11 January 2012
igus UK develops robolink multi-axis joint for humanoid robots
Plastic bearings, energy chains and cabling products innovator igus UK has developed 'robolink' a multi-axis joint for humanoid robots and lightweight automation applications. At the heart of the robolink modular system are lightweight, maintenance and corrosion-free joints with tribologically optimised plastic bearings that are driven via cables and able to rotate and swivel freely.
To articulate the multi-axis joints, igus has developed a range of flexible Bowden cables with high performance polymer jackets to combine low friction values with a long service life. The igus Bowden cables have extremely small bending radii which makes highly flexible movements possible and they are suitable wherever frequent relative movements take place. The plain bearings inside the joints are made of iglidur J.
igus has also developed a comprehensive range of complementary accessories which include flange shaft blocks for attaching the arms, interior divisions for the organised routing of the drive and data cables and a cable tensioner for straight forward re-tensioning of the system, as well as a cable pulley range for guidance.
On the electro-mechanical side, igus has developed space-saving drive units, available in different performance classes, with four or five drive motors in a housing. In addition, an individually configurable drive disc is available that can be attached to a wide range of different motor or gear shafts and then connected to the wear-resistant cables. Simple control software is in development to intuitively program and store all the movements of a 4-axis jointed arm.
igus beta-testers were provided with robolink prototypes for a wide range of trial applications. These ranged from maritime robots for use with underwater vehicles to mobile ground-based robots used for handling contaminated or explosive materials. Other examples include humanoid robots, camera guidance equipment and systems for facilitating interaction between man and machine. Further trials have been carried out in the medical industry, as well as in the field of animatronics.
Author
Celia Cadwallader
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Igus (UK) Ltd