Achieve a cost-effective robot system even faster: new AI robot advisor for RBTX.com is online

Interactive AI advisor utilises application database and reduces time spent searching for components for cost-effective robotic solutions

igus has added a new AI chatbot to the online platform RBTX.com. The interactive advisor is designed to enable companies with little prior experience and technological expertise to quickly and reliably put together low-cost automation solutions (LCA) to become more competitive. Initial users are enthusiastic about the intuitive AI solution.

Many companies already know that automation offers enormous opportunities to tackle the challenges of a rapidly changing world of work. However, the crucial question remains: how do you implement it? RBTX offers the answer: there are more than 500 robot solutions on the online marketplace, 95% of which cost less than £10,000. Even companies with no prior knowledge of robotics can put together cost-effective LCA solutions according to the “plug-and-program” principle. “With RBTX, we want to remove all barriers that prevent companies from entering the world of automation – step by step,” says Stijn Keukens, Business Development Manager Low Cost Automation at igus. The decisive factor here, for example, is guaranteeing the interoperability of all the components we offer, making it virtually impossible to make a wrong purchase. “A further step in this direction is the introduction of a new AI advisor that interacts with interested parties to reduce the time they spend searching for components in a range that continues to grow.”

The AI advisor works with empirical data from hundreds of successful LCA projects.

The new AI chatbot on https://chat.rbtx.nl assists users in finding suitable LCA components through written interaction. The AI is based on empirical data from hundreds of projects that companies have already successfully automated using RBTX. The answers are tailored accordingly. An example: a small workshop is struggling with a labour shortage and wants to automate the loading of its CNC machine with blanks. The company's technical manager contacts the new AI chatbot and asks it the following question: “Which robot is suitable for loading my CNC machine?” Within seconds, the AI provides the answer: “The robolink robot arm from igus would be a suitable solution here. The arm moves along five axes, has a range of 790 mm, a speed of seven picks per minute and can detect the position of the parts with a 3D camera. The price starts at €2,766” (price may vary by country). After this answer, the user asks which gripper would work. The AI advisor replies: “A parallel gripper from Zimmer would be a suitable choice.” In this type of seemingly natural dialogue, users gradually put together their own individual LCA solution.

“The first users are enthusiastic about the new AI advisor.”

Companies experimenting with automation are enthusiastic about the new AI chatbot.

“A large number of customers have already given us feedback that they have entered into dialogue with the AI robot advisor. It has given them a better feel for the possibilities of LCA and significantly accelerated the search for suitable components,” says Keukens. “We therefore plan to expand the AI advisor with additional features in the future.”

For example, it should be possible for the consultant to include images and video material from references in their responses and to develop complete LCA solutions with a target price.