Yaskawa Electric Corporation (Head Office: Kita-Kyushu, Fukuoka, Japan; Representative Director, President: Masahiro Ogawa) is accelerating the development of i³-Mechatronics, a solution concept based on the utilization of digital data at factories and other facilities using mechatronics products such as industrial robots and servo drives, with the aim of realizing a new industrial automation revolution. As one of the key components, it is pleased to announce the launch of “MOTOMAN NEXT series (5 models with payload capacity of 4kg, 7kg, 10kg, 20kg and 35kg)” the next generation robot that is the first in the industrial robot sector* to have the autonomous adaptivity to the environment and make judgments.
*Based on the company’s survey among major robot manufacturers

Since Yaskawa developed Japan’s first full electric industrial robot in 1977, it has expanded the robotics business into a growing industry that is required by the times, such as mainly in the automotive industry, expansion of application markets such as the 3C, food, medical or cosmetic industries, and enhancement of functions for optimal manipulators for e.g. biomedical robots and collaboration robots.

To this day, the number of installed industrial robots continues to grow because of advances in basic performance, such as robot motion speed and payload capacity, and progress in application technology. On the other hand, a lot of “unautomated areas” even now remain where workers make judgments and do tasks, such as indefinite state, shape, and size of items, changes in work order, and interruptions.

The MOTOMAN NEXT series, challenging automation out of the “unautomated areas”, aims to complete tasks in an optimal method by understanding the situation and making judgments and plans. It also provides an open platform that embeds customer and partner expertise to build solutions. It will work together with the customers and partners to accelerate automation and solve social issues such as labor shortages in the FA field or other industries such as food, logistics and agriculture etc.

The MOTOMAN NEXT series features the realization of autonomous adaptivity and an open platform for creating solutions with customers and partners.

2.1 Realizing autonomous adaptivity
The MOTOMAN NEXT controller makes a motion planning and performs it based on the recognition and judgment process of the environment and the position data acquired from the sensor. To this aim, it has adopted a new architecture that includes an autonomous control unit addition to the control function of the robot itself. It also ensures autonomous adaptivity by checking the status of the task itself and completing the task in a way that recognizing the situation.

The MOTOMAN NEXT manipulator adopts an optimal motor developed in-house to enhance its capability to follow commands from the controller. This allows improved basic performance and enables digital twins by minimizing the gap between the controller’s commanded position and the actual position. This manipulator is a closely integrated product of the latest motor technology and robot technology.

2.2 Open platform to build solutions with customers and partners
The MOTOMAN NEXT controller opens up the development environment for robot applications by utilizing the unique know-how and technologies of customers and partners.

Payload capacity: 5 models of 4kg, 7kg, 10kg, 20kg, and 35kg

The product sales of 5 models will start in December 2023 sequentially.

For inquires, contact:
Corporate Communications Dept.
YASKAWA Electric Corporation
E-mail: pr@yaskawa.co.jp