Fanuc and Thomson join forces to extend cobot ranges up to 10m
5 August 2026 
Fanuc and Regal Rexnord have announced a strategic collaboration to combine Fanuc’s cobot (collaborative robot) systems with Thomson’s linear axes to offer out-of-the-box systems that extend cobot operating ranges up to 10 metres. They say that a jointly developed plug-in interface between Fanuc’s CRX cobots and Thomson’s Movotrak CTU (cobot transfer unit) linear axes will unlock “new levels of collaboration between humans and robotic systems”.
The CTU is an external linear axis designed to extend cobot operating ranges. It can support the largest Fanuc cobots, including the CRX30iA model, which has a payload of 30kg and a reach of 1,756mm. The “seventh axis” can move the cobot from one workstation to another along a rail that is fixed to the floor, wall or ceiling. The axis is claimed to be the first of its type to offer collision detection that stops movement of the axis and cobot if it encounters an obstacle.
Thomson and Fanuc say that integrating linear motion, gearing, couplings, motors and software into a single system will simplify the implementation of advanced robotics, while improving performance, reliability and speed to deployment. The collaboration will offer complete, high-level assemblies with single part numbers.
“Adding an external axis transport layer to a 6-axis cobot opens new avenues for productivity, innovation and profitability for our customers,” explains Emily Kern, president of Regal Rexnord’s Linear Motion Division. “We’ve worked closely with Fanuc to deliver this capability for their CRX cobot line, and it is now ready for deployment. The Thomson Movotrak CTU brings together robotic innovations from across Regal Rexnord, including Thomson linear systems, Boston Gear gearheads, Huco couplings, and Kollmorgen motors and software, allowing integrators to configure a fully integrated system directly within the Fanuc engineering environment.”
Fanuc integrators will be able to access configuration tools on their teach pendants, simplifying set-up, extending the reach of their cobots, and accelerating the deployment of external linear axis applications.
Last year, Regal Rexnord announced a similar collaboration with ABB Robotics to ingrate ABB’s GoFa cobots with the Movotrak CTU axes.
