Hexbot All-In-1 Robot Arm Pushes the Limits on Versatility

Those who keep an eye on Kickstarter will know there’s always some new printer, robot, or machine waiting to be backed. While not all of these are always the best choices for investment, we’ve found one that certainly looks the part.

The Hexbot takes the popular design of the MeArm and uArm projects but adds something more. With a patented anti-backlash gearbox, this arm is claimed to have a repeatability of 0.05 mm and a precision of 0.1 mm! For comparison, the very similar uArm project had a maximum precision and repeatability of 0.2 mm.

So what does this mean? Essentially, the Hexbot should be able to handle a plethora of tasks that require extreme precision, such as 3D printing and laser engraving.

To make such tasks even easier, Hexbot has a modular end-effector design, allowing the user to easily switch between a soft gripper, a pen holder, a laser engraving module, and a 3D printing toolhead. Even custom toolheads should be possible.

The modular design is fairly new to the arena and makes the Hexbot much more user-friendly and versatile than its current competition.

At this point, you may be thinking that all of this sounds expensive. And that’s exactly where the Hexbot makes its biggest mark: It’s currently being offered on Kickstarter for only $299! While there’s no specified market price after the campaign ends, we don’t expect it to go much higher.

The Hexbot sounds like a very capable arm, but what are the actual specifications? We’ve compiled a list of the most important ones here:

• Precision: 0.1 mm
• Repeatability: 0.05 mm
• Speed: up to 500 mm/s
• Maximum reach: 380 mm
• Maximum payload: 500 g
• Axes: 4
• Modular: Yes
• Programmable: Yes
• Supports “Teach and Play”: Yes
• Additional Available Modules: Touch Screen, Pneumatics Kit, Laser Engraver, 3D Printing Toolhead, Pen Holder, Sliding Rail, Conveyor Belt

The Hexbot is planned to ship as of October 2019, and the campaign ends on March 9, 2019. The Hexbot is already fully funded, having allegedly reached its goal of $50,000 within 5 minutes. Since then, it’s reached over $700,000 from 1,440 backers.

In addition to the above, the Hexbot offers a host of other helpful features and capabilities, which you can discover on the Hexbot Kickstarter page.

Not convinced? Read about the things to watch for when backing a 3D printing Kickstarter.