In the context of robotic actuators, the term torque density refers to how much torque the actuator is able to produce per unit weight or unit volume. The term can be applied to the actuator as a whole or separately to the motor or gearbox that is contained within the actuator. Why should we be interested in torque density? Because the torque densities of a robot’s components can limit nearly every facet of a robot’s performance.
Motus Blog
Motus Labs Announces Availability of the ML1000 Series of M-DRIVES for the Robot and Automation Industries
DALLAS, TX – September 1, 2020 – Motus Labs, a designer and manufacturer of mechanical motion control solutions for the industrial, service, and collaborative robot and automation markets, today announced commercial availability of the Motus Labs ML1000 series of M-DRIVES. The disruptive drive architecture uses mating blocks or surfaces instead of traditional gear teeth resulting in a more rigid drive at a lower weight with up to twice the torque density and 15% greater efficiencies compared to competitive strain wave drives. These performance benefits provide a lower overall solution cost, increased precision, reach, speed, and longer life – significantly improving the ROI for robot end-users.
Technical Paper | Impact of Actuator Torque Density on Expected Robot Life – A Dynamic Model
Recent technical paper contributed by Greg Zancewicz & Carlos Hoefken at the 5th International Conference on Control and Robotics Engineering. The paper discusses electric actuators adding weight along an articulated robot arm and how the torque and speed limitations impose additional dynamic constraints including useful life of a robot and the extent to which each actuator operates at or near its torque ratings.
Fourth Patent Issued to Motus Labs
The US Patent & Trademark Office recently issued the fourth patent on April 16, 2019 to Motus Labs, Patent # US 10,260,606 B2 for an Improved Gearbox Mechanism.
Motus Labs Issued Third Patent | Simplified Gearbox Mechanism
The US Patent & Trademark Office recently issued a third patent on March 26, 2019 to Motus Labs, Patent # US 10,240,666 B2 for a Simplified Gearbox Mechanism.
Motus Labs Issued Second Patent | Motorized Gearbox Mechanism
Motus Labs is excited to announce a second patent was issued on December 11, 2018, Patent # US 10,151,375 for a Motorized Gearbox Mechanism. The applicant for the patent is Motus Labs, LLC, and the inventor, Carlos A. Hoefken, is the CTO and Founder. The first Motus Labs patent was issued on February 16, 2016, #US 9,261,176.
Motus Labs Announces New Actuator/Drive Architecture for Robotics Industry
Motus Labs, a designer, and manufacturer of robot actuator and drives for the service and industrial robot markets, today announced a new robotic gearless drive design that uses mating blocks or surfaces instead of traditional gear teeth. The disruptive design was conceptualized developed and patented by CTO/Founder, Carlos Hoefken, veteran robot automation inventor.
Introducing a New Invention in an Old Market
It’s a fact; we can’t expect prospective customers to Google, ‘New robotic gear drive technology’ – when the same drive technology has been around for many decades.
Torsional Stiffness and Its Impact on Robot Cost and Performance
Although strain wave, or “harmonic,” gearing can deliver high reduction ratios in a relatively small form factor, it is well known that the technology also impairs the dynamic performance of robot arms due to elastic deformation that occurs even well below the drive’s rated torque.
Torque Density Consequences for Robot Arm Design
Torque density is the ratio of the rated torque of a transmission to its weight. Torque density is an especially critical parameter in robot arm design since the weight of the robot arm actuators become part of a distributed load that needs to be moved and positioned along with the primary robot payload.