Flexiv Robotics Inc. has released Moonlight, its new force-controlled parallel robot that it said was designed to handle “applications that require precise motion and force control.” The company announced the new robot during its FLEXIVERSE 2023 launch event on Jan. 31.
“Incorporating Flexiv’s innovative force control technology, Moonlight can precisely measure force down to 0.1 N so even delicate objects can be handled,” the company said in a release.
Santa Clara, Calif.-based Flexiv said the robot could be used for screw fastening, loading, sanding, and polishing.
The company also develops robot arms through its Rizon series. Robots in that line include the Rizon 4, the Rizon 4s, and the Rizon 10.
“Moonlight is a combination of our award-winning Rizon series of robots and the industry-proven parallel bot design,” stated Hao Jiang, director of product development for Flexiv.
The company added that the robot can complete many of the tasks a robot arm can do but with the speed and agility of a parallel robot.
“We saw that in some specific applications, customers needed a powerful, cost-effective robotic solution which combines highly precise force control with adaptability, so that’s what we built,” Jiang added. “With its increased speed and greater precision, Moonlight boosts production efficiency while retaining a multirole capacity.”
The new robot will be available Q3 2023, the company said.
Flexiv unveils Grav gripper
Flexiv also announced a new force-controlled gripper during its FLEXIVERSE event. The Grav gripper features industrial grade-force control and an adhesive material the company said was based on a geko’s foot pad.
“We have been working on the Grav gripper for a while, as we wanted one which utilized the same industrial grade force control as the Rizon line of adaptive robots.” said Ryan Coulson, Flexiv’s lead mechatronics engineer, in a statement.
“Not only have we successfully implemented force control, but we have also given the gripper the ability to handle traditionally difficult objects like spheres thanks to the gecko material,” he said.
Not only will Flexiv add the end-of-arm tool to its own robots, but it will also be offering it to other collaborative robot providers. The company said “only minimal modifications” are necessary to install the gripper onto other cobots.
“Ideal for multiple applications, the new gripper is capable of inserting micro components, transferring delicate objects, or even machine-tending applications,” the company said.
It will be available in the second quarter of 2023, according to the company.
Flexiv at ATX West 2023
Flexiv will be attending ATX West 2023 this week and plans to showcase several of its automated systems. The automation and design trade show will be held in Anaheim, Calif., from Feb. 7 to 9 at the Anaheim Convention Center. Flexiv will be at Booth 4328.
“It's great to be back at ATX West again, and we are excited to demonstrate to the world the new advancements we have made over the last 12 months,” said Howard Huang, Flexiv's North American regional director, in a statement. “We've seen a real boom in demand for robotic automation recently, and I am happy that our technology can help clients facing labor bottlenecks or simply looking to improve their production efficiency.”
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