A robot joint does not simply need rotational motion. It is a single drive system that converts the rotation generated by the motor into the needed force through a reducer, confirms position and state through sensors, and adjusts movement through a controller. In the past, it was common to select the motor, reducer, sensor, and controller individually and then assemble them to configure a joint. However, as structures with many joints inside a single robot increase, such as humanoids, collaborative robots, and quadruped robots, the move to design joints as a single module rather than a combination of individual components is growing. Robot joint modularization is a design approach that integrates core elements such as the motor, reducer, sensor, and controller into a single actuator module.
Table of Contents
The Definition and Background of Joint Modularization
Key Summary Robot joint modularization is a design approach that integrates the motor, reducer, sensor, and controller into a single drive unit. As robots with many joints increase, the importance of designing and applying joints by module rather than combining individual components is growing.
Robot joint modularization is an approach that integrates the main components that generate a robot’s motion into a single module, so that a system designer can treat a joint as a completed drive unit. In the conventional approach, the motor, reducer, sensor, and controller had to be selected individually, and the mechanical design, assembly, wiring, and control settings had to be matched separately. This process required reviewing many elements together, such as compatibility between components, mounting space, shaft alignment, wiring structure, and control-signal integration.
For equipment with few joints, this approach was sufficiently feasible. But for structures with many joints in the arms, legs, and torso, as in a humanoid, or where many axes are connected in series, as in a collaborative robot, the situation changes. If components must be combined individually each time a joint is made, the development period lengthens and it becomes hard to keep assembly quality consistent. The approach of treating joints as standardized module units is therefore becoming more and more important.
A modularized joint reduces the burden of the robot development process. Rather than re-matching the entire component configuration inside the joint from scratch, the system designer can design the robot’s overall structure and motion based on an already integrated actuator module. This leads to practical advantages in terms of development speed, assembly convenience, and serviceability.
The Value Brought by Integrated Design
Key Summary The core of joint modularization is integrated design. The value lies not in gathering components in one place, but in designing the mounting structure, output structure, wiring, and control elements together to lower the overall design complexity of the robot.
The core of joint modularization is integrated design. The motor, reducer, sensor, and controller do not exist separately; they are designed to mesh with one another within a single profile. What matters here is not simple combination. It is necessary to consider together how the joint is mounted within the actual robot, how it transmits force, and how it exchanges signals.
If the motor and reducer are selected separately, the output-shaft structure, mounting method, bearing configuration, and wiring locations must each be matched. When the controller and sensor are added, the elements to review increase further. By contrast, in a modularized joint, these elements are organized in advance within a single drive unit, so the connection structure the system designer must handle becomes much simpler. As a result, it helps lower the complexity of the entire robot design.
Why Robot Joint Modularization Matters for Humanoids and Collaborative Robots
Key Summary Humanoids and collaborative robots are systems where many joints must move together within one system. Configuring joints by module makes it easy to organize the role and layout of each axis and is also advantageous for repeated application and maintenance.
Humanoids and collaborative robots are fields where joint design carries great importance. A humanoid has joints in many areas such as the arms, legs, torso, and neck, and the force and motion conditions required of each joint differ. A collaborative robot must perform stable movement and repeated motion within a structure where many axes are connected in series. In such robots, not only the performance of a single joint but also how consistently many joints operate within one system matters.
Joint modularization is a design approach for responding to these requirements. Configuring joints by module makes it possible to organize the role and layout of each axis more clearly when designing the robot’s overall structure. It also allows reviewing approaches such as repeatedly applying similar joint structures or arranging modules of different specifications according to load conditions. This helps with robot profile design, internal space layout, and the simplification of the assembly process.
The Connection Between the Bonsystems BCSA Lineup and Joint Modularization
Key Summary The BCSA is an actuator designed to deliver strong power transmission and stable operation based on a Pinless cycloidal reduction structure, while pursuing a compact package and ease of mounting suited to the characteristics of joints.
The BCSA is an actuator designed to realize strong power transmission and stable operation based on a cycloidal reduction structure. It also pursues a structure where a compact package and ease of mounting can be reviewed together, considering the characteristics of a joint that must configure the drive unit within a confined space. A robot joint is not good simply because its output is high. Mounting space, output-shaft structure, load conditions, control method, and serviceability must all be considered together. The BCSA is the Bonsystems drive solution for handling these elements in an integrated way at the actuator level.
If the BSR series provides applicability at the level of cycloidal reducer components, the BCSA is a lineup that extends reducer-based technology into an actuator form. Depending on the application environment, a system designer can review component-level adoption and actuator-module-level adoption separately. If you already have a motor and control system or need a reducer-centered design, you can review the BSR; if you need to configure the joint drive unit as a single integrated module, you can review the BCSA.
Robot joint modularization is, rather than a temporary fad, a design direction that is naturally strengthened as robot systems become more complex and the number of joints increases. Treating joints by module can lower the complexity of the development process and make the production and maintenance flow clearer. Based on its experience developing cycloidal reducers and actuator technology, Bonsystems reviews the drive structures needed for robots in line with actual application environments.
FAQ
Q: What is joint modularization?
A: Robot joint modularization is a design approach that integrates main elements such as the motor, reducer, sensor, and controller into a single actuator module to treat the joint at the system level. It helps simplify the design, assembly, and maintenance process compared with combining individual components separately.
Q: Why does joint modularization matter?
A: Because robots with many joints in a single system, such as humanoids, collaborative robots, and quadruped robots, are increasing. The more joints there are, the greater the design and assembly burden of combining individual components can become, and a modularized joint is advantageous for reducing this complexity.
Q: What should be considered when choosing a robot joint module?
A: Required torque, installation space, load conditions, range of motion, control method, maintenance method, and connectivity with the overall robot structure must all be considered. Rather than looking only at the performance of one specific component, it is important to review in line with the motion the robot must actually perform and the operating environment.
Q: On what basis can the BSR and BCSA be reviewed?
A: The BSR is a suitable lineup for reviewing application at the level of cycloidal reducer components. It can be reviewed if you already have a motor and control system or need a reducer-centered design. The BCSA is a product family that integrates reducer-based technology into an actuator-module form, and can be reviewed at the stage where the joint drive unit must be configured as a single module.
Q: What is the core value of joint modularization?
A: Multilayered value follows, such as a reduction in the variety of parts at the system level, interface simplification, mass-production line simplification, and the possibility of module-level replacement and inspection in the operating environment.
