Hexbot: Finally, A Modular Robot Arm That Everyone Can Afford

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Ever wished you can have a robot arm that you can program to do your bidding? Now you can with the Hexbot, a modular and programmable robot arm that can be equipped and coded to perform a whole load of cool stuff.

No, it’s not exactly the first of its kind, as we’ve already seen similar automatons in the form of the uArm Swift Pro and the Z-Arm. Equipped with a longer reach and four times the precision of those other robot arms, this thing lets you perform even more accurate movements, whether you’re using it to 3D print an object, engrave an iPhone case, or perform some goofy action for your YouTube channel.

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The Hexbot has a reach of 380mm (nearly 15 inches) with the arm outstretched, while a four-axis movement gives it a really large build area, allowing it to access the near-15 inches across a 220-degree angle. It has a modular head that allows you to swap in heads without the use of tools (no screws), with each head clicking in securely with just a simple push. Available heads include a soft gripper, a suction cup, a pen holder, a 3D printer, and a laser engraver, so you can program it to assemble items like a factory robot, draw illustrations, and even fabricate a whole load of objects.

A multi-function button at the base of the robot arm allows you to train it without any programming (just drag the arm to your desired positions), as it can remember any movement sequences you make and repeat it later as many times as you want it to. There’s also an optional touchscreen that can be connected via USB-C, making it even more convenient to train the robot with just a few taps onscreen.

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If you want an easier way to teach the Hexbot movements, you can do it using the companion desktop software, where you can set it to perform complex movements with just a few button clicks. Of course, it’s perfectly programmable via an API, allowing you to write custom code for the robot in either Python, Processing, or G-Code. Seriously, you can probably make this thing do a whole load of cool stuff if you put in the necessary work. To make it accessible to kids, it’s also compatible with Blockly, so younger coders can make it perform actions by simply dragging and dropping code blocks onscreen.

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Aside from the swappable heads, the outfit is also selling optional compatible accessories, namely a conveyor belt and linear rails. The former can be used to put together an assembly line staffed by the robot arms, while the rails can be used to allow the robot to move across a straight line, instantly expanding its effective build area. The robot arm, by the way, can support a payload of up to 500 grams (1.1 pounds), so you should make a point of limiting its use to relatively light objects, in case you’re planning to design custom heads or make it pick up items.

A Kickstarter campaign is currently running for the Hexbot. You can reserve a unit for pledges starting at an impressively affordable $299.

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11 Responses

  1. I have no idea what I’d do with the Hexbot, but I think it’s really cool. I’d love to see it in action. I’ve never 3D printed anything before either but that aspect of the Hexbot really interests me.

  2. The HexBot reminds me of the robots that you see at the factories, except this one is much smaller than those and designed for home/school use. I can’t think of any reason why I would need this, but I know it would be fun to play with.

  3. Other than the low payload limit, this is a bargain. The Hexbot seems like a very versatile machine compared to some of the entry-level 3D printers that solely focus on printing. The Hexbot is programmable, which is a huge feature. By not limiting this to built-in actions alone, the Hexbot can be modified to do an unlimited amount of actions via programming.

  4. I wasn’t sure what I would do with it either but then I got inspired when I was looking at their KickStarter page. You can cut the ends of tree stumps, and then use the HexBot to engrave pictures on to it! How cool would that be to give a gift like that to people!

    that’s obviously a simple thing compared to what others may use it for, but the HexBot could handle it no problem. There’s a GIF showing the HexBot playing chess, so I know that you could teach it all kinds of neat things to do.

    From artistic projects to utility 3D printing, the HexBot truly is very versatile.

  5. …and if you buy two and leave them in a room together, they replicate. Before you know it, they disarm us and take over the world. This technology is not safe and it certainly isn’t armless fun.

  6. The Hexbot can sketch out plans for a project, then 3D print the object, and then you can engrave the object you just printed. I bet there is a steep learning curve to learning how to use each step, but it sure would be enjoyable.

    Instead of begging your parents for a new cheap toy from the store, a kid could learn to 3D print their own army men or other toys. There are a lot of plans for free 3D printing toys that would work with the Hexbot.

    The programming aspect could be confusing for someone who is new to it, so it is nice that the Hexbot can be trained to move with no programming.

    On their Kickstarter page, it says they were 100% funded of their $50,000 goal within 5 minutes. That’s amazing they could raise the initial startup cash that quickly.

    The Hexbot is a bargain at $299, but if you get the accessories that can really add up in price. The Sliding rail accessory is $869. If you want to use it for laser engraving, then the engraving module and shield is an additional $79. Plan on 3D printing with this, then it’s another $79. In order to fully utilize the Hexbot you need to buy a lot of accessories. Although the accessories are expensive, you definitely can get your money worth with it.

    If you know how to program, then you could hook the Hexbot up to a computer and then when you receive an email with an order the Hexbot could grab the item and then print it with the request from the email. When you come in during the morning you just need to package up and mail out the product. This has a lot of potential if you are good at programming.

    1. So to buy the Hexbot and all the accessories so you could use all the features you are looking at over $1,500. No way am I paying that for the Hexbot. For that amount of money, you can start looking at some of the entry-level commercial 3D printers and engravers.

      1. This can do more than just 3D printing though. It’s like 3 machines in one. Designing, engraving, and 3D printing. Even with all the accessories, this is not expensive considering everything it can do. If you just want a 3D printer then you would e better off buying a dedicated 3D printer, but if you want full versatility in your shop then the HexBot is, dollar for dollar, the best value on the market.

  7. The Hexbot is marketed as 3 machines in one. That is not a good thing. The Hexbot tries to do everything, but everything just ends up executed poorly. Whether you want to 3D print, engrave, or design, there are better machines that can do each individually. If you are serious, then you need to buy a machine that will work for your needs well, and not just attempts to do everything like the Hexbot.

    The Hexbot looks a lot like the Dobot does. There is nothing truly revolutionary about the Hexbot. It is 3 generic machines implemented into one, but none of the 3 perform at the professional level. If you just use it as a hobby, it will still be too limiting. Pick one machine for your needs such as 3D printing, master that machine, and then add on another. The Hexbot is just a money grab for the founders that will leave a lot of the Kickstarter funders feeling like they got ripped off.

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