INDUSTRIAL ROBOTS

DEFINITION OF ROBOTS
1. Webster’s Dictionary Webster’s Dictionary
An automatic device that performs functions ordinarily ascribed to human beings →washing
machine = robot?

2. Robotics Institute of American Robotics Institute of American

A robot (industrial robot) is a re-programmable, multi-multifunctional manipulator designed to
move materials, parts, tools, or specialized devices, through variable programmed motions for
the performance of a variety of tasks.
Possess certain anthropomorphic characteristics:
 mechanical arm
 sensors to respond to input
 intelligence to make decisions

By general agreement, a robot is a programmable machine that imitates the actions or appearance
of an intelligent creature–usually a human.

To qualify as a robot, a machine must be able to:

1. Sensing and perception: get information from its surroundings
2. Carry out different tasks: Locomotion or manipulation, do something physical–such as move
or manipulate objects
3. Re-programmable: can do different things
4. Function autonomously and/or interact with human beings

DEFINITION OF INDUSTRIAL ROBOTS

An industrial robot is defined by ISO as an automatically controlled, reprogrammable, multipurpose
manipulator programmable in three or more axes that is used in the workforce. The field of robotics
may be more practically defined as the study, design and use of robot systems for manufacturing (a
top-level definition relying on the prior definition of robot).

A machine that resembles a human being and does mechanical routine tasks on command.

ROBOTICS
Robotics is the art, knowledge base, and the know-how of designing, applying, and using robots in
human endeavours.
What are the 7 broad areas often using robots?
1. Dangerous environment
- Carrying out bomb disposal
- Collecting data from volcanoes
- Exploring
- Military
- Rescue

Some examples:
1) Air Force Predator -Predator flown via remote control by airmen on the ground flies up
to 25,000 feet. Used to conduct reconnaissance and attack operations; takes real-time
photos of troop movements on ground.
2) Soldier Rescue / Firefighter rescue - Uses its arms to identify and pick up people who
might have passed out from smoke and fumes.

2. Industrial
- A typical industrial robot is a robot arm with several independent joints and you will see
them welding, painting and handling heavy materials..
- Pick and place’ robots can move products from a conveyor belt to package them at very
quick speeds.

Some examples :
1) Automated guided vehicle (AGV) - An AGV is a mobile robot that follows markers or
wires in the floor, or uses vision or lasers.
2) Palletizer - Used for stacking products on pallets for shipping and storage.
3) Robots are very useful in food processing since it needs to be done in a germ-free
environment.
4) Robotic Paint Sprayer
3. Entertainment and Leisure
- Some examples:
T-Rex in Jurassic Park , Wall-E , AIBO, iRobot Roomba , Terminator, R2D2 and C3PO

4. Space
- NASA is constantly developing and producing robots which can perform maintenance in
space – especially on its International Space Station.
- Humanoid robot joined crew of International Space Station
- R2 is able to use the same tools station crew members use.
- In the future, the greatest benefits of humanoid robots in space may be as assistants
or stand-in for astronauts during spacewalks or for tasks too difficult or dangerous for
humans.

5. Research
- One important area of robotics research is to enable the robot to cope with its
environment
- Honda is the company that is spending a great deal of money developing research
robots, such as the Asimo show on left.
- ASIMO moves like we do and could be useful to help the elderly or people in
wheelchairs. It can answer the door, pick up the phone or get a cup of tea.

6. Underwater
- Underwater robots are often remote controlled vehicles with thrusters for maneuvering
and robot arms for grabbing.
- They are particularly useful in the oil industry for welding and valve maintenance on
oilrigs.
- Robotuna used for exploration

7. Medical
- Used in minimal invasive surgical procedures that reduce trauma in surgery
- In laboratories, used too transport biological or chemical samples between instruments.
- Prosthetics
- Scientists believe that tiny robots (called “nanorobots”) will be developed which will be
used in patients’ bloodstreams to cure illness.

a) World's first CE-marked medical robot for head surgery

b) Surgical robot used in spine surgery, redundant manual guidance.
c) Autoclavable instrument guidance (4 DoF) for milling, drilling, endoscope guidance and
biopsy applications
THE DIFFERENT TYPES
An industrial robot commonly refers to a robot arm used in a factory environment for manufacturing
applications. Traditional industrial robots can be classified according to different criteria such as:
 Type of movement (degrees of freedom),
 Application (manufacturing process),
 Architecture (serial or parallel) and
 Brand
Then there is also a new qualifier for industrial robots that can be collaborative or not. This article
presents the different classifications with some examples.

Main Types of Industrial Robots:

1) ARTICULATED ROBOTS

An articulated robot is a robot with rotary

joints. To loading, palletizing, cutting steel.
This robots can be heat resistant, for welding
and it is the most commonly used robot in
industry of all

Characteristics:
•Repeatability: 0.1-0.5mm (large sizes not adequate for precision
assembly)
•No. of axes: 3 rotary arm-axes, 2-3 additional wrist axis (excellent wrist articulation)
•Working envelope: large relative to the size, Structure compact, but not so rigid
•Payload: 5-130kg
•Tool tip speed : fast 2000mm/s
Applications: Welding, painting, sealing, deburring, and material handling

Articulated/anthropomorphic(3R) :An articulated robot’s joints are all revolute, similar to a human’s
arm.
2) SCARA Robots – Selective Compliant Assembly Robot Arm
The SCARA acronym stands for Selective Compliant Assembly Robot Arm.Commonly used in
assembly applications. This robot is primarily cylindrical in design.

Characteristics:
•Repeatability: < 0.025mm (high)
•No. of axes: min 4 axes
• Vertical motions smoother, quicker, precise (due to dedicated
vertical axis)
• Good vertical rigidity, high compliance in the horizontal plane.
•Working envelope: range < 1000mm •Payload:10-100 kg
•Speed: fast 1000-5000mm/s

Applications:
•Precision, high-speed, light assembly

Scara robots are robots that can do 3 translations plus a rotation around a vertical axis.
Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm (SCARA) (2R1P): They have two revolute joints that are
parallel and allow the Robot to move in a horizontal plane, plus an additional prismatic joint that
moves vertically
3) Cylindrical Robots

The robot has at least one rotary joint at the base and at least one prismatic joint to connect the
links. The rotary joint uses a rotational motion along the joint axis, while the prismatic joint moves in
a linear motion. Cylindrical robots operate within a cylindrical-shaped work envelope. Used for
assembly operations, handling at machine tools, spot welding, and handling at die casting machines.

Characteristics:
•Wide range of sizes
•Repeatability: vary 0.1-0.5mm
•No. of axes: min 3 arm axes (2 linear)
•Working envelope: typically large (vertical stroke as
long as radial stroke)
• The structure is not compact.
•Payload: 5 - 250kg
•Speed: 1000mm/s, average
•Cost: inexpensive for their size and payload

Applications:
•Small robots: precision small assembly tasks
•Large robots: material handling, machine loading/unloading

Cylindrical (R2P): Cylindrical coordinate Robots have 2 prismatic joints and one revolute
joint.
4) Linear Robots (Cartesian and gantry Robots)
Cartesian robots are constrained by their inherently cantilevered design, which limits their load
capacity. This is especially true when the outermost (Y or Z) axis has a long stroke length, causing
a large moment load on the supporting axes. In cases where long strokes and high loads are
required, a gantry robot is the best solution.

A gantry robot is a modified style of Cartesian robot, using two X (or base) axes rather than the
single base axis found in Cartesians. The additional X axis (and sometimes additional Y and Z
axes) allows the robot to handle larger loads and forces, making them ideal for pick and place of
heavy payloads or parts loading and unloading. Each axis is based on a linear actuator, whether
it’s a “homemade” actuator assembled by the OEM or integrator, or a pre-assembled actuator
from a linear motion company. This means that there are almost limitless options to allow for
any combination of high speeds, long strokes, heavy payloads, and high positioning accuracy.

Special requirements for harsh environments or low noise are easily incorporated, and if the
application requires simultaneous but independent processes to take place, the horizontal axes
can be built with linear motors using multiple carriages.

Gantry robots are typically mounted over the working area (hence the common term, “overhead
gantry”), but if the part is not suitable for handling from above, as is the case with solar cells and
modules, the gantry can be configured to work from below the part. And while gantry robots are

Cartesian robots have three linear joints that use the Cartesian coordinate system (X, Y, and Z).
The three prismatic joints deliver a linear motion along the axis.
A popular application for this type of robot is a computer numerical control machine (CNC
machine).

Characteristics:
•Repeatability: high (0.015-0.1)
•No. of axes: 3 linear arm-axis,
•Working envelope:relative large •Payload:5- 100kg
•Speed: fast

Applications: Precise assembly, arc welding, gluing, material handling

Some of the commonly used configurations in Robotics are

Cartesian/Rectangular Gantry(3P) : These Robots are made of 3 Linear joints that orient the end
effector, which are usually followed by additional revolute joints.

Characteristics:
•Repeatability: 0.1-1mm
•No. of axes: 3 linear traverse-axes, 1-3 additional wrist axes
•Working envelope: very large
•Payload: vary function of size, support very heavy 10-1000kg
•Speed: low for large masses

Applications: Handling

5) Parallel Robots (Delta Robots)

These spider-like robots are built from jointed parallelograms connected to a common base. The
parallelograms move a single EOAT in a dome-shaped work area. Heavily used in the food,
pharmaceutical, and electronic industries, this robot configuration is capable of delicate, precise
movement.
A delta robot is a type of parallel robot. It consists of three arms connected to universal joints at
the base. Heavily used in the food, pharmaceutical, and electronic industries, this robot
configuration is very accurate.
MAJOR FIELDS OF ROBOTICS:

1) Human-robotic interface
How does the robot and operator communicate with each other?
The Interface is HOW the human operator controls the robot.
Examples.
Controller for a Xbox or Wii game, Computer keyboard used to program a robot.

2) Mobility or Locomotion
How does the robot move?
Some only need to move arms or grippers
Others need to be completely mobile and move from place to place
Examples.
A robotic arm rotates and stops at a specific position to paint car parts
An operator directs a Sedway personal transporter to move form one location to another.

3) Manipulation
How does the robot physically handle objects?
Examples.
Mechanical claw picks up & transports objects.
Robotic arm w/ mechanical grippers load candy into boxes.
Robotic hand welds a seam on a car and paints the car.

4) Programming
How the operator commands the robot to do what needs to be done?
Software is written in the computer’s language for what the robot understands.
Some advanced program allows for the robot to learn and adapt to changes in the
environment.

5) Sensors and Perception

Robots rely on sensors to get information about their surroundings to determine where it is
and what it should do next.
Examples:
 Ultrasonic sensors determines the distance of objects by emitting sound pulses (too high
humans to hear), and then measuring the time delay to detect the sound pulse echo.
Useed in submarine navigation since it works in the dark.
 Light sensors can be used for simple navigation by allowing a robot to follow a line, such
as w/ AGVs. Other robots navigate using infrared light (the same invisible light used in
your TV remote control.
 Touch sensors help otherwise blind robots with navigation: feelers, contact switches,
bump sensors. . .all let a robot know when it has made contact with walls or objects. i.e.
Robotic vacuums
 Radio signal sensors let robots communicate with each other at a distance.
Electromagnetic sensors are used by robotic lawnmowers to stay within the bounds of
the yard.
Work Envelope Concept
Depending on the configuration and size of the links and wrist joints, robots can reach a collection of
points called a Workspace.
Alternately Workspace may be found empirically, by moving each joint through its range of motions
and combining all space it can reach and subtracting what space it cannot reach

Main components of Industrial Robots

 Arm or Manipulator
 End effectors
 Drive Mechanism
 Controller
 Custom features : e.g. sensors and transducer

Arm or Manipulator
• The main anthropomorphic element of a robot.
• In most cases the degrees of freedom depends on the arm
• The work volume or reach mostly depends on the functionality of the Arm

Manipulator – Base, Appendages ( Shoulder, Arm and Grippers)

END EFFECTORS
Device attached to the robot’s wrist to perform a
specific task

Grippers
– Mechanical Grippers
– Suction cups or vacuum cups
– Magnetized grippers
– Hooks
– Scoops ( to carry fluids)

Tools
– Spot Welding gun
– Arc Welding tools
– Spray painting gun
– Drilling Spindle
– Grinders, Wire brushes
– Heating torches
DRIVE MECHANISM
Robot Drive Systems
1. Drive System Requirements
2. Traction Fundamentals
3. FIRST Motors
4. Gearing Fundamentals
5. System Design Condition
6. Practical considerations
Attribute Good Features to Have
high top speed high power, low losses, the right gear ratio
acceleration high power, low inertia, low mass, the right gear ratio
pushing/pulling ability high power, high traction, the right gear ratio, low losses
maneuverability good turning method
accuracy good control calibration, the right gear ratio
obstacle handling ground clearance, obstacle "protection," drive wheels on floor

CONTROLLERS

SENSORS IN ROBOTICS
Types of sensors :
– Tactile sensors (touch sensors, force sensors, tactile array sensors)
– Proximity and range sensors (optical sensors, acoustical sensors, electromagnetic sensors)
– Miscellaneous sensors (transducers and sensors which sense variables such temperature, pressure,
fluid flow, thermocouples, voice sensors)
–

Uses of sensors:
– Safety monitoring
– Interlocks in work cell control
– Part inspection for quality control
– Determining positions and related information about objects

Desirable features of sensors:

 Accuracy
 Operation range
 Speed of response
 Calibration
 Reliability
 Cost and ease of operation
INDUSTRIAL ROBOTS APPLICATIONS

Industrial Robot Applications can be divided into:

 Material-handling applications:
o Involve the movement of material or parts from one location to another.
o It include part placement, palletizing and/or depalletizing, machine loading and
unloading.
 Processing Operations:
o Requires the robot to manipulate a special process tool as the end effector.
o The application include spot welding, arc welding, riveting, spray painting, machining,
metal cutting, deburring, polishing.
 Assembly Applications:
o Involve part-handling manipulations of a special tools and other automatic tasks and
operations.
 Inspection Operations:
o Require the robot to position a workpart to an inspection device.
o Involve the robot to manipulate a device or sensor to perform the inspection.

Material Handling Applications

This category includes the following:
 Part Placement
 Palletizing and/or depalletizing
 Machine loading and/or unloading
 Stacking and insertion operations

The robot must have following features to facilitate material handling:

 The manipulator must be able to lift the parts safely.
 The robot must have the reach needed.
 The robot must have cylindrical coordinate type.
 The robot’s controller must have a large enough memory to store all the programmed points
so that the robot can move from one location to another.
 The robot must have the speed necessary for meeting the transfer cycle of the operation.

Part Placement:
 The basic operation in this category is the relatively simple pick-and-place operation.
 This application needs a low-technology robot of the cylindrical coordinate type.
 Only two, three, or four joints are required for most of the applications.
 Pneumatically powered robots are often utilized.

Palletizing and/or Depalletizing

 The applications require robot to stack parts one on top of the other, that is to palletize
them, or to unstack parts by removing from the top one by one, that is depalletize them.
 Example: process of taking parts from the assembly line and stacking them on a pallet or vice
versa.
Machine loading and/or unloading:
Robot transfers parts into and/or from a production machine.
There are three possible cases:
 Machine loading in which the robot loads parts into a production machine, but the parts are
unloaded by some other means.
o Example: a pressworking operation, where the robot feeds sheet blanks into the press,
but the finished parts drop out of the press by gravity.
 Machine loading in which the raw materials are fed into the machine without robot
assistance. The robot unloads the part from the machine assisted by vision or no vision.
o Example: bin picking, die casting, and plastic moulding.
 Machine loading and unloading that involves both loading and unloading of the workparts
by the robot. The robot loads a raw work part into the process ad unloads a finished part.
o Example: Machine operation

Difficulties
 Difference in cycle time between the robot and the production machine. The cycle time of
the machine may be relatively long compared to the robot’s cycle time.

Stacking and insertion operation:

 In the stacking process the robot places flat parts on top of each other, where the vertical
location of the drop-off position is continuously changing with cycle time.
 In the insertion process robot inserts parts into the compartments of a divided carton.

Processing Operations:
 Robot performs a processing procedure on the part.
 The robot is equipped with some type of process tooling as its end effector.
 Manipulates the tooling relative to the working part during the cycle.
 Industrial robot applications in the processing operations include:
o Spot welding
o Continuous arc welding
o Spray painting
o Metal cutting and deburring operations
o Various machining operations like drilling, grinding, laser and waterjet cutting, and
riveting.
o Rotating and spindle operations
o Adhesives and sealant dispensing
Assembly operations
 The applications involve both material-handling and the manipulation of a tool.
 They typically include components to build the product and to perform material handling
operations.
 Are traditionally labor-intensive activities in industry and are highly repetitive and boring.
Hence are logical candidates for robotic applications.
 These are classified as:
o Batch assembly: As many as one million products might be assembled. The assembly
operation has long production runs.
o Low-volume: In this a sample run of ten thousand or less products might be made.
 The assembly robot cell should be a modular cell.
 One of the well suited area for robotics assembly is the insertion of odd electronic
components

Inspection Operations
 Some inspection operation require parts to be manipulated, and other applications require
that an inspection tool be manipulated.
 Inspection work requires high precision and patience, and human judgment is often needed
to determine whether a product is within quality specifications or not.
 Inspection tasks that are performed by industrial robots can usually be divided into the
following three techniques:
i) By using a feeler gauge or a linear displacement transducer known as a linear
variable differential transformer(LVDT), the part being measured will come in
physical contact with the instrument or by means of air pressure, which will cause it
to ride above the surface being measured.
ii) By utilizing robotic vision, matrix video cameras are used to obtain an image of the
area of interest, which is digitized and compared to a similar image with specified
tolerance.
iii) By involving the use of optics and light, usually a laser or infrared source is used to
illustrate the area of interest.
 The robot may be in active or passive role.
o In active role robot is responsible for determining whether the part is good or bad.
o In the passive role the robot feeds a gauging station with the part. While the gauging
station is determining whether the part meets the specification, the robot waits for
the process to finish.

WHERE USED AND APPLIED

 Welding
 Painting
 Surface finishing
 Aerospace and automotive industries
 Light assembly such as in the micro-electronics industries, or consumer products industries
 Inspection of parts (e.g., CMM)
 Underwater and space exploration
 Hazardous waste remediation
Advantages:
 Greater flexibility, re-programmability, kinematics dexterity
 Greater response time to inputs than humans
 Improved product quality
 Maximize capital intensive equipment in multiple work shifts
 Accident reduction
 Automation less susceptible to work stoppages
 Robots increase productivity, safety, efficiency, quality, and consistency of products.
 Robots can work in hazardous environments.
 Robots need no environmental comfort.
 Robots work continuously without experiencing fatigue of problem.
 Robots have repeatable precision at all times.
 Robots can be much more accurate than human.
 Robots replace human workers creating economic problems.
 Robots can process multiple stimuli or tasks simultaneously.

Disadvantages:
 Replacement of human labour cause greater unemployment
 Significant retraining costs for both unemployed and users of new technology
 Advertised technology does not always disclose some of the hidden disadvantages
 Hidden costs because of the associated technology that must be purchased and integrated
into a functioning cell. Typically, a functioning cell will cost 3-10 times the cost of the robot.
 Robots lack capability to respond in emergencies.
 Robots, although superior in certain senses, have limited capabilities in Degree of freedom,
Dexterity, Sensors, Vision system, real time response.
 Robots are costly, due to Initial cost of equipment, Installation costs, Need for Peripherals,
Need for training, Need for programming.
 Assembly dexterity does not match that of human beings, particularly where eye-hand
coordination required.
 Payload to robot weight ratio is poor, often less than 5%.
 Robot structural configuration may limit joint movement.
 Work volumes can be constrained by parts or tooling/sensors added to the robot.
 Robot repeatability/accuracy can constrain the range of potential applications.
 Closed architectures of modern robot control systems make it difficult to automate cells.