ME G511

Mechanisms and Robotics

BITS Pilani Ashwin K P
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Goa Campus
 BITS Pilani
Goa Campus

Module 1
Lecture 2: Robot Anatomy
Robot Anatomy

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 Robot Anatomy

A typical robot

Joints
Links
Transmission system
Actuators

End-effector
Sensors

To controller

Rhino XR1 robot arm source: theoldrobots.com

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Links and Joints

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Robot Anatomy: Links and Joints

Links and joints

- Links: Rigid bodies in 3D.
- A rigid link which can be connected to at most 2 other links are
called binary links; 3 other links are called tertiary links
- Joints: Connect two or more links
- Kinematic chain: open and closed

Two rigid binary links in space , source:T2 Open kinematic chain formed by the two links , source:T2
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Robot Anatomy : Links and Joints

Degrees of Freedom
- Number of independent motions allowed in a body
- A body in 3D has 6 degrees of freedom – 3 positions and 3
orientations
- Also the number of parameters required to specify the position and
orientation of the body in 3D
- Two free bodies have 6+6 = 12 degrees of freedom

Representation of six degrees of freedom Two rigid bodies with 12 DOF: T2

Source: T2
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Robot Anatomy : Links and Joints

Degrees of Freedom
- Joints impose constraints on
movement of links
- Types of joints
- Two links connected by a rotary joint—
6+1=7 DOF.

Constraints due to rotary joint,

source :T2
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Robot Anatomy : Links and Joints

Degrees of Freedom of a robotic manipulator

- Joints of a robot are actively controlled by actuators to impart relative
motion between the links
- Revolute and Prismatic joints are primarily used in robotics; Spherical
and Hooke joints are used in parallel robots; others are rarely used
- For a serial robot, DOF of the robot = no. of joints
- Same cannot be said about parallel robots!

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Robot Anatomy : Links and Joints

Degrees of Freedom of a robotic manipulator

- Also the minimum number of actuators required to perform a task
- For eg., min. DOF required for the pick and place task shown below is 3

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Robot Anatomy : Links and Joints

Degrees of Freedom of a robotic manipulator

- Also the minimum number of actuators required to perform a task
- A 3-DOF robot should be able to achieve the task

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Robot Anatomy : Links and Joints

Workspace and Work envelope of a robot

- The physical space that can be reached by the end-effector is called
the workspace
- Volume of the space swept is called work volume
- The surface of the workspace is the work envelope

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Robot Anatomy : Links and Joints

Degrees of Freedom of a robotic manipulator

- To arbitrarily position and orient an end-effector in the workspace, a
serial robot requires at least 6 degrees of freedom
- For serial robots: 6 DOF is usually distributed into subassemblies
called ‘arm’ and ‘wrist’
- Arm: 3DOF linkage for positioning the wrist
- Wrist: 3DOF linkage for orienting the tool
- Manipulators with more than 6 DOF are called
“redundant manipulators”
- Can reach a position and orientation in
infinite possibilities
- Useful for obstacle avoidance

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Robot Anatomy : Links and Joints

Robotic Arm configurations

- Cartesian (rectangular) configuration PPP

Cartesian arm configuration Source: T1 Cartesian box/gantry configuration Source: T1

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Robot Anatomy : Links and Joints

Robotic Arm configurations

- Cylindrical configuration RPP
- Polar (spherical) configuration RRP

Cylindrical configuration Source: T1 Spherical configuration Source: T1

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Robot Anatomy : Links and Joints

Robotic Arm configurations

- Articulated (revolute / jointed arm) RRR
- Selective Compliance Assembly Robotic Arm (SCARA) PRR

Articulated configuration Source: T1

SCARA configuration Source: T1

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Robot Anatomy : Links and Joints

Wrist Configuration
- Mutually intersecting axes
- Used to orient the tool precisely
- Pitch, yaw, roll

ABB robot wrist, source: internet

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Actuators

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Robot Anatomy : Actuators

Actuators
- Actuators are required to move joints, transmit power and do work
- Placed directly at the joints, or move joints through transmission
systems
- Desirable properties of an actuator:
- High power-to-weight ratio
- Small form factor
- Fast response
- Typical actuation mechanisms:
- Hydraulic actuators
- Pneumatic actuators
- Electric motors

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Robot Anatomy : Actuators

Hydraulic actuators
- Components: Hydraulic fluid, reservoir, fluid line, seals and fittings,
hydraulic pumps, accumulators
- Provide joint motion through cylinders (linear motion), rotary vane
actuators (rotary motion), piston actuators (reciprocating motion) etc.
- Fluid is non-compressible (petroleum oil)– provides cooling of
components and lubrication
- Control is by means of solenoid valves

Basic functioning of a hydraulic actuator

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Robot Anatomy : Actuators

Hydraulic actuators
- High power to weight ratio (since pump, reservoir etc. are externally
placed and stationary)
- Large force applications -- up to 25 times more force than pneumatic
actuators of same size

Stewart platform of Lufthansa uses linear hydraulic actuator

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Robot Anatomy : Actuators

Pneumatic actuators
- Similar to hydraulic actuators but working fluid is air
- Components: Compressor, reservoir, flow control valve, fluid line

Pneumatic actuator accessories

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Robot Anatomy : Actuators

Pneumatic actuators
- Easy to use in assembly lines since compressed air is usually
available
- Lower force capabilities than a hydraulic actuator
- Less expensive and less bulky compared to hydraulic actuators
- Air is compressible, so more difficult to control

Festo exohand source: festo.com

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Robot Anatomy : Actuators

Electric actuators
- Electric/electromagnetic actuators are widely used in robotics
- Actuations by means of electromagnetic induction
- Readily available in wide range of sizes, shapes, power and torque
range – linear and rotary actuators
- Mostly use DC power
- Rotary actuators:
- Stepper motors
- Servo motors

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Robot Anatomy : Actuators

BITS Pilani, Goa Campus

Robot Anatomy : Actuators

Electric actuators : DC/AC Servo motors

- Brushed/Brushless AC/DC motors used in servos
- Brushed motor uses a rotary permanent magnet and stator is a coil
- Brushless AC/DC motors have low friction, low maintenance and
cost
- Widely available in large range of shape, size, power and torque
range and low cost
- Easy to control with position/velocity sensors mounted in-line with
rotor

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Robot Anatomy : Actuators

Actuators comparison:
Factor Electrical Hydraulic Pneumatic

1 Basic system Solid state logic, Power Pump, sump, regulators, Compressor, interstage coolers,
amplifiers, DC or AC motors, filters, heat exchangers, servo pressure controls, filter, dryers,
Gear boxes, Ball nuts, valves, motors, actuators, mufflers, valves, actuators
coolers accumulators

2 Working Electricity High quality oil base with Air, nitrogen, combustion products
principle additives, water based
solutions, synthetic liquids

3 Efficiency Over 90% for large systems Seldom over 60% Seldom over 30%

4 Susceptibility Low: Electrical line noise +/- High: Filters require special Intermediate: Less troublesome
to 10% handling during maintenance than oil, particles drop out before
contamination getting to valves, moisture

5 Force to weight Poor Excellent Fair

ratio

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Robot Anatomy : Actuators

Actuators comparison:
Factor Electrical Hydraulic Pneumatic

6 Safety of Safest system: Electical Leakage of flammable fluids, Flying debris from ruptures,
operation shock and hazard to be velocity of jets explosions
considered

7 Temperature Low temperature sensitivity High temperature sensitivity Low temperature sensitivity, heat
sensitivity and in the operating range, poor due to viscocity changes. removal is not normally problem
heat removal heat dissipation Explicit heat exchangers are since systems vent to atmosphere
used
8 Input power 24Volts to 460 Volts 50-5000 PSI 5-500 PSI
supply

9 Load variation Dry friction on output motors Dry friction on outputs can Serious steady state errors can
susceptibility can cause small to cause small SS errors occur due to dry friction on output
intermediate steady state shaft
errors
10 System Reasonable stiff Stiffest out of three actuators Very soft system
stiffness

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Robot Anatomy : Actuators

Non-conventional actuators:
- Shape Memory Alloys (SMA) – Nickel-Titanium Alloy
- Shape transformations when temperature goes above or below transformation
temperatures

- Electrostrictive – Lead Zirconate Titanate

(PZT), Lead Magnesium Niobate (PMN)
- Dimension change when electrical voltage is
applied
Shape memory material
- Electrorheological/Magnetorheological Fluids (ERF):
- Particles suspended in fluid. Upon application of
electric (ERF) or magnetic (MRF) fields, the fluid
consistency changes from liquid to gel

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Robot Anatomy : Actuators

Non-conventional actuators:
- Pneumatic Artificial muscles
- Closed elastomer membrane with braided external sheath–
when inflated, the membrane contracts!
- Displacement depends on the angle of winding and applied
pressure
- Electroactive Polymers (EAPs)– dielectric or ionic
- Dielectric: Elastic dielectric polymer is coated on either sides
with expandable film of conducting electrode. When voltage is Pneumatic Artificial Muscle
applied, dielectric film gets thinner
- Ionic: Uses ionic polymer gels, conductive polymers, carbon nanotubes etc
which generates movement of ions and hence, material deformation
- Photo-responsive actuators
- Visible light driven actuators made of liquid-crystal polymer
networks

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To Summarize…

- Components of a robot: links, joints, actuators, sensors, end-

effector, controller
- Links, types of joints and degrees of freedom
- Arm and wrist configurations
- Types of actuators:
- Conventional: Hydraulic, pneumatic, electric
- Non-conventional: Shape memory alloys, Electrostrictive,
Rheological fluids, Pneumatic artificial muscles,
Electroactive polymers, Photo-responsive actuators etc

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Question, clarifications, discussions….?

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