No Compromise: Achieving Precision and Speed Together with the Archimedes Drive
In the world of robotics, achieving a perfect balance between speed and precision has always been a challenging endeavour. Traditional gear systems and direct motor solutions have long forced engineers to choose between these critical performance aspects, each with its own set of limitations. However, this trade-off is no longer necessary. The Archimedes Drive introduces a groundbreaking solution that addresses the shortcomings of previous technologies and redefines what’s possible in robotic performance.
1 – Traditional gear solutions:
Traditional gear solutions provide high speed and precision but at the cost of limited payload capacity. The gears in these systems tend to overheat at high speeds due to excessive contact, limiting their overall efficiency and effectiveness.
Example: a case study of Premature failure of planetary gears in rotary actuators due to overload, despite the materials meeting technical specifications. Read More.
2 – Direct Motor Solutions
An alternative approach is to use a direct motor without gear reduction (called direct drive method). This allows the robot to fully utilize the motor’s speed capabilities. However, when the speed is improved, torque goes completely down. Furthermore, removing the speed reducer increases the mechanical coupling between motors Which are directly coupled to the load or each other. This makes the system sensitive to load variations and requires complex control algorithms to manage these dynamics(.). The robot loses precision and payload possibilities.
The problem is then to pick what is more important for a robot between speed, precision and payload. Both traditional gear solutions and direct motor solutions can’t offer all.
3 – Introducing the Archimedes Drive
The Archimedes Drive offers a groundbreaking solution that addresses these limitations by integrating advanced features that enhance the overall performance of industrial robots.
1. Precision: The Archimedes Drive boasts True Zero backlash, which significantly improves the precision of the robots.
2. High Payload: With a high torque-to-weight ratio, the Archimedes Drive enables robots to handle higher payloads without compromising on performance.
3. High Speed: The rolling mechanism of the Archimedes Drive allows for higher input speeds, reducing cycle times and increasing throughput. This capability is essential for operations that demand rapid and repetitive tasks.
