Table of Contents
- BONSYSTEMS · CYCLOIDAL TECHNOLOGY
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- References
- Bonsystems
- 🔗 Explore Bonsystems solutions → www.bonsystems.com
A factory robot operates through a structure composed of multiple interconnected joints. Each joint uses a reducer to convert the motor’s rotation into the torque and speed required for the robot’s movement. For this reason, as the industrial robot market grows, demand for robot reducers also increases, drawing greater attention to these components.
As automation equipment expands across various industries such as automotive, electronics, semiconductors, and logistics, the application range of robots is also broadening. In addition, as new forms of robots such as collaborative robots and humanoids emerge, the requirements for reducers are becoming more diverse.
This article examines the joint structure of industrial robots, the role of the robot reducer, the relationship between market growth and component demand, changes in requirements as application fields expand, and the applicability of the Bonsystems lineup.
The Joint Structure of Industrial Robots
Key Summary A factory robot is designed with multiple joint axes. Because it has a multi-axis configuration, multiple reducers can be applied within a single robot, and as robot adoption increases, demand for reducers used in joint drive units increases accordingly.
A factory robot is generally designed with multiple joint axes. A representative example is the six-axis articulated robot, although robots with fewer or more axes are also used depending on the work environment and purpose. Each axis rotates or moves to control the robot’s posture, and the motor and reducer work together as part of the drive unit.
The reducer converts the motor’s high-speed rotation into the speed and torque required by the robot joint. Because a factory robot must grasp and move objects or perform the same task repeatedly, stable power transmission at each joint is important.
A multi-axis structure also means that multiple reducers can be applied within a single robot. As the adoption of industrial robots increases, demand for reducers used in joint drive units increases accordingly. In addition, the reduction ratio and drive characteristics required at each joint can differ depending on the robot’s size, payload, range of motion, and installation environment.
The Role of the Robot Reducer
Key Summary At an industrial robot joint, the reducer is not simply a power-transmission component. It is a core drive component that converts the motor’s high-speed rotation into low-speed, high-torque output, enabling the robot to perform actual work.
At a factory robot joint, the reducer is not simply a power-transmission component. It is a core drive component that converts the high-speed rotation generated by the motor into low-speed, high-torque output, enabling the robot to perform actual work.
When a reducer is applied, a robot joint can lift heavy objects, maintain a stable posture, or perform repetitive tasks reliably. Because robots are often operated for long periods at industrial sites, factors such as the reducer’s durability, ability to handle loads, and drive stability are important considerations.
There are several types of reduction mechanisms, and among them, cycloidal reducers have a structural advantage in distributing loads during power transmission. This characteristic can be beneficial in robot joints and automation-equipment drive units where repeated loads occur.
Market Growth and Reducer Demand
Key Summary The growth of the industrial robot market is closely tied to robot reducer demand. Because a single robot has many joints and each joint requires multiple drive components, demand for joint components and reducers can increase along with robot adoption.
The growth of the industrial robot market is closely tied to robot reducer demand. A single robot has many joints, and each joint requires various drive components, including a motor and reducer. Therefore, as robot adoption increases, demand for joint components and reducers can increase as well.
In this process, the reducer serves as a fundamental component that enables the robot to perform the movements required for actual tasks. When demand for finished robots increases, demand for drive-unit components rises accordingly, and for reducer companies, the factory robot market represents an important application field.
The Change in the Demand Structure
Key Summary Recently, various forms of robots such as collaborative robots, humanoids, mobile robots, and dual-arm robots have been gaining attention, and this trend is also changing the requirements for reducers.
Recently, in addition to traditional industrial robots, various forms of robots such as collaborative robots, humanoids, mobile robots, and dual-arm robots have been attracting increasing attention. Unlike existing fixed production equipment, these robots often operate in spaces close to people or must accommodate many joints within a confined space.
This change also affects the requirements for reducers. Beyond simply transmitting high torque, designers must also consider whether a drive unit can fit within a slim, compact structure, whether the available space inside the joint can be used efficiently, and whether the reducer can support various reduction ratios and application environments.
Especially in robots with many joints and complex structures, such as collaborative robots and humanoids, the size and thickness of the reducer can affect the overall design. When the drive unit becomes smaller, it can help provide more space for the frame, sensors, wiring, and control components. For this reason, the importance of slim designs and modular actuator configurations is also growing.
Bonsystems Reducer and Actuator Solutions
Key Summary The Bonsystems BSR and BCSA lineups are designed for applications that require stable drive-unit performance, such as industrial robots, collaborative robots, humanoids, and automation equipment.
The Bonsystems BSR and BCSA lineups are designed for applications that require stable drive-unit performance, such as factory robots, collaborative robots, humanoids, and automation equipment. The BSR is a component-level lineup based on cycloidal reducers, while the BCSA is an actuator-based drive solution that integrates a reducer and a frameless motor. The two lineups differ in how they are applied, but both can be used in robot drive-unit designs that require high torque transmission and stable operation within confined spaces.
The BSR is a product family suitable for applications in which the drive unit is designed around the reducer itself. The reducer specification can be selected based on the robot’s axis configuration, required torque, installation space, and the layout of surrounding components, and it can be flexibly applied in design environments where the motor and control elements are configured separately. Especially in applications involving repetitive motion and changing loads, such as industrial robots or automation equipment, the reducer’s power-transmission characteristics and drive stability become important design considerations.
The BCSA is a lineup that can simplify drive-unit design by combining a reducer and a frameless motor into an integrated actuator. Because sensors, wiring, and control elements often need to be installed alongside the drive unit inside a robot joint, the actuator’s thickness and overall dimensions can affect the overall design. With its slim, compact structure, the BCSA can help maximize the use of available space inside the joint and simplify drive-unit integration.
When the drive unit must be designed directly around a reducer, the BSR can be considered; when an integrated drive unit combining a motor and reducer is needed, the BCSA can be considered. As reducer demand remains steady in the industrial robot market and applications requiring slim, compact drive units continue to expand, such as collaborative robots and humanoids, the application range of the two lineups can expand accordingly.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1. Why does an factory robot need reducers?
A. An industrial robot does not use the motor’s rotation directly; it converts it into the speed and torque required to move its joints and perform tasks. In this process, the reducer converts the motor’s rotation into an output suitable for the robot joint, helping ensure stable operation.
Q2. About how many reducers go into a single factory robot?
A. A factory robot is usually equipped with multiple joint axes, and each axis requires a drive unit. In a structure with many joints, such as a six-axis articulated robot, multiple reducers can be used in a single robot.
Q3. Can reducer demand increase when the industrial robot market grows?
A. Because a single robot has many joint drive units, an increase in the adoption of finished robots can also drive demand for core components such as reducers and actuators. Especially as automation application fields broaden, drive units with a wider range of specifications are required.
Q4. What conditions become important for reducers in collaborative robots and humanoids?
A. These robots often operate in spaces close to people or require drive units to fit within confined joint spaces. For this reason, factors such as slim design, compact size, stable power transmission, and integrated drive-unit configurations become increasingly important.
Q5. What is the difference between the Bonsystems BSR and BCSA?
A. The BSR is a component-level lineup based on cycloidal reducers. The BCSA is a drive solution that combines cycloidal reducer technology with a frameless motor in an integrated actuator configuration. Depending on the application environment, the drive-unit configuration can be designed around either the reducer or the integrated actuator.
References
• [1] Bonsystems Official Website — https://www.bonsystems.com
• [2] International Federation of Robotics (IFR) — https://ifr.org
• [3] Korea Institute for Robot Industry Advancement (KIRIA) — https://www.kiria.org
• [4] Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy – Robot Industry Policy — https://www.motie.go.kr
