Compact interfaces in the new Yamaha Motor Cobot

Yamaha Motor developed its first collaborative robot with a strong focus on safety, usability, compactness and modern industrial design. To meet these requirements, Yamaha Motor collaborated with HARTING and relied on Han-Eco® and Han-Modular® technology to create a secure, flexible and visually refined interface for an advanced cobot system.

Engineering heritage

Founded in 1955, the company has grown into a global organisation with more than 55,000 employees and over 160 group companies. Its robotics activities build on decades of precision engineering across mobility and automation, creating a mature base for integrating sensors, control electronics and reliable power distribution in compact systems. This background supports the development of collaborative robots that are dependable in continuous operation, straightforward to maintain and ready for integration into connected production environments.

Guiding philosophy

The corporate philosophy centres on creating kando, the emotional excitement sparked by exceptional products and services. This mindset translates into cobot design that values usability and trust in daily handling, with clear and fail‑safe interfaces and a product appearance suited to human‑machine collaboration. The same principle guides long‑term quality initiatives and helps align technical performance with a positive operator experience in modern workplaces.

Safety, usability and a clear, fail safe interface

In the cobot development, design and usability were defined as key aspects. Because collaborative robots increasingly interact with humans, the interface to the control system had to remain compact, clear and fail‑safe. The goal was simple handling for any operator, supported by intuitive coding that prevents mismating and keeps connections fault‑free during daily use. These priorities reflect the broader shift toward human‑machine collaboration where systems must be functional, easy to use and safe at the same time.

EMC compliance and added grounding within a fixed footprint

Several technical hurdles emerged. The initial eight‑pin configuration became insufficient once additional grounding was required for electromagnetic compatibility and safety, while the interface size could not change. At the same time the new cobot features a 48 V DC power supply, seven axes and a high‑precision torque sensor for exact force control. These performance requirements increased functional density and made secure, compact integration of energy and data flows essential.

Compact solutions through modularity

The Han-Modular® Domino system made it possible to divide power and signal contacts into smaller functional units. This enabled integration of the required grounding contact without increasing the interface footprint. The development team noted that this modularity allowed all necessary connections to remain within one compact interface and helped reduce operator workload.

Design and usability supporting modern automation

Han-Eco® housings provide lightweight, robust and corrosion‑resistant construction. The original text highlighted the value of simple coding and the option to place the locking lever on either device or cable side, which supports intuitive handling and helps prevent mismating. These attributes align with industry trends that prioritise clarity, simplicity and modern design.