The Hannover Messe has always been an important meeting place for the latest developments in the industry. To do the justice to the tradition, igus is also presenting digital products and solutions at the event that will help companies improve their products and cut costs. Igus’s low cost automation cobots, software, and virtual parallel worlds ensure that even robotics novices can get started with inexpensive automation in a very short time. The hardware starting point is an igus plastic robot, such as the new ReBeLmini, real plug-and-play cobot which comes at € 3,999, including control software and power supply. The robot works with five axes, , has a reach of 310 mm, moves loads of up to 0.5 kg, and achieves seven picks per minute with a repeatability of +/- 1 mm. The ReBeLmini is particularly suitable for use in restricted space such as those in test automation or camera quality control, and can also be used overhead.

Next-level engineering with digital tools

"At the start of the Hannover Messe, we will save to our database every automation solution configured in the online tool and make them available to other customers as a design template. This gives us a huge design community," said Alexander Mühlens, Head of Low Cost Automation Business Unit, igus. More than 300 solutions are already available on the RBTX online marketplace as a source of inspiration for immediate imitation, 95 per cent of which have an investment cost of less than € 12,000. But igus simplifies not only the configuration, but also the control of low cost automation. igus offers intuitive software for defining ReBeL robot movement sequences within 30 to 60 minutes – even without programming knowledge. The new AnyApp software will also be presented at Hannover Messe 2023. It allows this intuitive programming for other robots as well. AnyApp is particularly well-suited to companies that combine robots from different manufacturers into automation solutions, but do not want to learn multiple control software packages.

The iguversum: Playfully achieve top engineering performance in the virtual world

This gives companies the opportunity to make their working environment safer, generating greater employee satisfaction and motivation and making it easier to recruit new specialists. "In the future, we will see how people working collaboratively in the metaverse and controlling robots remotely from virtual worlds. This will change the way we work together," said Marco Thull, Senior Marketing Activist for igus GmbH. igus will offer companies digital tools such as simulations, forecasts and data analysis, going beyond what low cost automation can do to make their processes faster and cheaper.

"New technology is never ending. We must continue to focus on these questions: What does the customer get out of it? Is it helpful or can we get rid of it? The interaction of inexpensive hardware, software and XR in connection with artificial intelligence will enable customers to continuously improve their machines and systems and quickly adapt them to the needs of their customers – an enormous competitive advantage," added Thull.