ModuleWorks Partners with Energid Technologies
ModuleWorks GmbH (Aachen, Germany) and Energid Technologies Corporation (Cambridge, MA) have partnered for a combined software system that will add Energid’s Actin adaptive kinematics and collision-avoidance capabilities to ModuleWorks’ optimized toolpath for CAD/CAM robotic systems. ModuleWorks is a leading software component provider for the CAD/CAM industry and Energid is the provider of Actin, a premier commercial robotic software development kit (SDK) and tasking framework for real-time, adaptive motion control. This partnership will allow developers to get to market faster with differentiated robotic systems for additive manufacturing, welding, machining, CNC routing, and other applications that require control of six axes or more.
“The quantity and diversity of robotic applications is expanding at an incredible rate,” said David Plater, the technical director of ModuleWorks. “Combining the kinematic engine of Energid and the path planning engine of ModuleWorks will allow powerful systems to be developed for many of these applications.”
Energid also realized the significant advantages of collaborating with an industry leader firmly entrenched in the CAD/CAM industry. “Actin is especially well suited to solving complex motion control problems,” said Neil Tardella, the chief executive officer and co-founder of Energid. “Though many of our customers are using Actin to control some of the most complex and challenging robotic systems ever produced, a growing number are traditional automation companies looking to add value and flexibility through higher axis solutions. We were seeking a partner that would complement our offering and give us broader access to this customer base. ModuleWorks, with their CAD/CAM software, is the perfect partner. We are extremely excited to be working with them.”
A major challenge for robotic system developers is how to get the robot to automatically perform a complex task without getting stuck. The flexibility of Actin allows customers to build on the exact motion control capabilities they need to create their own proprietary products. This is an ideal addition to the ModuleWorks range of path planning applications as the combination of these products enables complex applications to be developed quickly and easily.
