A chocolate-picking robot designed by UK-based Roose Automation has been given a longer reach thanks to a linear motion system from German engineering firm igus, in a development that highlights the growing sophistication of compact automation systems for consumer applications.
The ‘ChocoMatic’ robot, which automatically selects and delivers chocolates chosen by customers via touchscreen, uses igus’s so-called “7th Axis” to move horizontally across multiple trays of confectionery. The ready-to-install system, designed as a plug-and-play extension for standard six-axis robots, eliminates the need for complex coding and lengthy integration.
According to igus, the 7th Axis can quadruple a robot’s working range while connecting directly to the existing controller through a “plug-to-program” interface. “In projects like ChocoMatic, it’s about simplicity,” said Adam Sanjurgo, Automation Product Manager at igus. “You install it, the controller recognises it, and it just works.”
Mounted beneath the robot arm, the linear unit uses a toothed-belt drive to deliver speeds of up to 0.6 m/s and positioning accuracy of ±0.3 mm. The company said the system helped Roose Automation cut weeks from development schedules and reduce programming costs by several thousand pounds.
Each igus 7th Axis is designed to carry robots weighing up to 55 kg, with a lightweight aluminium rail of up to six metres in length. It incorporates igus’s lubrication-free polymer bushings and e-chains to protect cables during operation.
The technology is now compatible with newer robot models including the Universal Robots UR 20 and UR 30, as well as Fanuc’s CRX collaborative series.
Sanjurgo said the project illustrated how modular automation systems could enable smaller companies to expand robotic capabilities without heavy investment. “Expanding a robot’s range used to mean extra engineering,” he said. “Now it’s as easy as plug, play and produce.”
