Low Cost Industrial Robotic Arm

The most popular product in manufacturing plants and research facilities all over the globe is robotic arms. These robotic arms are able to complete various tasks and are very repeatable. The only issue is they are often over-engineered for their tasks, which results in them being much more expensive than necessary. One main reason they are so overpriced is because of the large cost of production of metal parts and therefore mass manufacturing one type is the most cost-effective solution for businesses. The solution to this is additive manufacturing. With rapid 3d printing, one can optimize a robotic arm to have dimensions and specifications more suited to the task they are to perform. Therefore I developed a low cost industrial robotic arm, for the cost of only $2100. With larger manufacturing capabilities, this price only goes down. Compared to robotic arms that operate in the specifications, this price tag is much cheaper than the industry average of $16,000 This 6 degree of freedom robotic arm can carry a 0.5kg payload nad has a max reach of 38 inches, but these specifications can be adjusted based on its application.  The further development of low-cost reliable robotic could result in drastic impacts in everyday life. For example, a reduced cost in robotic arms that are used in mass drug manufacturing could lead to a reduction in medication prices. There is still much work to be done to be able to match the industry standards for reliability and repeatability, but the development of this robotic arm shows the development of additive manufacturing technologies, and how they can impact our future.