The intuitive design offers users an immediate overview of cost-effective automation solutions and the right components.
To make selecting suitable individual parts or a finished system even easier, igus has presented the Robotics Marketplace 2.0 with a new design and new functions.
Collecting all low-cost robotics options on one platform and making automation as easily accessible as possible is igus’ goal. The company launched its RBTX robotics marketplace in 2019. The online platform brings users and providers of low-cost robotics together quickly and easily. That way, interested parties can find the individual components or complete solutions for their automation concepts that meet their requirements and budget.
“There are now 76 partners on our RBTX marketplace. RBTX is available in nine countries, and interested parties currently have 259 different products to choose from, from robots, software, control systems, and power electronics to cameras, grippers, sensors, or motors,” said Alexander Mühlens, head of automation technology and robotics business unit at igus. All components are combined and tested in advance so that they work together. “We want to continuously add partners and products to our online marketplace so that users always have access to a wide range of up-to-date offers in this rapidly growing market segment.”
An improved user experience
“We have analysed our website and obtained feedback from our customers to find out how we can further optimise the online marketplace and user experience. We hope that the new design creates even more clarity and a marketplace-like character, and allows for an even more intuitive use. That way, anyone interested can find a suitable robotics solution as quickly and easily as possible,” said Mühlens.
On the platform, customers can also find over 100 ready-made low-cost complete solutions and application examples with compatibility guarantee and parts list. For example, several bonding applications are available starting at €6,010. The new design allows users to filter results by application or industry, making searches even easier. There are now also other product categories, such as software. This also makes it easy to find G-code or CSV file converters and complete LabVIEW, MATLAB, and ROS node interfaces.
RBTxpert offers advice
The RBTXpert service is available to users at every step on the website and can be booked directly for a consultation appointment. The service is provided by experienced igus automation staff who offer advice and assistance to interested parties, helping them find the right solution for any application. It involves a free video consultation, after which interested parties receive an individual fixed-price offer. In a 400-square-metre customer testing area, the experts provide live video consulting every day and work with the customer to test the feasibility of the planned automation application. With “Test before you invest”, customers can easily submit their automation tasks. The robotics specialists then test the robot installation with the customer’s workpiece, free of charge, within an hour.
“This service is being used more and more. In Germany, we currently have around ten tests per week. Customers then receive a handling test video with a fixed-price offer for the components they will need if they want to implement the application,” said Mühlens. “Since the beginning, we have supported over 1,200 projects, and we advise an average of 25 customers per week in Germany alone. We provide interested parties with ideas and apply our entire expertise so that absolutely everyone can easily find a suitable robotics solution without being slowed down by costs.”
