Rise Robotics’ electric Superjammer industrial robotic arm has the best name in the business. And now, it’s gunning for a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s strongest non-hydraulic robotic arm.
The top spot in the electric robotic strength contest has been locked down by the Fanuc M-2000iA/2300 for nearly a decade, after that machine hoisted an impressive 2,300 kg (approx. 5,070 lbs.) using a combination of electronic gears, belts, and servos.
Even trying to do that kind of lifting with electronic bits is fairly unique in itself, as the world of heavy lifting and earth-moving is almost entirely dominated by hydraulic arms and implements. That’s starting to change, however, with the rise of more all-electric equipment and the time-savings that can come from not having to “warm up” hydraulic fluids in cold environments.
To that end, Rise Robotics is using a novel assortment of belts and pulleys it calls “Beltdraulic” technology (those rods and arms are called “BeltCylinders” now, too, by the way). The tech is good enough to enable the Superjammer arm to curl a claimed 2,930 kgs (just under 6,500 lbs.) about 5 meters (15 ft) off the ground.
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Rise BeltCylinder
BeltCylinder; via Rise Robotics.
While the demonstration of Rise’ Beltdraulics are impressive for their capability, the real trick here is that the machine is fully electric, emissions-free, and doesn’t use energy-intensive or petroleum-based hydraulic fluids – an arrangement that the company says allows the Superjammer to match the performance of the fossil-fueled competition while using 65-90% less power and fuel.
And, because this is 2025 and you can’t have a press release without including “AI,” Rise Robotics claims its systems are “AI-ready,” and designed to be integrated into fully autonomous machines. Regardless of whether the arm is operated by humans or machines, however, its operators will surely appreciate the benefits of finer control over loads and movements, less backlash and slop, and the complete elimination of hydraulic drift offered by the electric servos.
It might be a little hard to picture, but in a conventional tractor, the hydraulic fluid — a real nasty, super viscous (thick) oil — is pumped into (or out of) a cylinder, which pushes on a piston that raises (or lowers) the bucket. In the new T7X, that traditional hydraulic system has been completely replaced with an electrical drive system consisting of electric cylinders and electric drive motors. That means the Bobcat doesn’t just use electricity to move around and drive its tracks. It’s really, truly, all-electric.
As with Rise, that switch to electricity means there are virtually no petroleum products being used, so the machine operator no longer has to wait for the standard hydraulic system to “warm up” to be able to use it. That’s a huge step away from petroleum, and a big win for both electrification and job site efficiency — but Bobcat’s electric loaders had another win to celebrate: sales.
South Carolina-based Sunbelt Rentals, one of America’s largest equipment rental companies in North America with more than 1,025 locations, has committed to “a significant investment in a large fleet of Bobcat T7X all-electric compact track loaders and electric compact excavators,” which will be co-branded as Sunbelt loaders.