World Industrial Reporter

Innovation Delivered Daily

  • Innovation
    • Innovation Article Archive
    • Innovative Companies
    • Innovation Strategies
    • New Equipment Innovations
  • New Products
  • Additive Manufacturing
  • Markets
    • Market Trends
    • Tradeshow Reports
    • White Papers
  • Logistics
  • Newsletters
World Industrial Reporter » Innovation » 3D Printing Strain Wave Gear for Cobots

3D Printing Strain Wave Gear for Cobots

February 10, 2022

Amorphology Inc. and Additive Technologies (AddiTec) have joined forces to 3D print large steel strain wave gear flexsplines.

Amorphology is a NASA spinoff company founded from technology developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).

Strain wave gears are a compact and zero backlash gearbox used in robotic arms and precision-motion mechanisms. They transmit torque through a geared thin-walled cup, hat, or band, called a flexspline.

The flexspline has precise gear teeth and a flexible wall, a combination of qualities that drives the manufacturing costs of a strain wave gearbox.

Because of their complexity, strain wave gears account for a substantial portion of the cost of a six-degree-of-freedom (6DOF) robotic arm, says Amorphology CTO Dr. Glenn Garrett.

“When you look at machining of flexsplines that are 6 to 8 inches in diameter, the large steel feedstock may be reduced to as little as 10% of its original volume.”

“This is a detriment from both cost and sustainability standpoints, as energy and material are wasted to produce a part which is a shell of the original stock.”

Garrett contends that additive manufacturing offers a more promising alternative as machining costs can be dramatically reduced while allowing for the cost-effective use of high-performance steels.

To showcase this, Amorphology and AddiTec have demonstrated a 6-inch diameter prototype of a strain wave gear flexspline printed in high-performance 17-4 precipitation hardened steel.

According to Amorphology, the prototype was fabricated on a Haas CNC hybrid system running the Meltio Engine. The printed part was later removed from the build-tray and then CNC machined into the precision shape.

The process also allows for flexible and on-time production of a variety of large flexsplines without having to keep many diameters of stock in house.

Image and content: Amorphology via BusinessWire

Share on

Filed Under: Additive Manufacturing, Innovation

Turning Common Tags into Machine-Readable Labels
A New Way to Assess 3D Printed Metal Parts
Avatar

About Aruna Urs

Aruna is an industrial journalist. He writes on innovations that emanate at the intersection of science and engineering having a profound impact on the manufacturing sector.

Follow me
Suppliers

ATRO: Automation Technology for Robotics – the Modular Industrial Robot System

The new ATRO system from Beckhoff is a modular industrial robot system that can be used to assemble the optimal robot structures for different applications on an individual and flexible basis. Standardized motor modules with integrated drive functionality, together with link modules in various designs and lengths, enable almost limitless combinations of mechanics.
View Supplier Email this Supplier

3D Laser Scanners for Inline Quality Inspection

The scanCONTROL 3D laser scanners are characterized by high dynamics, absolute precision and compatibility with all materials. Integrated powerful processors, highly sensitive optical components and the low weight make integration into robotic applications and inline production monitoring simple.
View Supplier Email this Supplier

Super High Response Speed Servo Valve

With “Dual Halbach Magnet Array” configuration, which makes the strongest magnetic field more than twice as much as the conventional model. Santest Direct Acting Servo Valve has achieved world-class highest frequency response speed of 800Hz. DA Series also has excellent contamination resistance. Find out more about how this patented servo valve works.
View Supplier Email this Supplier

Affordable and Fixed Installed IR Cameras

Our thermal imaging cameras with multiple wavelength options, automatic spot finder function and autonomous operation are ideal for condition monitoring of machines and plants up to 5432 °F.
View Supplier Email this Supplier

Subscribe

Get the latest WIR reports straight to your inbox.

Free Newsletter Subscription

Find us on the social web.

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Terms Of Use
  • Privacy Policy
FREE NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIPTION

Get the latest WIR reports straight to your inbox.

  • Innovation Article Archive
  • Innovation Strategies
  • Innovative Companies
  • New Products
  • Additive Manufacturing
  • Market Trends
  • Tradeshow Reports
  • White Papers
  • Logistics
  • Newsletters
  • Fun Stuff
  • Industry Links
Follow us

© 2022 Thomas Publishing Company. All rights reserved.