Modular Gearbox Kits for Service Robotics

igus introduced a new modular gearbox kit as a cost-effective, lightweight plug & play combination consisting of gearbox, encoder, controller, force control system and motor for service robotics. The new kit supplements the wide range of igus products in the area of Low-Cost Automation.

The potential for service robotics is enormous: in kitchens and bars, in the area of nursing, or in agriculture and logistics, lightweight robots facilitate the automation of monotonous or non-ergonomic tasks. To make the implementation of such new concepts easy and, above all,
cost-effective, igus is presenting a new modular gearbox kit for cobots. The fully integrated tribo strain wave gear with motor, absolute-value encoder, force control system and controller is the main component of this kit.

Low-cost automation solutions for service robotics

igus’ low-cost automation solutions enable design engineers to cost-effectively take part in the future of service robotics. This opens up space for new ideas in the area of automation: robots and cobots that can be used in the area of nursing as well as in industry. Gearboxes play an especially important role in this context as they are the heart of any modern robot. This is the reason why motion plastics specialist igus introduced a new generation of tribo strain wave gearboxes for movement on the 5th robot axis last year. Friction and wear are optimised by means of lubrication-free tribo-polymers. The use of plastics enables an extremely compact design and cost-effective production. The drygear strain wave gear can be used along the last axis of an articulated arm, linear robot or delta robot, for example, in front of different gripper systems. The new modular gearbox kit for cobots that igus is showing at the Hannover Trade Show 2021, digital edition, supplements the wide range of igus products in the area of Low-Cost Automation. This plug & play solution facilitates the speedy implementation of cobot ideas, without any thought being given to the power electronics.

The modular gearbox kit is available in two sizes

The modular gearbox kit in sizes 80 and 105 consists of tribo strain wave gear with integrated motor controller, force control electronics, absolute-value encoder and motor. In the gearbox, a tribo wave generator and a tribo flex ring with external teeth, as well as a brushless DC motor with external rotor are used. On the basis of the gearbox, an individual robot can also be designed as a cobot with the help of joining links, thanks to the additional electronic components. For its lightweight strain wave gears, igus sees market opportunities in robots whose total weight is less than 8 kg. Where robotics in Low Cost Automation is concerned, low weight is as important as payload and a low price. Lightweight robots are easier to transport and can be used more efficiently on driverless transport systems, on 7th robot axes or, in the near future, even on drones.
Low weight is also a significant advantage when the systems are used in cobots, as smaller masses mean that lower forces are generated when collisions occur. Thanks to absolute-value encoder technology, forces as well as torque can be determined and safely limited by means of the motor current. For this purpose, igus relies on a double encoder, in which a measurement is carried out in front of and behind the joint in order to detect forces and torque levels and react accordingly.

A continuously growing range

The new fully integrated strain wave gearboxes will be used this year in the new version of the ReBel, the igus service robot. As a result, this generation of robots will be considerably slimmer and, thanks to the integrated BLDC motors with power electronics, will be more cost-effective. The cobot gearbox kit supplements the wide portfolio of igus in the area of Low-Cost Automation – from gearboxes and a large variety of robot kinematics to the control system. Low-Cost Automation means cost-effective prices for new users and also automating as much as necessary. As a result, the investment pays for itself in just a few months. The new modular gearbox system will also be available on RBTX.com. On the online marketplace, interested parties can put together their robot kinematics with vision, safety or gripper components that matches their requirements and their budget exactly.