By unveiling its MOTOMAN NEXT platform, Yaskawa marks an important milestone in industrial automation. The Japanese company, already well established in robotics and automation, introduces an architecture designed to bridge two worlds long kept apart: traditional industrial automation (OT) and advanced digital technologies (IT).
The goal? To make robots capable not only of executing tasks, but also of observing, understanding, and adapting in a global context marked by labor shortages and the rise of complex tasks demanding automation.

An All-in-One Platform Unifying Hardware, Software, and Embedded Intelligence

According to the press release, MOTOMAN NEXT is presented as a complete solution in which “robot, controller, software, and engineering tools” are grouped into a single ecosystem.

The core of the system relies on two main units:

• RCU (Robot Control Unit): the traditional robot control unit.

• ACU (Autonomous Control Unit): a new module dedicated to intelligent functions, based on NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX-Edge, integrating CPU + GPU, running Linux with Docker support.

This hybrid architecture paves the way for robotics that depends less on external computers, by integrating directly into the controller functions usually assigned to IT stations: image processing, AI, vision, planning, sensor management…
A rare approach in an industry typically fragmented between PLC logic and PC-based software.

Yaskawa also provides pre-installed APIs for motion control, planning, 2D/3D vision, force control, and image processing via HALCON ©.

A ROS2 interface connected via gRPC further opens the platform to the open-source robotics community.

With MOTOMAN NEXT, Yaskawa is no
longer just programming robots: it is
teaching them to perceive, understand,
and adapt.

Toward a Fusion of OT and IT Worlds

A section of the press release highlights a major problem in modern industrial robotics: the gap between the languages, tools, and programming philosophies of OT engineers and IT developers.
OT engineers work with PLCs, while IT developers use high-level code (Python, C++), often generated on a PC then injected into the robot through interfaces that can be limited or prone to latency.

MOTOMAN NEXT attempts to bridge this gap by bringing these logics together in a single controller capable of executing standard Docker modules while optimizing classic industrial robotics functions (kinematics, speeds, singularities) for Yaskawa hardware.

This integration avoids historical issues such as:

• Complex waypoints
• Unstable dynamic behavior
• Dependency on external PCs
• Difficult integration of vision or sensors

The idea is to offer IT developers the experience of a seasoned robot programmer while ensuring that advanced applications vision, AI, perception run directly at the controller level.

Robots That Perceive, Understand, and Produce

This change of methodology is described as a transition from the paradigm “Code and produce” to “Perceive and produce”.

Traditional robots operate in deterministic environments, with standardized parts and preprogrammed sequences. But when variability increases formats, batch sizes, operation order classical programming reaches its limits.

With the combination of sensors + AI, MOTOMAN NEXT targets applications previously reserved for human workers:

• Flexible assembly
• Sorting and handling of unstructured flows
• Variable loading/unloading
• Random cleaning and manipulation
• Harvesting and packaging in changing environments

Potentially impacted sectors go far beyond heavy industry: logistics, healthcare, construction, food service, recycling all industries currently suffering from labor shortages.

A New Line of Industrial Robots and Cobots

The MOTOMAN NEXT line NEX series covers payloads from 4 kg to 35 kg, with high-inertia servomotors designed to ensure perfect alignment between the digital model and real operation, facilitating simulation and virtual optimization.

Yaskawa also introduces new cobots (NHC series: 12 and 30 kg), equipped with an embedded RGB-D camera enabling direct perception from the robot and adaptive reactions in real time.
This “bodycam” opens the door to more natural interactions between robot and environment.

Digital Twin and Advanced Engineering

The MOTOMAN NEXT package includes the YNX Robot Simulator, a professional simulation tool enabling:

• Virtual cell creation
• Trajectory testing
• AI scenario validation
• Optimization before real deployment

This digital twin is key to reducing development risks and supporting the industrialization of intelligent robotic applications.

For advanced teams, Yaskawa also announces official support for NVIDIA’s tools: Isaac Sim and Cumotion.

Robotic autonomy is entering a new era
where the robot is no longer dependent
on an external PC to think.

A Simplified Operator Interface

On the operator side, Yaskawa focuses on continuity: the Android Smart Pendant tablet remains the main interface. Sequences can be created in block-based language using icons representing functions (planning, vision recognition…), making programming more intuitive.

The platform is also prepared for next-gen LLM-based interactions: voice commands, gestures, AR (augmented reality) assistance.

Automatic Trajectory Planning: A Key Feature

Among the highlighted technical features, automatic collision-free trajectory planning (Path Planning) plays a central role.
A simple “MOVAUTO” command would allow the robot to move from point A to point B while automatically avoiding surrounding obstacles.

This planning relies on 3D modeling:

• Static: cell model
• Dynamic: real-time updates from the camera

This is essential for AI applications and evolving Industry 4.0 environments.

A Strategy Based on Partnerships and Real-World Use Cases

Yaskawa emphasizes that the success of AI/robotics projects depends on close cooperation between:

• End users
• Integrators
• Technology partners
• Yaskawa

The goal is to go beyond prototypes and achieve solutions that are fully industrialized and capable of continuous production.

A Significant Breakthrough in a Changing Robotics Landscape

With MOTOMAN NEXT, Yaskawa is not simply launching a new robot line: it is proposing a complete re-architecture of the robotics development cycle.
The OT/IT fusion, native integration of AI and vision, advanced simulation, embedded perception, and intelligent planning address today’s challenges: automating complex tasks, making robots more autonomous, and compensating for labor shortages across many sectors.

If the platform delivers on its promises in real-world deployments, it could redefine industrial robotics standards where the boundary between mechanical execution and software intelligence is progressively disappearing.

FAQ – Yaskawa MOTOMAN NEXT

Contact Robot-Magazine.fr

Cet article MOTOMAN NEXT: A New Generation of Industrial Robots Combining AI, Vision, and Unified Control est apparu en premier sur Robot Magazine.

With the opening of its European subsidiary in Switzerland, Estun is no longer just exporting robots it’s setting up operations. The company clearly aims to become a major supplier in the European market.

A solid Chinese industrial player, still under the radar in Europe

Though not yet as well-known as Japanese or German giants, Estun ranks among the Top 10 Chinese industrial robotics companies.

Originally a manufacturer of servomotors and CNC systems, Estun has gradually expanded to cover the entire technology chain:

• Servomotors
• Drives and inverters
• Controllers
• Articulated robots
• SCARA robots
• Collaborative robots
• Turnkey automation cells

Unlike flashier Chinese competitors like DJI or UBTech, Estun has relied on a classic industrial model, focusing on technical stability and mastery of critical components. This cautious approach has proven effective for international expansion.

Strategic European presence: Estun Robotics Europe AG (Switzerland)

The 2024 opening of its European subsidiary in Baar, Canton of Zug, Switzerland, marks a strategic turning point.

This move is more than just exporting: it demonstrates a commitment to local presence, enabling:

• Faster after-sales service
• Local intervention times
• Stocking spare parts and components
• CE compliance and client proximity
• Partnerships with European integrators and OEMs

For a Chinese manufacturer, this step signals a long-term positioning rather than simple price competition. Estun is among the few structured Chinese robotics companies in Europe.

Why Europe is attractive for Estun

Europe represents:

• 24% of global industrial robot demand
• A dense network of integrators
• High quality standards
• A market open to diversifying suppliers

The timing is ideal:

• Growing European SMEs looking for flexible, affordable robots
• Local reindustrialization in France, Germany, Spain
• Increasing need for robotic operations due to labor shortages

Estun positions itself as a credible alternative supplier, competing both in technology and pricing.

A robot range tailored for European industries

Estun offers a mature and complete range:

• 6-axis articulated robots (3–25 kg)
• SCARA robots
• Collaborative robots
• Heavy-duty robots (up to 200 kg)
• Cells for welding, palletizing, and material handling

Key differentiators:

• Vertical integration reducing costs
• Open architecture compatible with most European systems
• Pricing 20–40% lower than established brands
• Notable quality improvements over the past five years

In a European market dominated by premium robots, Estun offers reliable, versatile, and affordable solutions without compromising after-sales service.

Estun and humanoid robotics: a discreet but real ambition

Unlike highly publicized companies like Figure, Unitree, or UBTech, Estun does not focus on humanoid marketing.

However, it is investing in:

• Advanced collaborative robotics
• Embedded vision systems
• Next-generation compact actuators

With expertise in high-torque servomotors, Estun could become a key component supplier for both Chinese and international humanoid robots.

Challenges for Estun in Europe

1. Building a recognized brand

   • Asian manufacturers often face low recognition, despite improving quality.

2. Meeting CE and German standards

   • Entering the highly demanding German market is essential.

3. Establishing an integrator network

   • Integration into local ecosystems in France, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands.

4. Ensuring impeccable after-sales support

   • Success will also depend on technical service and support.

Why Estun has a strong chance of success

Several factors are in its favor:

• Solid expertise in critical components (servos, drives)
• Controlled manufacturing costs
• Well-planned internationalization strategy
• European presence reassuring clients
• Product offerings suited to SME needs

Estun’s arrival signals a shift in the European market: the era of “low-end Chinese robots” is over. Today, some have become credible alternatives to historical leaders.

A new player that could change the game

Estun Automation’s entry into Europe is significant. It represents a new wave of structured, technical, and ambitious Chinese manufacturers.

The company is advancing quietly but strategically, aiming to become a key player in European robotics.

For European manufacturers, it’s both an opportunity and a clear signal: competition is intensifying.

Robot-Magazine.fr will closely monitor Estun’s European journey.

FAQ – Estun Automation in Europe

Contact Robot-Magazine.fr

Cet article Estun automation: the chinese robotics player set to conquer europe est apparu en premier sur Robot Magazine.