KUKA’s first six-axis industrial robot, introduced in 1973, was called FAMULUS.
FAMULUS was developed by the German company KUKA, originally known as Keller und Knappich Augsburg. Its six electrically driven axes gave it a range of motion resembling a human arm, allowing it to perform more flexible industrial tasks than earlier fixed or limited-axis machines.
The robot belongs to a different chapter of industrial robotics from Unimate, the first industrial robot installed in a factory. FAMULUS was significant because six-axis designs became a foundation for modern robot arms used in welding, painting, assembly, and material handling.
KUKA went on to become one of the world’s best-known industrial-robot manufacturers. Its later orange robots are widely used in automotive production, but FAMULUS established the company’s early place in programmable multi-axis automation.