Unimation · Industrial · 1961
The world's first industrial robot. Conceived by inventor George Devol (whose 1954 'Programmed Article Transfer' patent, US 2,988,237, coined 'Unimation') and commercialised with Joseph Engelberger through Unimation of Danbury, Connecticut, the first Unimate (Model 1900) was installed at General Motors' Inland Fisher Guide plant in New Jersey in December 1961 to lift hot die-cast metal and spot-weld auto bodies — dangerous work for people. The ~1,814 kg hydraulic manipulator ran a self-contained hydraulic supply and stored its sequence on a magnetic drum, programmed by physically leading the arm through positions (an early lead-through 'teach and replay'). It handled ~45 kg payloads (later models far more) with ~1 mm repeatability, and was inducted into the Robot Hall of Fame in 2003; the line later evolved into the PUMA and passed to Westinghouse then Staubli.
Price level: ★☆☆☆☆
View full interactive profile, comparisons & videos →| Category | Industrial |
| Sub-type | First Industrial Robot (hydraulic arm) |
| Status | Discontinued |
| Year | 1961 |
| Origin | USA |
| Weight | 1814 kg |
| Frame | Steel base + aluminium arm |
| Degrees of freedom | 5 |
| Payload | 45 kg |
| Repeatability | ±1 mm |
| Actuator type | Hydraulic (self-contained, ~6.9 MPa / 1000 psi) |
| Use cases | Die-casting handling, Spot welding, Machine loading, Material handling |
| Made in | USA |