n TECHNOLOGY March 2025 www.drivesncontrols.com 16 igus has added an AI chatbot to its RBTX.com online robotics market. The digital assistant helps users with little experience to put together low-cost automation (LCA) systems quickly and reliably from the site’s portfolio of 500 robot components, 95% of which cost less than €12,000. The text-based AI draws on data from hundreds of projects already automated using RBTX. For example, the technical manager of workshop can ask the chatbot: “Which robot is suitable for loading my CNC machine?”Within seconds, the bot provides an answer, suggesting a suitable arm, and detailing its its dimensions, speed, and ancillaries such as a vision system. It also quotes a price. The user can then dig deeper to explore which grippers may be most suitable for the application. “We want to eliminate all the barriers that stand in the way of companies entering the world of automation,” says igus vicepresident, Alexander Mühlens, who is also head of its LCA business. “The decisive factor here, for example, is to ensure guaranteed interoperability of all the components we oer, which makes it virtually impossible to make the wrong purchase.” The AI advisor is “a further step in this direction… It interacts with interested parties to reduce the time they spend searching for components in a range that keeps on growing." Mühlens reports that pilot users of the bot have been enthusiastic. “It has given them a better feel for the possibilities of LCA and signicantly accelerated the search for suitable components,” he says. “We are therefore planning to expand the AI advisor with additional functions,” he adds. For example, it should be possible in future to embed images and video material from references in the chatbot’s answers, and to oer LCA systems that meet a target price. https://chat.rbtx.eu SICK HAS UNVEILED an IO-Link wireless gateway that, it says, is the easiest way to make sensors and actuators wireless. It adds that the gateway will cut installation costs, and provide real-time data streaming to enterprise and cloud platforms for advanced analytics and predictive maintenance, without needing costly cabling. The bidirectional gateway, which supports multiple sensors, is said to be ideal for applications where wired connections are impractical or impossible. It will allow machine designs that were not previously possible, and can be retrotted easily to existing installations to provide £exibility, future-proong and scalability. The IP67-protected gateway consists of three main elements: an IO-Link master acting as a central controller; a hub with four IO-Link ports; and a bridge that extends communications to applications that need mobile accessibility over longer distances. The bridge and the hub feed data to the master, which can support up to 16 sensors. The gateway can provide smart connections over distances of up to 20m, with a latency of 5ms. Plug-and-play operation simplies installation and eliminates the need for programming or complex wiring. Sensors can be congured remotely via the gateway. To ensure uninterrupted data transmission and accurate data collection, the wireless network uses dynamic frequency hopping and blacklisting techniques. Local power cabinets reduce interference, voltage drops and electrical noise, to safeguard data accuracy. The point-to-point wireless communication system adapts to existing data infrastructures. Using the Connect X platform, it can provide access to various IIoT interfaces, including Rest API and MQTT, as well as eldbuses including Pronet, EtherNet/IP and EtherCat. Sick gives several examples of how the wireless gateway could be used, including: n helping food and beverage manufacturers to maintain strict hygiene standards by eliminating cabling, which can harbour bacteria and cause crosscontamination; n providing rapid, cost-eective scalability for conveyors and cross belt-sorters by supporting more sensors over longer distances, allowing additional sorting stations and extensions without costly hardware upgrades; and n enabling real-time, cable-free communications with transport systems such AMRs, AGVs and forklifts, with low latency and high data integrity. Wireless IO-Link gateway is ‘easiest way’ to make sensors and actuators cable-free AI chatbot helps users to specify low-cost robotic systems Sick’s wireless IO-Link gateway provides access to sensor data without needing cables. Igus’ interactive AI advisor reduces the time spent looking for components
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