‘On The Move’ Cobots Support Manufacturing Operations With Flexible Deployment
Announcing a major relaunch and rebranding, Rethink Robotics returned to IMTS, unveiling a full portfolio of new robotics products, including seven Rethink Reacher cobots, its Rethink Ryder AMR line, and the Rethink Riser MMR. Combining a Rethink Ryder AMR with a Rethink Reacher cobot and a portable battery box allows mobile cobot manipulation to be performed at new levels of efficiency.
The Rethink Reacher and Rethink Ryder, components of the Rethink Riser, each have their own battery packs, requiring separate charging. The Rethink Reacher offers an impressive 22-hour uptime. The Rethink Ryder can be charged in two ways: manually or wirelessly through inductive charging. Each Ryder comes equipped with three or four battery units based on its size. If higher uptime is required, customers can request up to two additional battery units per Ryder.
The Rethink Ryder AMR line offers multi-detection technologies with 360-degree sensing for analyzing and responding to real-time changes in the environment, ensuring workplace safety. Ryder AMRs navigate independently without the need for additional components. Low-level controllers and sensor data are accessible through open architecture software compatible with third-party applications. A simultaneous location and mapping system (SLAM) provides environmental visualization, dynamic obstacle bypassing, and trajectory planning.
The Reacher cobot line includes seven new cobot models (RE 07, 09, 13, 16, 21, 30, and 30L), handling payloads ranging from 7 to 30 kg (15–66 pounds). In addition to the cobots’ improved design, their reliable and robust hardware delivers increased precision, speed, and durability, enhancing their capabilities for industrial use, supported by an IP65 rating for use in wet and dusty environments. RE cobots offer highest precision with ± 0.03 mm pose repeatability — suitable for even the most demanding tasks. Depending on the model, maximum speed ranges from 120 to 200 degrees per second. Reacher cobots feature collision detection to ensure workplace safety and a user-friendly, intuitive interface that feels natural and is easy to use.
The control box that comes with Reacher is a compact and integrated unit designed to manage and control the robot’s operations. This control box houses the essential electronics, including the robot’s processor, power supply, and communication interfaces. It serves as the central hub for executing commands, processing sensor data, and coordinating the robot’s movements. The Rethink Riser’s control box is added as an attachment onto the Ryder so it can fully move along with it in combination with the Reacher cobot arm.
Rethink Riser is a perfect solution for intermittent operations and applications where cycle times are relatively long, making it difficult to justify the purchase of a dedicated cobot for each station. Rethink Riser allows flexible cobot redeployment, with each component achieving its maximum ROI potential.
For more information: www.rethinkrobotics.com
