Announced at IMTS 2026, the extensions support moving-line painting and longer work areas; rail positioning is manual for now.
Hirebotics has unveiled line-tracking and modular-rail capabilities for its collaborative robots at IMTS 2026 in Chicago, according to The Robot Report. Both target a common factory problem: the work either moves or extends beyond a fixed robot’s reach.
Line tracking lets the company’s Cobot Painter follow a part while the conveyor keeps running. A sensor detects the arriving part, and an encoder measures conveyor movement so the robot can adjust its programmed painting path as the part travels through its work area.
For a plant, that could avoid stopping the conveyor or removing parts for stationary painting. Hirebotics says the feature operates through its no-code, cloud-based Beacon platform. However, the announcement does not provide customer cycle-time, paint-quality, or integration results.
The rail addresses oversized workpieces. Hirebotics says one of its force- and power-limited robots has a 68.9-inch reach, while long frames and structural assemblies can extend much farther. The rail lets the cobot move along the workpiece and reach another section without repositioning the part.
The rail comes in 5-foot increments or custom lengths and is designed for welding, plasma cutting, and painting. It is available now with manual positioning. Beacon position verification is planned, while a fully automated version is planned for the end of 2026.
For managers, the immediate decision is narrower than “more automation.” They should compare line stoppages, handling time, and expected throughput against the installation and safety work required at their site.