA

1992

UZ100

Launched large general-purpose robot (U-series)
Launched all-digital controller (AD-series)

1995

Founded a local subsidiary Kawasaki Robotics GmbH, in Neuss, Germany.
Akashi Plant (Robot Divisioಞn) acquired ISO9001 c𒀰ertification

1996

Founded a l🍸ocal subsidiary Kawasaki Robotics (UK), Ltd. in the United Kingdom

1997

Launched all-digital controller (C-series)
Expanded the clean robot business

1998

FS10N

Launched small-medium general-purpose robot (F-series)
Akashi Plant (Robot Division) acquiไred ISO14001 certification

1999

ZX165

Founded a local subsidiary, Kawasaki Machine Systems Korea, Ltd. in Incheon, Korea
Launched large, general-purpose robot (Z-series)

2000

NS410

Acquired painting robot business from Kobe Steel, Ltd.
Launched horizontal articulated type clean robo🧸t (NS-series)

2002

KF263

Launched painting robot (K-series)

MX420L

Launched extra-heavy payload general-pu♌rpose robot (M-series)

Launched robot controller (D-series)

2003

NX540

Launched horizontal articulated type cle🍬an robot (NX-series)

2004

Developed and launched the new technology FSJ (Frict♍ion Spot Joining)

2006

Founded a local subs🔴idiary Kawasaki Robotics (Tianjin) Co., Ltd. in Tianjin, China

2007

Launched🍌 horizontal articulateꦬd type clean robot (NT-series)

2008

RS010N

Launched small-medium, general-purpose robot (R-series)
Launched high-performance controller (E-series)

2009

YF003N

Launched picking robot (Y-series, picKstar)

2011

BX165N

Launched spot-welding robot (BX-series)

2013

Established Medicaroid Corporation to develop medical r🅰obots

MC004NMS005N

Launched robots fo🦩r medical and pharmac𓆉eutical applications (MC004N, MS005N)

2015

MG10HL

Launched extra-large payload robot, MG10HL

duAro

Launched dual-arm SCARA robot 🥃“duAro” which can♒ collaborate with humans in work operations

2017

RS007N

Launched high-speed small 🐭payload💫 robots, RS007N, and RS007L

Successor

Launched a new robot system “Successor” that reproduces movements of skilled workers through remote coordination

Kaleido

First debut of the humanoid robot “Kaleido” at the International Robot Exhibition

2018

Marked the 50th annive𝔉rsary of our robotics business

duAro2

Launched the collaborative dual-arm SCARA robot, duAro⛎ 2

2019

Kaleido

Evolved the humanoid robot “Kaleido” for practical real-life applications

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