Automate Highlight Series: Oriental Motor Converts Motion Into Robots

A quick glance in any direction around the Automate 2025 show floor was a testament to the rapid advancements in robotics and automation. Oriental Motor's booth stood out with a great example of a product line evolving to meet the needs of customers.

While Oriental Motor is renowned for a product expertise in motors and motion controllers, the company’s booth highlighted a series of robotic solutions that simply combine the motion with linkages and provide an easy, customizable setup. My sincere thanks to Paul Bosnyak, an applications engineer from Oriental Motor, for his invaluable time and expertise in explaining the product lineup and the latest in motion control offerings.

OVR Robot Series: Flexible for Any Application

A main highlight was the range of OVR articulated and SCARA robots. In today's manufacturing landscape, flexibility is one of the most critical features, and Oriental Motor’s entry into the articulated and SCARA robot market addressed this need directly.

The articulated robots are strong enough to handle third-party end tools plus pick-and-place payloads.

The OVR articulated robots, with their multi-jointed arms (4 to 6 axes available), offer a wide range of motion and dexterity, making them ideal for complex assembly tasks, material handling, and intricate manipulations in confined spaces. The design, although very compact, still allows a payload of up to 5 kg for the largest models. Similarly, the OVR SCARA robots excel in high-speed pick-and-place operations. The flat horizontal design allows for rapid movements within a defined work envelope, boosting throughput in repetitive tasks.

If these prepackaged robots do not fit the bill, Oriental Motor provides the MRC Studio software that can create motion paths for custom motor/linkage designs as per the customer’s exact needs.

The Brains: MCR Motion Controllers

Behind the scenes of the robotic arms lies the MRC series of motion axis controllers. The controller is the brain of any robotic system (any motion control, for that matter), and Oriental Motor's MRC series is designed for intuitive operation.

These controllers are engineered to handle the complex kinematics of cartesian, articulated, and SCARA robots, providing precise path planning, motion control, and synchronization with peripheral equipment. During a simple demonstration of a project setup, it was very easy to configure the linkages and distances between motors, select the proper parts, and apply the solution within just a couple of minutes. User-friendliness is critical in today’s industrial market.

A special educational offering from Oriental Motor teaches motion system setup and robot teach pendant programming.

The controllers also allow integration with other automation components over an Ethernet network, such as PLCs, vision systems, and conveyor belts.

Using Augmented Reality (AR) as a Design Aid

Although not strictly a ‘motor’ product, perhaps one of the most forward-thinking demonstrations at the booth was an AR application for robot placement and sizing. This software addresses a common challenge in deploying robotic systems: visualizing and determining the optimal robot size, orientation, and placement inside a given workspace. 

Using AR, the software overlays a virtual model of the robot directly onto the physical environment (like a table or pedestal) through a tablet or wearable headset. This allows for real-time assessment of reach, potential collisions, and workspace utilization. Users can manipulate the virtual robot, test different configurations, and accurately determine the ideal model and mounting location before any physical installation takes place. I can’t say that I didn’t look silly grabbing and moving menus in midair around me, but the results speak for themselves.

This process significantly reduces the risk of errors, streamlines the planning process, and saves valuable time and resources. It may not provide specific engineering detail, but it definitely gives a jump-start on being aware of potential conflicts or confusion in planning before significant time is invested into CAD drawings.

Check out one of the tiniest servo motors I have ever seen!

Motors and Motion: Always a Highlight

Oriental Motor’s booth at Automate clearly demonstrated a practical product evolution in response to the needs of customers. The introduction of the articulated and SCARA robots (and custom designs), powered by the MRC controllers, offers a pretty amazing glimpse into the future with highly flexible and efficient industrial automation.