Asycube

Flexible Feeding for Modern Automation

Problem

Traditional part feeding systems—such as vibratory bowl feeders—are optimized for high volume, single part feeding. They struggle with complex geometries, delicate materials, and frequent changeovers, making them unsuitable for today’s manufacturing environments where high mix, low volume production, and rapid customization are increasingly common. In industries like electronics, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals, these limitations lead to inefficiency, contamination risks, and costly downtime.

Solution

The Asycube platform, developed by Asyril, is a family of flexible feeding systems that uses patented 3-axis vibration technology to gently and precisely move, separate, and orient bulk parts of nearly any shape or size—from less than 0.1 mm up to 150 mm.

Key innovations include a proprietary three-axis vibration system that provides controlled, gentle part movement, making it well suited for fragile, sterile, and delicate components. The technology is designed to accommodate approximately 99% of part geometries, including irregularly shaped materials, eliminating the need for custom feeding solutions. Rapid changeover capabilities allow manufacturers to adapt quickly to new parts with minimal downtime, while compatibility with all major robotic platforms and PLCs enables seamless integration into existing automation systems. The platform is further enhanced by the AI-powered EYE+ smart control system, a vision interface that simplifies setup and programming, allowing users to deploy new applications in as little as 20 minutes without prior machine vision experience.

Vibration combined with friction produces a rich range of dynamic behaviors, many of which can be harnessed to enable highly efficient and adaptable flexible parts feeding in automated manufacturing.”

— Kevin Lynch, PhD
Professor, McCormick School of Engineering

Benefits

Flexibility: Handles diverse parts without custom tooling.
Efficiency: Minimizes production changeover times.
Precision: Ensures optimal surface distribution and preorientation for robotic pick and place.
Sterility Assurance: The Asycube Clean 230 variant supports aseptic manufacturing in pharma and medical device industries.
Future‑Proof: Adaptable to evolving manufacturing needs, from electronics assembly to personalized healthcare.

Technology & Commercialization Status

A key contributor to this technology stems from McCormick Professor Kevin Lynch’s lab, which has been internationally recognized for pioneering work in robotic manipulation, dynamics, and control. The principles of precision vibration control and robotic integration that underpin Asycube’s success trace back to this academic research, demonstrating how fundamental robotics theory can be translated into industrial automation solutions.

The Asycube platform was developed by Asyril, a Swiss company specializing in flexible feeding systems. Its core innovation, patented 3‑axis vibration technology, emerged from collaborative research that drew on advanced mechatronics and control theory.

Commercially, Asycube has been adopted across industries including electronics, watchmaking, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals, with variants such as the Asycube Clean 230 supporting aseptic manufacturing.

Global distribution through automation integrators and partners (e.g., ONExia, 3P Innovation) has positioned Asycube as a scalable, industry‑standard solution for high‑mix, low‑volume manufacturing.

Northwestern Inventors

Kevin M. Lynch, PhD
Professor of Mechanical Engineering
McCormick School of Engineering

Paul B. Umbanhowar, PhD
Research Professor of Mechanical Engineering
McCormick School of Engineering