Regal Rexnord Adds CRX Linear Axis

Single-source brief: Regal Rexnord says its Thomson Movotrak CTU now works with Fanuc CRX collaborative robots.

What Changed

Regal Rexnord and Fanuc have linked the Movotrak Cobot Transfer Unit to Fanuc’s CRX cobot line.

According to Robotics and Automation News, the system uses a co-developed plug-in interface. It was added to Fanuc’s Cobot Device network after compatibility testing.

Certified Fanuc integrators can access Thomson setup tools on the robot teach pendant. Regal Rexnord says this supports setup and configuration inside the Fanuc engineering environment.

What It Means on the Floor

The CTU adds a rail-based external axis to a six-axis cobot. Regal Rexnord says the axis can extend a cobot’s work range up to 10 meters.

The rail can mount on a floor, wall, or ceiling. That could let one cobot travel between workstations instead of serving one fixed spot.

The company also says the CTU has collision detection. The stated function is to stop both the external axis and cobot after an obstacle is found.

Deployment Status and Open Questions

Regal Rexnord says the capability is ready for deployment. Certified Fanuc integrators can now use it.

No payback period, throughput gain, pricing, or installation time was provided. The supplied evidence also lacks independent confirmation of performance claims.

Plant teams should confirm rail layout, guarding needs, cycle-time effects, and restart procedures before committing to a cell design.