Mini brake for robot joints

When the SpaceClimber walks with its upper body horizontal across an even surface, the brake reliably holds the joint in position and prevents the input and output from turning when the motor is switched off.

"Using this brake, the joint need not be energised permanently to hold the position, and this saves energy," says the DFKI project manager, Dr.-Ing. Sebastian Bartsch.

The brake has a holding torque of 0.28 Nm and only weighs 120g with an outer diameter of 40.5mm.