Give me your hand!

Robots have become an integral part of industry and are increasingly finding their way into small and medium-sized companies in the form of cobots such as the Rebel. They sort, pick and move with the help of cameras, suction cups and gripper systems. Igus has now developed a finger gripper for the Rebel cobot so that it can also perform humanoid tasks. It is made entirely of lubrication-free plastics, is cost-effective and can be easily integrated.

Now supplier of handling technology

With the Rebel, Igus has brought a compact and lightweight cobot onto the market that makes it possible to enter the world of robotics at low cost. It can be used particularly well for assembly tasks, quality inspections and in the service sector. Grippers and suction cups are required to ensure that the robot can actually work. Igus offers a wide selection of suitable end effectors from various manufacturers on the RBTX.com marketplace. "As the Rebel is light and affordable, weighing in at around eight kilograms and with a price starting at 3,970 euros, it is often used in humanoid applications. For this reason, we received several customer requests for a robot hand that can be easily connected to the Rebel via plug-and-play," explains Alexander Mühlens, Head of the Low Cost Automation business unit at Igus.

Igus has developed the cost-effective Rebel finger gripper, which is available for as little as €1,840. The humanoid hand is compatible with all Rebel models. It is controlled via DIO at the Tool Center Point, which enables simple integration and flexibility in various applications. The special feature of the finger gripper is that it can imitate human hand movements. "The Rebel can perform a wide range of simple humanoid tasks and applications with the new low-cost hand. We are thinking of the field of research and development at universities, but tasks in the catering or entertainment industries are also conceivable," says Alexander Mühlens.

High-performance plastics ensure precise movements

All components, including the flange, cables and control unit, come directly from Igus in Cologne. The customer receives a fully compatible solution. The low price is due to the lubrication-free high-performance plastics. The plain bearings in the joints made of Iglidur polymers are lubrication-free and enable smooth and precise movements of the individual fingers. Extensive tests in the company's own 3,800 square meter laboratory guarantee the longevity of the humanoid hand. It is flexible and can be controlled via various interfaces, including USB, TTL (5 V) serial and internal scripting.

In addition to the finger gripper, Igus offers other products for the Rebel environment, such as fire-resistant fire protection hoods, a seventh axis, gripper sets, adapter plate sets, cable carrier systems, a finished workstation and connection cables.