Customisable robotic hand with NSK and the German Aerospace Center

NSK and the German Aerospace Centre (DLR, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft – und Raumfahrt) are developing a robotic hand system that will help
 automate manual tasks, particularly in the service industry.

The concept centres on a 
customisable robot hand comprising individually configurable finger modules, thought to be
an industry-first. Through a combination of versatility and affordability, this innovative new
product will contribute to the automation of manual work that involves grasping a broad
 variety of objects.

Many countries around the world, including several in Europe, are facing serious labour
 shortages across a number of important industries. Robots that can take on manual work
 represent a good way to overcome this increasingly prevalent situation. However, the 
introduction of robots has not progressed sufficiently in the retail, restaurant and some 
manufacturing sectors for tasks that require a high degree of dexterity. A significant factor 
here is price. While the price of robot hands that can grasp only a single type or size of
 object is low, robot hands that can grasp a diverse range of objects are extremely 
expensive.

Against this backdrop, NSK and the German Aerospace Centre are working in tandem to 
develop this innovative robotic hand system with finger modules that offer easy reconfiguration according 
to each use case. The individual finger modules enable the construction of robot hands with 
the minimum configuration required to meet customer needs: it is easy to create a robot 
hand that grips only standard products or a robot hand that grips a variety of objects.
 Notably, by limiting production to individual finger modules, NSK aims to achieve a low unit
 cost through mass production. This should prove highly appealing to companies with target
 applications that require smooth finger movement, easy layout changes and optimised 
finger module placement.

The smooth motion and gentle gripping of diverse objects arrives through the wire drive 
technology of the German Aerospace Centre, while NSK’s proprietary detachable magnetic
 mechanism makes it quick and easy to alter the layout of finger modules simply by pulling a 
lever to attach or detach accordingly. In terms of finger module placement, NSK’s digital 
twin technology led to the development of an algorithm that optimises this task according to 
object size and shape.

To contribute to mechanisation and automation in a wide range of industries, including food 
service, retail, manufacturing, logistics and agriculture, NSK is now in the process of
 making solution proposals to robotic system integrators and customers with existing robot equipment. Field tests will start soon,

Contenuti correlati

• 
  Gefran sensors to build safer and reliable equipment in Manitou

  In the construction, agriculture, and manufacturing sectors, there are stringent regulations and compliance protocols around machinery design and usage. Ultimately, these rules are in place to keep workers safe, regardless of the job they are doing and...
• 
  Digital displacement pump Danfoss awarded by Agritechnica

  The Danfoss DDP096 digital displacement pump has been named a winner of Agritechnica’s prestigious Systems & Components Trophy 2022. Presented by DLG, the German Agricultural Society, the award recognises the inventive spirit of industry suppliers and their...
• 
  Bonfiglioli crawler drives in DC Equipment’s winch system

  A pair of Bonfiglioli 715C high-performance crawler drives are equipped in the Falcon Winch Assist, a winch system for excavators from New Zeland engineering and manufacturing company DC Equipment. The machinery is achieving international notice because of...
• 
  Honey bees colonies at the Lenze firm’s premises

  As part of its environmental programme, Lenze established three colonies of honey bees on its company premises, making an important contribution to the conservation of the local flora and fauna. Lenze is giving three amateur beekeepers, who...
• 
  Flexible proportional solenoid cartridge valves Eaton

  Eaton’s ESV9 series of proportional solenoid cartridge valves are designed to provide superior control with optimized linearity. Utilizing an optimized get with dual spring design, the ESV9 spool is more highly controlled than single spring designs, with...
• 
  Bearing units NSK for disc harrows applications

  Galucho, an important agricultural machinery manufacturer in Portugal and Spain, approved the Agri Disc Hub bearing units NSK to fit in the company’s disc harrows, after two years of testing on 700 hectares of land near Seville....