Hirebotics Debuts No-Code Painting Cobot, Targeting Fab Shop Finishing Bays

A single industry report suggests that cobot welding specialist Hirebotics is expanding its reach into the finishing bay with the launch of the industry’s first no-code, explosion-proof cobot solution specifically designed for spray painting.

According to a news release from Robotics Tomorrow, the new system aims to bring the same direct, teach-by-hand programming model used in their welding setups to the hazardous environment of spray painting. If the report is accurate, this would mark a significant shift for Hirebotics, which has primarily focused on shop-floor welding applications rather than finishing processes.

No-Code in the Paint Booth

For job shops running a highly variable mix of short runs, the cost of custom programming a traditional industrial painting robot often kills the math before the machine even arrives. This new solution reportedly addresses that bottleneck by utilizing a no-code interface. Operators can likely teach the robot paths manually rather than writing lines of code, potentially allowing quick changeovers between different parts without requiring a dedicated programmer on staff.

However, because this is a single-source report, exact specifications, pricing, and compatibility with existing spray systems remain unconfirmed.

Managing Hazardous Environments

Automating a paint booth is notoriously more complex than a standard welding cell due to strict safety certifications. Paint booths are classified as Class I, Division 1 hazardous locations due to flammable solvent vapors. Hirebotics’ system is reportedly explosion-proof to meet these strict safety standards, which could eliminate some of the regulatory compliance headaches that typically stall DIY or non-certified robot integrations in spray environments.

Because no other outlets or customer case studies have yet verified the performance of this system on a real, non-cleanroom shop floor, owners should treat these early claims with light skepticism. It remains to be seen how the system handles the gritty reality of daily shop dust, overspray, and the practical demands of varied, low-volume part runs.