Industrial robots are reshaping the manufacturing industry. They are often used to perform tasks that are dangerous or unsuitable for human workers. Ideal for situations requiring high performance and error-free, the industrial robot is becoming a common accessory in factories. The industrial robot is a good fit for many applications. It is most commonly used for arc welding, material handling and assembly applications. They are grouped according to the number of axes, the type of structure, the size of the work envelope, the payload capacity and the speed. A robot controller provides the interface for programming and operating the industrial robot. A device called a teaching pendant is used to plot the movements needed to make the application.
An industrial robot is a robot system used for manufacturing. Industrial robots are automated, programmable and capable of moving on two or more axes. Typical robot applications include welding, painting, assembly, selection and placement for printed circuit boards, packaging and labeling, palletizing, product inspection and testing; All achieved with high strength, speed and precision. They can help in the handling of materials and provide interfaces. The first known industrial robot, as defined by ISO, was completed by "Bill" Griffith P. Taylor in 1937 and published in Meccano Magazine, March 1938. The crane-type device was built almost entirely using parts of Meccano And powered by a single electric motor. Five axes of movement were possible, including grabbing and gripping the rotation. The automation was achieved using a perforated paper tape to activate the solenoids, which would facilitate the movement of the crane control levers. The robot could stack wooden blocks in pre-programmed patterns. The number of engine revolutions required for each desired movement was first plotted on graph paper. This information was then transferred to the paper tape, which was also driven by the robot's single engine. Chris Shute built a complete replica of the robot in 1997.
Types and characteristics
The most commonly used robot configurations are articulated robots, SCARA robots, delta robots and Cartesian coordinate robots (gantry robots or x-y-z robots). In the context of general robotics, most types of robots would fall into the category of robotic arms (inherent in the use of the word manipulator in ISO 1738). Robots show different degrees of autonomy:
• Some robots are programmed to faithfully perform specific actions over and over again (repetitive actions) without variation and with a high degree of precision. These actions are determined by programmed routines that specify the direction, acceleration, speed, deceleration and distance of a series of coordinated movements.
• Other robots are much more flexible as to the orientation of the object in which they are operating or even the task that has to be performed on the object itself, which the robot may even need to identify. For example, for more precise orientation, robots often contain artificial vision subsystems that act as their visual sensors, linked to powerful computers or controllers [2]. Artificial intelligence, or what goes through it, is becoming an increasingly important factor in the modern industrial robot.
Advantages
• While the initial investment may seem intimidating, you will quickly experience all the benefits.
• Decrease in production costs: a rapid return on investment (ROI) exceeds the initial setup costs. With robots, production speeds increase, which directly affects production.
• Shorter cycle times: A thin manufacturing line is crucial to increasing efficiency. An automated robot has the ability to work at a constant speed without stopping for breaks, sleeping or vacation, and ultimately has the potential to produce more in a shorter time than a human worker.
• Improved quality and reliability: Applications are performed with precision and high repeatability each time. It ensures that the product is manufactured with the same specifications and the same process every time. Repairs are few and far between.
• Better use of floor space: By reducing the footprint of a work area by automating parts of your production line, you can use space for other operations and make process flow more efficient.
• Waste reduction: robots are so precise that you can reduce the amount of raw material used, reducing waste costs.
• Attracting more customers: Reducing time and cost attracts customers. Automation helps provide the highest performance with least amount of expense.
• Increased security: Robots increase safety in the workplace. Workers move to supervisory functions where they no longer have to make dangerous applications in hazardous environments. Screens or light barriers are available to keep the operator safe.
• More savings: RobotWorx has an ROI calculator to help you figure out how much money you can save with a robot. In addition, improving worker safety leads to financial savings with fewer health concerns and insurance for employers. Also consider quality and customer satisfaction, which means returning customers and more business.
• Expert in multiple applications: Automation in the manufacturing industry is the process of integrating industrial machinery to automatically perform a variety of applications such as welding, material handling, packaging, palletizing, dispensing, cutting, etc.
Disadvantages
• Understanding the Big Start Investment: The initial investment to integrate automated robotics into your business can be significant, especially when business owners are limiting their purchases to new robotic equipment only. The cost of robotic automation must be calculated in the light of a company's financial budget. Regular maintenance needs may have a financial toll too.
• Identify your needs: The incorporation of industrial robots does not guarantee results. It is absolutely crucial to design a specific production plan from the beginning to the end. If a company has a bottleneck further down the line, incorporating automation can not help achieve the necessary goals. Here is a simple ROI calculator to help you decide if automating would be beneficial to your company.
• Understand the Importance of Training: Employees will require training to program and interact with the new robotic equipment. This usually takes time and financial performance. Fortunately, at RobotWorx, we offer training, warranty and customer support.
Principles of Robotics
The word robot comes from the Czech word for forced labor, or serf. It was introduced by the playwright Karel Capek, whose fictitious robotic inventions were created by chemical and biological rather than mechanical methods. Basically, a robot consists of:
• A mechanical structure, such as a platform of wheels, an arm or other construction, capable of interacting with its surroundings.
• Sensors to detect the environment and give useful feedback to the device.
• Systems to process sensory inputs in the context of the current situation and instruct the device to take action in response to the situation.
Mechanical structure
The structure of the robot basically consists of the body of the robot that includes arms and wheels. It takes some force like electricity to make the arms and wheels spin under the handle. One of the most interesting aspects of the robot in general is its behavior, which requires a form of intelligence.
Engines
A variety of electric motors provide power to the robots, causing them to move with various programmed movements. The efficiency rating of a motor describes how much of the electricity consumed is converted into mechanical energy.
DC motors. Permanent magnet DC motors require only two cables and use a fixed and electric magnet arrangement (stator and rotor) and switches. These form a switch to create motion through a rotating magnetic field.
AC motors. These motors power the input conductors to continuously move the field.
Stepper motors. They are like a brushless DC or AC motor. They move the rotor by applying power to different magnets in the motor in sequence (stepped). Stepper motors are designed for precise control and not only turn to order, but can rotate to any number of steps per second (up to their maximum speed).
Servomotors. The servos are simple DC motors with gear and a feedback control system. They adjust until they match the signal. Servos are used in radio control aircraft and cars.
