AIET-383 Automations and Robotics

Lecture 2: Robot Anatomy

Dr. Sarfraz Hashim

Engr. Ayesha Khalid
Learning Outcomes

• What are Links and Joints?

• Types of Joints
• Degrees of freedom
• Classification of robot arms by joints
• Work Envelop
Robot Anatomy
Robot
Arms
• All robot arms are made
of a series of links and
joints.

• A joint connects two

links and allows relative
motion b/w them.
Robot
Arm
• Each robot has a base which is normally fixed to the floor, wall, or the
ceiling.

• The first link of the robot arm is attached to the base, and the last link
is attached to the end effector.

• The more joints a robot arm has the greater the flexibility or the
degrees of freedom.
• This arm (with two joints)
cannot be used to pick
up the object.

• Addition of an extra joint

to the arm allows it to
pick up the object.
Types of
Joints
• Most robot arms include two types of joints:
• Prismatic
• Revolute

• Some may also include a third type: ball and socket joint.
Prismatic
Joints
• Permits linear motion b/w two links.

• Composed of two nested links where one slides along

another.

• The joint b/w a piston and cylinder (like a syringe) is a

prismatic joint.

• Provides one DoF.

Revolute
Joints
• Permits revolute or rotary motion b/w two links.

• The two links are joined by a common hinge, so that

one part can move in a swinging motion in relation
to the other part.

• Revolute joints are used in many tools and devices

like scissors, windshield wipers, nutcrackers etc.

• Provides one DoF.

Ball & Socket Joints (Spherical
Joint)
• Functions like a combination of three revolute
joints.

• It allows rotary motion around three axes.

• These exist in the human body b/w shoulder and

forearm and between pelvis and thigh.

• Provides 3 DoF.
• Rarely used in robots due to complexity in
motion.

• Generally, the effect is achieved by using

three separate revolute joints.
Degrees of
Freedom
• The number of joints in a robot arm is also called the degrees of freedom.

• Every joint enables a relative motion b/w two links and allows the links a
DoF.

• When the relative motion occurs along or around a single axis, the joint has
one degree of freedom.

• When the relative motion occurs along or around more than one axis of
motion, the joint has that many DoF.
Classification of Robot Arm by Type of
Joint
• We generally classify robots by the three joints closest to the robot
base.

• This division into classes provides information about robot

characteristics in several important categories:
• Envelope (maximum range of motion attainable by the robot in all directions
or all the points in space where the robot can locate its end effector).
• Degree of mechanical rigidity.
• Extent of control over the course of motion.
• Applications suitable or unsuitable to the type of robot.
Classification of Robot Arm by Type of
Joint
• Robots can be classified by joint into five groups:
• Cartesian
• Cylindrical
• Spherical
• Horizontal articulated
• Vertical articulated

• The code used for these classifications consists of a set of three

letters, referring to the types of joints (R for revolute and P for
prismatic).
Classification of Robot Arm by Type of
Joint
• This code using R and P refers to joints in that order beginning with
the joint closest to the base.

• E.g.: RPP indicates a robot whose base joint is revolute and whose
second and third joints are prismatic.
Cartesian
Robots
• The arms of these have three prismatic joints
(PPP).
• Small work envelope.
• High degree of mechanical rigidity.
• Great accuracy in locating the end effector.
• Suitable for closely calibrated tasks like
electronic soldering, and machining.
• Simple control due to the linear motion of all
links and fixed inertial load due to fixed
moments of inertia throughout the work
envelope.
Cylindrical
Robots
• These have one revolute joint and two prismatic
joints (RPP).
• Work envelope is larger than that of Cartesian
robots.
• Lower mechanical rigidity than Cartesian.
• Control is a bit more complicated due to the
varying moments of inertia at different joints in
the work envelope.
Spherical
Robots
• These have two revolute joints and one
prismatic joint (RRP).
• Larger work envelope than cylindrical.
• Lower degree of mechanical rigidity than
cylindrical models.
• More complicated control than
cylindrical b/c of the rotary motion of the
first two joints.
Horizontal Articulated
Robots
• These have two revolute joints and one
prismatic joint (RRP).
• Smaller work envelope than that of the
spherical robot but larger than the
cartesian and cylindrical.
• Appropriate for assembly operations due
to vertical linear motion of the third axis.
Vertical Articulated
Robots
• These have three revolute joints (RRR).
• Similar in structure to human arms which also have only
revolute joints.
• Larger work envelope than that of any other type.
• Lower mechanical rigidity.
• Lack of precision in locating the end effector.
• Complicated control due to three revolute joints and
due to variances in the load amount and moments of
inertia throughout the work envelope.
Comparison of Robot Work
Envelopes
Work
Envelops
• Assuming all the links of length l meters and the volume of the work
envelop V, we can describe a cube, a cylinder, and a sphere by the
following formulae:
 Work Envelope: Cartesian
•Robot
These are capable of reaching any point in a cube of edge length l, so
the work envelop is given by:

Work Envelope: Cylindrical

Robots
Work Envelope: Spherical
Robots
• These can reach any point in a sphere of radius 2l except for the
points in an inner sphere of radius l.
Work Envelope: Horizontal Articulated
Robots
• These can reach any point in a cylinder of height l and radius 2 l.

Work Envelope: Vertical Articulated

Robots
• These can reach any point in a sphere of radius 2 l.
 Link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FORcPhBaa50
 Class Activity
AS A INDIVIDUAL, prepare a detailed response for the following Readiness Assessment test

What type of Robot Configuration does the ABB 140 Robot have?
Can you find out its Work
Space?
Thank You