The RSF-5B IDT Sumpermini actuator with an integrated servo drive. | Source: Harmonic Drive
Selecting the right motion architecture is one of the most important design decisions in robotics.
At RoboBusiness 2026, Marcel Almonte, a mechatronics applications engineer at Harmonic Drive, will lead the session, “Integrated Drive Actuator Design: Combining Gearheads, Motor, Drive, and Sensors for Smarter Motion.” RoboBusiness will take place Oct. 20 and 21 in Santa Clara, Calif. Almonte will give his talk on the first day of the show at 10:30 a.m. PT.
The session will examine the tradeoffs between component-level and integrated actuator architectures, helping engineers understand when each approach delivers the best balance of performance, flexibility, and development efficiency.
Attendees will learn how integrated actuators can reduce engineering effort by simplifying system integration, minimizing cabling complexity, shortening testing and commissioning, and accelerating time-to-market. The session will also provide practical guidance on selecting motion solutions based on application requirements, communication protocols, performance targets, and overall system constraints. Its goal is to equip attendees with a framework for making informed design decisions in next-generation robotic systems.
Meet Harmonic Drive’s Marcel Almonte
Marcel Almonte is a mechatronics applications engineer with experience in several motion control application areas. At Harmonic Drive, he focuses on the company’s Integrated Actuator product offering, including customer support, application engineering, and software development.
Almonte graduated from Wentworth Institute of Technology in 2022 with a degree in electro-mechanical engineering and a minor in applied mathematics. During college, he worked as a quality and safety engineer at Philips, testing medical devices for CE compliance.
Post-graduation, Almonte served as a field engineer at Alert Innovation, troubleshooting hardware and software bugs and communicating issues to development teams. He then joined Infranor USA a servo motor and drive sales office, helping customers find custom motion control solutions.
At Harmonic Drive, Marcel currently develops tests to verify motor specifications, troubleshoot software, electrical, and hardware bugs, and collaborates with customers, sales, and design teams.
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