igus ReBeL

What it's for

The igus ReBeL is one of the cheapest 6-axis cobots on the market, built largely from igus's own iglide plastic, which is self-lubricating and lightweight; it ends up among other places in mechatronics labs where students program their own robot for the first time. That is why the robot weighs only 8 kg.

Specifications: 2 kg payload, 664 mm reach, ±1 mm repeatability, about 7 cycles per minute. That is clearly less than with metal cobots, and the manufacturer does not hide it: precision and speed are the compromise for the low price.

Specific uses: - teaching (schools, universities): the robot will not wreck a lab's budget, and it teaches exactly what pricier models do, namely programming, kinematics and collaborative safety; see “Educational Robots for Schools and Universities”; - pick and place and simple assembly: light parts, small tolerances; - inspection: guiding a camera or sensor along a chosen trajectory; - laboratories (laboratories): moving test tubes and plates, repetitive tasks.

The ReBeL comes in 4-axis or 6-axis variants and is controlled by igus's own software, igus Robot Control (iRC). It is sold directly by igus (igus) and through the RBTX platform. Before comparing it with others, get clear on the difference between a cobot and an industrial robot in “Cobot or Industrial Robot”.

Who it's for

Yes: for schools, universities, labs and small companies that want to get into robotics without a big budget, and for laboratories that only need a light arm for repetitive tasks. It works well as a second arm for prototyping and learning.

No: for plants that need sub-millimeter precision, a high payload or production-line speed. ±1 mm and 2 kg are no accident; the ReBeL will not replace a metal cobot where cycle time and repeatability in 24/7 operation matter. A note on safety: even a light collaborative robot needs a risk assessment under “Robot Safety Standards”. If you are planning to buy for production, read “How to Buy a Cobot Step by Step”.

Deployments

We have no named customers or unit sales figures for the ReBeL; the typical applications on record are pick and place, inspection, laboratory automation and simple assembly, with sales direct and through the RBTX platform.

In Polish schools and universities, the educational robots described in “Educational Robots for Schools and Universities” are popular, while in industry cobots come through official channels, for example Doosan via coboty-doosan.pl (Doosan Robotics) or Universal Robots (Universal Robots). If you want a low-cost entry with local service, start your search there.

myCobot 280: a compact 6-axis M5Stack arm for $599, with a payload of barely 250 g; a toy and a learning aid, not a robot for work. Choose it when the budget is tiny and the purpose is strictly educational.

UR3e: Universal Robots' smallest cobot, 3 kg payload, from about $35,000 (estimate). Many times more expensive, but with a full ecosystem and professional precision; see “Universal Robots UR5e, UR10e and UR20 Compared”.

Doosan A0509: a light 6-axis cobot (21 kg, 5 kg payload, 900 mm reach, ±0.03 mm), available in Poland through coboty-doosan.pl. Much more accurate than the ReBeL.

FANUC CRX-5iA: a cobot with a 5 kg payload and a food-grade option for assembly and pick and place; price undisclosed. The choice when you want an industrial brand and support.

Franka Research 3: a seven-axis research arm with torque sensors in every joint, $25,000 to $35,000. For advanced research; several times more expensive.

igus GmbH of Cologne, known mainly for cable carriers and plain bearings, presented the ReBeL in March 2022, and sales began the same year (igus). The company drew on its own knowledge of iglide plastics to build an arm priced closer to educational equipment than to a classic industrial machine.

The March 2022 press release gave two price versions: open-source at $5,850 and "smart" at $7,455. Variants with four or six axes appeared later. We have no later generations on record and do not guess at them. For context on choosing a cobot to fit the task, see “What Is a Cobot and How Does It Differ from an Industrial Robot”.