igus UK marks a major milestone in accessible automation with the successful launch of its RBTX partnership with Dobot Robotics.
The event brought together engineers, system integrators, manufacturers, and automation specialists to explore how flexible robotic solutions can be deployed quickly and cost-effectively, without the complexity traditionally associated with industrial automation.
Live demonstrations showcased collaborative robotics, sensor technology, and motion control solutions designed to support both emerging and established industries.
A key highlight of the event was the highly anticipated giveaway of a Dobot Nova 5 collaborative robot, designed to empower businesses to automate smarter, faster, and more creatively.
The winner, Bob Hinchcliffe (pictured below), founder of 3D Food Robotics in Leeds, was announced following the event and perfectly embodies the spirit of the RBTX platform, driving innovation in his field.
“This will make automation affordable for a lot of smaller food manufacturers that are struggling with higher costs of manufacturing,” says Hinchcliffe.
3D Food Robotics operates at the intersection of robotics, additive manufacturing, and food technology, developing cutting-edge solutions that redefine how food can be produced, customised, and scaled all while reducing costs.
By winning the Dobot Nova 5, Hinchcliffe gains access to a powerful, compact, and intuitive robotic arm that will play a crucial role in expanding the company’s automation capabilities.
“The Nova 5 opens up huge possibilities for us,” said Hinchcliffe.
When asked what he will do with the Nova 5, he replied: “We have a really interesting, high-profile project in mind that will revolutionise a certain aspect of food production for a very well-known delicious product.”
3D Food Robotics Ltd demonstrates the reason the RBTX ecosystem exists: to remove barriers to automation and enable innovators of all shapes and sizes to turn ambitious ideas into working solutions, bringing together compatible hardware, software, and robotics partners such as Dobot, offering customers a complete, low-cost route into automation from a single platform.
“The success of the launch event shows that automation is no longer confined to traditional factory floors,” says Adam Sanjurgo, automation product manager at igus in Northampton. “Seeing the Nova 5 go to a business like 3D Food Robotics highlights how collaborative robotics are reshaping industries in entirely new ways.”
3D Food Robotics are poised to introduce many innovative new products made possible as a result of being introduced to the Dobot range of robots. In addition to robotics, the open day also introduced attendees to lesser-known areas of the igus product portfolio.
Hinchcliffe noted that despite using igus products for more than 30 years, the event highlighted new bearing solutions that he has since selected for a future machine design.
As RBTX continues to grow, igus remains committed to supporting innovators like Bob Hinchcliffe, helping broaden the boundaries of what automation can achieve, one application at a time.
