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▲ TM5S + DG-3F-M bin-picking demo. (Photo = Tesollo)

 

Techman Robot Korea, the Korean branch of Taiwan-based global collaborative robot company Techman Robot (Country Manager: Yoon Shin-young), and Korean robotic gripper specialist Tesollo (CEO: Kim Youngjin) announced on March 5 that they had showcased an articulated gripper-based automation solution optimized for high-mix, low-volume production environments at the 2026 Smart Factory + Automation World exhibition.

 

Following last year’s teleoperation demo that combined a humanoid robotic hand with a TM robot arm, the two companies shifted this year’s exhibition concept toward process-oriented solutions that can be directly deployed in industrial settings. The core of this collaboration lies in combining the industrial stability of collaborative robots with the shape-adaptive grasping technology of articulated grippers to realize the flexible automation required on actual manufacturing lines.

 

▲ Techman Robot–Tesollo collaborative automation cell unveiled at AW 2026. (Photo = Tesollo)

 

At the center of the exhibition was an automation cell combining the TM5S collaborative robot with Tesollo’s three-finger articulated gripper DG-3F-M. TM robots offer proven operational stability in industrial environments through high repeatability, an intuitive teaching environment, and built-in vision-based position correction. When combined with the articulated structure of the DG-3F-M, they enable process expansion beyond the limits of conventional automation.

 

The DG-3F-M offers gripping performance of 2.5 kg rated (5 kg maximum) in pinching mode and 10 kg rated (15 kg maximum) in enveloping mode. Unlike parallel grippers that rely on simple linear opening and closing motion, its three fingers actively adapt to the shape of an object and increase the contact area to achieve stable grasping. This allows it to handle mixed-stacked parts, irregularly oriented non-uniform components, and various dissimilar parts with different shapes.

 

In particular, the gripper can be integrated not only with the TM5S but also with other payload lineups such as the TM12, TM14, and TM16, thereby expanding its potential range of applications. This suggests a platform structure that can flexibly scale beyond a single-cell configuration depending on process size and load conditions.

 

This solution is drawing attention especially as a model optimized for high-mix, low-volume production environments. For example, it shows strong applicability in processes such as one-kit plate operations in automotive and electronics manufacturing, where various parts are transferred together for assembly; bin-picking processes in manufacturing logistics, where irregular parts are automatically picked and aligned; and assembly of heterogeneous parts with different shapes.

 

Conventional automation has faced structural constraints in that jigs must be replaced or processes redesigned whenever part shapes change. However, when the stable motion control environment of TM robots is combined with the shape-adaptive grasping technology of the DG-3F-M, manufacturers can respond more quickly to process changes while maintaining productivity. This is seen as a suitable direction for automation amid industrial trends toward greater high-mix, low-volume production.

 

▲ High-mix automation demo based on DG-3F-M and DG-2F. (Photo = Tesollo)

 

Also unveiled at the exhibition was the DG-2F, a two-finger articulated gripper that extends the limitations of conventional parallel-jaw styles. While its external form follows the two-finger structure most widely used in industrial settings, it incorporates a multi-joint design internally, enabling a range of motions such as vertical gripping, horizontal gripping, and angle-adjusted gripping. This makes it suitable for general industrial processes by allowing stable grasping of differently shaped parts without requiring jig changes.

 

Kim Youngjin, CEO of Tesollo, stated,
“Articulated grippers are no longer just research equipment; they are now core robotic components directly tied to productivity in high-mix, low-volume manufacturing environments. Through integration with collaborative robots, we will continue to expand flexible automation solutions that can be deployed directly into real production processes.”

 

Techman Robot also commented,
“When the industrial stability of collaborative robots is combined with adaptive grasping technology, it becomes possible to expand into processes that were difficult to automate with conventional methods. This can serve as an alternative that secures both flexibility and scalability in the manufacturing and logistics industries.”

 

Source: iRobotNews(https://www.irobotnews.com)