SEMICON Southeast Asia 2023

Akribis Systems

Akribis Systems expands direct drive technologies to robotic applications

Its ARJ series enables robot manufacturers to shorten their R&D cycles in the competitive collaborative robot market.

Motion control company Akribis Systems has been a leading role model in direct-drive motion technologies. Its last two wins were centred around direct-drive applications in pick and place. Now, it aims to expand its direct drive technologies to robotic applications, in which the joints are robots themselves.

Amongst its latest submission is the Akribis Robot Joint (ARJ) series, a collaborative robot which contains five standard sizes of robot joint modules.

Collaborative robots are robot arms used in workspaces with human interactions. Compared to traditional industrial robots, which are fast, heavy, and generally require a fenced-up environment to keep them separated from human operators. The robots are lightweight and force-sensing capable, which makes them safe to operate around human operators and fast to deploy.

The global collaborative robot market has been growing rapidly over the past few years due to the shortage of manpower and demand for fast production line deployment. The components of a typical robot arm can be broken down into links and joints, where joints are the core components providing high torque rotary actuations with high precision.

The ARJ series is modular and easy to use. This means that the joints come in standard sizes and mounting interfaces. Motor drives with the EtherCAT communication protocol are integrated at the backside of the joints, allowing for easy cabling and high-speed communication.

It also has high torque and lightweight features, powered by Akribis’ own direct-drive frameless motors with up to a 101:1 reduction ratio. The torque density has been maximised for the efficiency for robot arms.

The robotic arms also have high precision, as strain wave reducers are used to provide zero-backlash motions. Both the motor side and output load sides are equipped with absolute encoders up to 19-bit to provide high-resolution feedback.

Moreover, the ARJ series is designed with large centre bores, allowing for inter-joint cables to run internally. The joints are also integrated with power-off friction brakes, which hold the joint positions in the event of a power failure.

Akribis Systems takes home the Made in Singapore Awards - Robotics win for the quality features of the ARJ series, as its five sizes enable robot manufacturers to rapidly build collaborative robots covering the commonly used 3kg to 16kg payload class.

With the comprehensive product line-up and user customisable configurations, the ARJ series enable robot manufacturers to shorten their R&D cycles in the competitive collaborative robot market by saving time building their own robot joints from scratch, whilst focusing their R&D resources on higher-level robotic technologies.

The prestigious awards programme recognises exceptional products that are proudly manufactured and designed in Singapore.

When it comes to demanding automation and multi-axis linear motor applications, the performance and reliability of your equipment is only as good as its motion controls systems.

Encoders and electronics must be in place to monitor and encode speed, position, direction or vibration data, and the information they gather must be highly accurate. This ensures high throughput without incurring the downtime associated with preventable repairs. And, the devices must fit into tight designs as part of always-shrinking, fast-paced equipment.

In order to ensure smooth, reliable motion, here are some attributes to look for in linear encoders and vibration sensors:

Linear encoders. For closed loop systems requiring accurate positioning feedback, linear optical absolute encoders are hard to beat. That’s because absolute encoders measure a motor’s true angular position, and those that incorporate optical sensors provide the highest resolution, or measuring step. For linear encoders, a high-resolution measuring step is typically less than 100 nanometers. Akribis Systems’ ABA-20 and ABA-50 linear optical absolute encoders, for example, provide measuring steps down to 50 nanometers. These encoders also support the popular Biss-C interface for secure yet flexible serial digital communication between the sensor and controller, and they come in a small size of 36 by 13.5 by 14.8 millimeters.

Vibration sensors. Because unwanted vibrations can keep your direct drive system from running at its best, it’s important to receive alerts about any deviations in their amplitude and frequency. The higher the sensor’s sensitivity, the better it can monitor the entire machine for vibration as well as measure low-frequency vibrations. And, the ability to detect vibration on three axes can provide the full scope of the vibration. One such machine vibration sensor, the MVC-ACC-94 offers an exceptional combination of three-axis selectable sensing, a high 9,000 millivolts/gauss sensitivity, ±0.25G detection range and a frequency response up to 200 Hz. It also interfaces with MODBUS — the widely accepted industrial electronics data communication protocol.

The ABA-20, ABA-50 and MVC-ACC-94 are part of our range of encoders, sensors and interface electronics for factory automation and precision manufacturing applications. The family also includes the ITF-21-BiSS-MIT — a signal converter that makes any 12-bit to 32-bit BiSS-C absolute encoder compatible with the popular Mitsubishi Electric MR-J4 servo amplifier. Each product in the series features a compact size for easy installation in constantly shrinking automated equipment, robust construction and an indicator light.

Sensor Data Is Key to Your Equipment’s Efficiency and Throughput
As automated machines continue to get smaller, faster and demand more accurate motor and motion control, sensor data is key to ensuring positioning and vibration irregularities are identified and mitigated in order to maintain optimal performance. With the right encoders and sensors from Akribis Systems, you can ensure the smooth, precise operation that these systems demand and thereby maximize efficiency and throughput. To learn more about how to incorporate Akribis encoders and sensors into your automation and multi-axis linear motor systems, be sure to speak to our sales representatives.

For more information on Akribis encoders, sensors and interface electronics, contact us

When you need a small and precise motor, look no further than our new line of miniature modules, the AM Series. These stages feature high response times, excellent repeatability and a stackable configuration, making integration into your OEM system quick and easy.

From linear to rotary variants, you have four AM Series stages to choose from:

AML Series Linear Module

Built for use with linear motors, the AML Series has a maximum stroke length of 20 millimeters. This stage also features a high response time and small footprint.

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AMR Series Rotary Module

For use with rotary motors, AMR Series stages feature low cogging at a maximum stroke of 100 degrees.

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AMG Series Gonio Module

You can pair AMG Series stages with a linear motor for fixed-axis rotation. These units also fit seamlessly with Akribis motors and have a maximum stroke of 15 degrees.

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AMZ Series Vertical Z Module

Featuring a high response time, the AMZ Series has a vertical stroke of 8 millimeters and supports loads up to 7 kilograms.

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Our AM Series stages feature direct-drive technology and excel at small-stroke jobs and applications requiring multiple axes. In addition to featuring a flexible, modular design, these stages are stackable. We offer stacked options up to six axes but can customize a solution depending on your needs.

To learn more about our new AM Series, contact us.