Robotics safety and new brake concepts for safer, compact and adaptable machines

At the SPS 2026, Kendrion is showing how a new approach to braking alongside functional safety in drives, intelligent control technology.

As power density rises in IE5 synchronous motors, the brake has to keep pace without taking up more space, Kendrion is presenting a new brake concept developed for this motor generation, with intralogistics and material handling among its intended applications.

With small motors, the design itself often dictates the brake requirements. A second forthcoming innovation addresses this through a configurable platform that can accommodate existing mechanical and electrical specifications. The aim is to adapt the brake to the motor design and reduce the need for a full bespoke development.

Alongside these upcoming developments, the established Slim PM Line shows how a shared brake architecture can accommodate different torque requirements.

For robot manufacturers and integrators, implementing new safety requirements is a question of integration. Kendrion’s open Safety Architecture for Robotics supports the implementation of ISO 10218:2025 by combining a SIL3/PL e-certified Safety PLC with a robotics library for monitoring movement, force, and safety zones. Its EtherCAT and FSoE architecture allows manufacturers to build on existing platforms and use suitable drives from different suppliers, preserving flexibility in the overall system design.

A standard control platform needs to leave room for the machine’s specific requirements. With the new Econo, which can be freely programmed in C++ or Python, Kendrion uses industrial Raspberry Pi module technology as the foundation, adding application-specific hardware and software. The open architecture supports the transition from an individual machine solution to series production. 

At drive level, installation space adds another constraint. For the first time, Kendrion’s FIO Drive Control STO for small steppers and BLDC motors integrates its certified Safe Torque Off function into a module just 25mm wide. This removes the need for a separate STO module and keeps functional safety within the compact drive itself.