igus ReBeL Cobots

A Lightweight Approach to Collaborative Automation

ReBeL takes a somewhat different approach to collaborative robotics from many heavier industrial cobots. The platform is centred around lightweight construction and igus' experience with high-performance polymers. In fact, ReBeL stands for “Robotic Embedded-BLDC & Electronics Link.” The current family lets users trade reach, payload and freedom of movement depending on what their application actually needs.

The 6-axis version provides the greatest reach and freedom of movement, reaching up to 664 mm while carrying up to 2 kg. The 5-axis version reduces the reach slightly to 617 mm while increasing maximum payload to 2.5 kg. The more compact 4-axis model carries the largest payload in the family at 3 kg, although its reach is reduced to 495 mm. The ReBeL KID goes in a different direction entirely: at just 4 kg with 313.6 mm reach and 0.5 kg payload, it is designed primarily for education and small installation spaces.

This range makes ReBeL particularly interesting where lightweight construction, compact installation and relatively modest payloads matter more than heavy lifting.

Applications

igus positions the standard ReBeL models across industrial, service and educational automation. Official application examples include pick-and-place, assembly assistance, quality inspection, event and catering automation, and university or school training. igus also shows the ReBeL concept being used for machine-loading and service-robot applications.

The relatively low payloads mean the ReBeL family is best viewed as a light-duty automation platform rather than a heavy industrial robot. The different axis configurations allow users to prioritise different needs: six axes provide greater freedom to orient tools and approach objects from different directions, while the four-axis version offers the highest payload of the standard family. The five-axis version sits between the two in both reach and payload.

For education, the ReBeL KID is the standout option. Its name refers to “Kinematics in Didactics,” and igus specifically designed it for teaching, universities and training environments. Its controller is integrated into the base, it weighs only 4 kg, and igus says the robot has undergone more than one million test cycles in its automation laboratory.

Choosing Between the ReBeL Models

The main difference between the ReBeL variants is not simply size; each model offers a different balance between payload, reach and number of axes.

The 6 DOF model is the most articulated and offers the longest reach, making it the strongest general-purpose choice where freedom of movement matters. The 5 DOF version gives up one axis but increases maximum payload to 2.5 kg. The 4 DOF model offers the highest payload at 3 kg and is suitable where the task requires fewer degrees of freedom. Meanwhile, the ReBeL KID is much smaller and is primarily aimed at educational use and compact installations.

ReBeL Model Comparison

Model: ReBeL 6 DOF
Payload: 2 kg | Reach: 664 mm | Robot Weight: 8.2 kg | Repeatability: ±1 mm | Axes: 6
Best suited for: General-purpose light-duty cobot applications where the greatest reach and freedom of movement in the ReBeL family are useful.

Model: ReBeL 5 DOF
Payload: 2.5 kg | Reach: 617 mm | Robot Weight: 7.2 kg | Repeatability: ±1 mm | Axes: 5
Best suited for: Light automation requiring more payload than the 6-axis version while retaining substantial reach and articulation.

Model: ReBeL 4 DOF
Payload: 3 kg | Reach: 495 mm | Robot Weight: 6.2 kg | Repeatability: ±1 mm | Axes: 4
Best suited for: More straightforward handling, pick-and-place and automation tasks where the highest payload in the ReBeL family is more important than six-axis movement.

Model: ReBeL KID
Payload: 0.5 kg | Reach: 313.6 mm | Robot Weight: 4 kg | Repeatability: ±1 mm | Axes: 5
Best suited for: Robotics education, universities, training centres, teaching and small installation spaces, including overhead applications.