Let’s shake on it: igus launches bionic hand for ReBeL cobot

The igus ReBeL cobot now has a humanoid hand made of lubrication-free, high-performance plastics

Robots are increasingly finding their way into small and medium-sized companies, especially as collaborative robots or “cobots”, such as the igus ReBeL. These robots sort, pick and move items with the help of cameras and mechanical or vacuum gripping systems. To be able to take on more human-style tasks, igus has developed a finger gripper for the ReBeL cobot. It is made entirely of lubrication-free plastics, making it cost-effective and easy to integrate.

igus’s ReBeL is a compact and lightweight cobot that makes it possible to enter robotics with relatively low investment, making it particularly suitable for assembly tasks, quality inspections and in-service applications. For the robot to work efficiently, grippers and vacuum cups are necessary, and igus now offers a wide selection of end-effectors from various suppliers via the marketplace RBTX.com. Its new product launch is the ReBeL finger gripper.

“Since the ReBeL is light and affordable, with a weight of around eight kilograms and starting from £4200 it is widely used in applications that humans would normally do,” says Adam Sanjurgo, Low-Cost Automation Manager at igus UK. “For this reason, we received several customer enquiries for a robotic hand that can be easily connected to the ReBeL via plug-and-play.”

In response, igus has developed a particularly cost-effective ReBeL finger gripper, which is available for as little as £2,668. The humanoid hand is compatible with all ReBeL models. It is controlled via DIO at the Tool Centre Point, which allows for easy integration and flexibility in various applications. The special feature of the finger gripper is that it can imitate human hand movements. “With the new low-cost hand, the ReBeL can perform a wide range of simple humanoid tasks and applications, especially in research and

development at universities, but also tasks in commercial kitchens or in the entertainment industry are possible,” says Sanjurgo.

High-performance plastics ensure precise movements

All components, including flange mount, cables and the control system, are delivered directly from igus. The low price is partly due to the lubrication-free and high-performance plastics. The plain bearings in the joints made of iglidur® polymers are not only cost-effective and lubrication-free, but also enable smooth and precise movements of the individual fingers whilst being completely clean.

Extensive testing in igus in Cologne’s 3,800m² laboratory guarantees long life of the humanoid hand. They are extremely flexible and can be controlled by various interfaces, including USB, TTL (5 V) serial and internal scripting. In addition to the finger gripper, igus offers other products for these cobots, also called the ‘ReBeL Environment’. These include fireproof hoods, seventh axis, gripper sets, adapter plates, energy supply systems, a dedicated workstation and connection cables.