At IMTS 2026, Productive Robotics unveiled the OB7‑AI, a 7‑axis collaborative robot that embeds on‑arm “physical AI” and no‑code, teach‑by‑touch workflows to speed CNC machine tending and other shop‑floor automation tasks.
The company says the OB7‑AI combines a seventh degree of freedom with on‑arm intelligence that can interpret force, motion and contact to adapt actions in real time — a capability Productive Robotics describes as “physical AI.” The system’s no‑code touch teaching lets operators physically demonstrate part loading, deburring or tool change motions to the arm, so shops can deploy cells without specialized robot programmers. Productive Robotics positioned the new model as a machine‑tending and finishing tool that can reach around fixtures and work safely alongside operators while running repetitive tasks overnight to lift utilization of existing CNC assets.
Vendors and trade press at IMTS noted the OB7 family’s deburring and finishing packages as practical examples of how the 7‑axis design reduces setups and integrates with legacy equipment. Productive Robotics demonstrated OB7‑AI at its IMTS exhibits and is promoting the platform as a plug‑and‑play option for job shops and contract manufacturers seeking to close labor and throughput gaps quickly; the company’s product pages list specs, payload and reach for the OB7 series and additional application packages.