Umbratek's UTRA Series Is a New Range of Modular Robotic Arms
These industrial-style robot arms feature high performance at comparatively low prices.
As you’re reading this, you likely find robots fascinating, and perhaps have even built or experimented with your own. As fun as they are, industrial-style SCARA and six-axis robots can cost as much as a nice car, so whether for serious hobby use, or even budget and/or low-run industrial applications, such a setup is generally out of the question.
Umbratek's UTRA series, now funding on Kickstarter, is made for high performance and industrial use, and is available for $2,999 in its SCARA form. Six-axis models start at $4,689, and this style of robot goes up to $7,999 for its top-of-the-line 6-1500 model. While still not pocket change for most, such a robot represents a relative bargain compared to other arms of this style available today.
The robots are designed to be modular and customizable, based on the powerful ADRA series of rotary actuators. Each actuator has a repeatability of ±.002º, and rated torque of either 35 or 70 N.m. This allows fully-assembled robots to attain sub-tenth-of-a-millimeter positioning repeatability, with payload ratings of up to a staggering 20 Kg. And to answer your next question, yes, these actuators are available by themselves – for under $600 for each type – an interesting option for a variety of rotary motion control scenarios.
More info on the UTRA series of arms and actuators is available on Umbratek's Kickstarter page, and you can see them in action in the video below. Delivery of these bots is expected in October/November 2021.