Cost-effective mobile plastic robots for SMEs

From automated warehouses to service robots in the hospitality industry - the areas of application for mobile robotics are diverse. The market for automated guided vehicles (AGV) and autonomous mobile robots (AMR) is booming accordingly. The global market for mobile robotics, including service robotics, is currently worth around 20.3 billion US dollars, with an annual growth rate of around 15%. Experts predict that the market will almost double by 2028 - primarily driven by the shortage of skilled workers. In industry, AMR is often used to automate and optimize production processes. In (intra)logistics, they enable faster and more efficient handling of goods.

However, AMRs are also increasingly being used as service robots, for example in restaurants, hotels and hospitals, where they take over transportation tasks and thus relieve staff. However, widespread use on the market is often prohibitively expensive for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) due to the high prices. Conventional models start at around 25,000 euros, while solutions with an integrated robot arm start at around 70,000 euros. In addition, there are further costs for control software, fleet management or infrastructural modifications. At the same time, SMEs and the skilled trades in particular need solutions that are easy to operate and therefore easier to implement. To make entry attractive and, above all, profitable, this is where Cologne-based plastics specialist Igus comes in with its new series of cost-effective mobile plastics robots.

High-performance plastic reduces costs

Igus has been putting AGVs through their paces in-house for four years now - as driverless racks that deliver mail and other deliveries in offices, but also in production to bring fast transports or rotary stacking containers into the warehouse. The experience gained was ultimately incorporated into the development of various mobile systems, into which the ReBeL is centrally integrated. The plastic cobot "made in Cologne" has a dead weight of just 8.2 kg, a payload of 2 kg and a reach of 664 mm. With its six degrees of freedom, it moves easily in all directions and can work safely with people. The use of innovative plastic technology from Igus not only makes the ReBeL three times lighter, but also five times cheaper than comparable metal models for the fully equipped plug-and-play version. All the mechanical components that make up the ReBeL are developed and manufactured by Igus. The gears play an important role here, as they are the heart of a robot. This is why Igus has developed the first fully integrated shaft gearbox made of high-performance plastic, which is used in the ReBeL.

Mobile robotics for everyone

With the "ReBeLs on Wheels", Igus has developed affordable AGV solutions for various areas of application that are intended to promote the widespread use of mobile robotics - for example in the education sector. Thanks to open source, the ReBeL EduMove, consisting of an AGV, ReBeL cobot arm and gripper, serves as an autonomous learning platform for educational institutions and is already available for a fraction of the price, whereas comparable solutions are significantly more expensive even in the education sector. The ReBeL EduMove has a modular design and can be flexibly expanded with additional functions such as lidar, camera technology or a slam algorithm. It is controlled via the intuitive Igus Robot Control or ROS2. Another new variant that Igus is presenting at Motek 2024 is a driverless transport system for SMEs that can transport small load carriers (SLCs) measuring 60 × 40 cm and 30 × 40 cm with a payload of up to 70 kg - and even more with an additional structure. The AGV solution with ReBeL can be flexibly integrated into individual warehouse organizations and pays for itself within 12 to 24 months, according to the manufacturer.
The AGV, including fleet software, can be set up in just a few hours, can be fully integrated via various interfaces (IoT, VDA 5050, REST, SAP, ERP) and requires no guidelines or lanes. Navigation is performed using a camera system and 2D SLAM technology. The AGV moves at 1.5 m/s, has a battery life of over 8 hours and a charging time of less than two hours. It is also CE-compliant and therefore suitable for industrial use. The ReBeL cobot, including peripherals, can also be easily integrated here, for example for simple A-to-B positioning, so that the mobile unit can pick up and place its load itself. The AGV dispenses with expensive sensor technology and instead relies on 3D sensor technology developed by Igus.

Service robotics at a low price

The goal of all these developments is the lighthouse project: a low-cost, mobile service robot with an integrated human-machine interface, vision system and lidar navigation. The so-called ReBeL Butler is suitable for simple but time-consuming pick-up and drop-off services, for example in the hotel and catering industry, so that staff can devote themselves to more valuable tasks. But how can such a solution be implemented cost-effectively? With this project, Igus is pursuing a bottom-to-top strategy in which certain components such as security laser scanners are not included in the basic package in order to keep the price low. At the same time, it is ensured that the solution can be easily retrofitted for industrial requirements. For example, with the finger gripper developed by Igus, which has a large stroke or long travel distance and a great deal of flexibility when gripping different geometries.

The low-cost AMR can be programmed using ROS, Java, Unity and Python and its areas of application go far beyond simple transportation tasks. They include a huge range of applications in various areas of life, such as cleaning tasks or serving coffee directly at the workplace. This solution is already being used in Igus' offices and production facilities to avoid unnecessary transportation. Igus aims to develop cost-effective and intuitive solutions for light tasks that can be scaled to many potential users. This will pave the way to cost-effective mobile robotics for small and medium-sized companies.

Motek, Hall 7, Stand 208 and 125