UNIT 5 Robotic Technology

Joints and links, common robot configurations, work

volume, types of robot control, accuracy and
repeatability, other specifications, end effectors,
sensors in robotics.

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Robotics
• An industrial robot is a general purpose, programmable
machine possessing certain anthropomorphic characteristics.
• Anthropomorphic characteristic of an industrial robot is its
arm, that is used to perform various industrial tasks.
• Other human like characteristic are the robot’ s ability to
respond to sensory inputs, communicate with other
machines, and make decisions.
Reasons for commercial and
technological importance of industrial
robots
• Robots can be substituted for humans in hazardous or
uncomfortable work environments.
• Robot can perform its work cycle with consistency and
repeatability that can not be attained by humans.
• Robots can be reprogrammed.
• Robots are controlled by computers.
Robot anatomy and related attributes
• The manipulator of an industrial robot is constructed of a series of
joints and links.
• Robot anatomy is concerned with the types and sizes of these joints
and links and other aspects of the manipulator’s physical
construction.
Joints and links
• A Joint of an industrial robot is similar to a joint in the
human body.
• It provides relative motion between two parts of the body.
• Each joint or axis provides the robot a degree of freedom
(DOF).
• In nearly all cases, only one degree of freedom is
associated with a joint.
 Degree of freedom (DOF)
The no. of independent
movements the wrist can
perform in 3 dimensional
space relative to robot’s
base is called DOF of the
robot.
 Rotational
Vertical traverse
traverse

Wrist bend

Radial
traverse
Arm and
Wrist body
Assembly assembly

Gripper

Wrist
Base
swivel
Wrist
yaw

Typical six degrees of freedom in robot motion

 Types of joints
Linear Joint (type L Joint): Relative
movement between input and output
link is a translational sliding motion,
with axis of two links being parallel.
Orthogonal Joint (type O Joint): This
is also a translational sliding motion,
but the input and output links are
perpendicular to each other.
Rotational Joint (type R Joint): This
type provides rotational relative
motion, with the axis of rotation
perpendicular to the axis of input and
output links.
Types of joints
Twisting Joint (type T Joint): This
joint also carries rotary motion, but
the axis of rotation is parallel to the
axis of the two links.

Revolving Joint (type V Joint): In

this joint type, the axis of the input
link is parallel to the axis of rotation
of the joint, and the axis of the
output link is perpendicular to the
axis of rotation.
 Common robot configurations
Polar configuration
This configuration consists of a sliding arm (L joint) actuated relative
to the body, that can rotate about a vertical axis (T Joint) and a
horizontal axis (R joint).
Cartesian coordinate robot
Also known as rectilinear robot and x-y-z robot. It composed
of three sliding joints, two of which are orthogonal.
Cylindrical configuration
This robot configuration consists of a vertical column, relative to
which an arm assembly is moved up or down. The arm can be
moved in or out relative to the axis of column.
Jointed-arm robot
This robot manipulator has
the general configuration of
a human arm. The jointed
arm consists of a vertical
column that swivels about
the base (using T joint). At
the top of the column is a
shoulder joint (R joint),
whose output link connects
to an elbow joint (another R
joint).
 SCARA (Selective Compliance
Assembly Robot Arm)
This configuration is similar to
the jointed arm robot except
that the shoulder and elbow
rotational axis are vertical.
This type is mainly used for
performing insertion tasks in
assembly operations.
 Wrist configurations

Robot wrist usually consists of 2 or 3

degrees of freedom.
Figure shows possible configuration for
a 3 DOF wrist assembly. The 3 joints are
defined as:
(i) Roll, using a T joint to accomplish
rotation about the robot’s arm axis.
(ii) Pitch, which involves up and down
rotation (using R joint).
(iii) Yaw, which involves right and left
rotation (using R joint).
Note: A 2 DOF includes only roll and
pitch joints (T & R joints).
Joint Notation system
The letter symbols for the 5 joint types (L, O, R. T and V) can be used
to define a joint notation system.
Body and Arm Joint Notation
Polar TRL
Cylindrical TLO
Cartesian coordinate LOO
Jointed arm TRR
SCARA VRO
 Advantages and Disadvantages of 5 types of
robots based on coordinates
Configurations Advantages Disadvantages
Cartesian 3 linear axes, easy to visualize, Can only reach front of itself,
coordinates rigid structure, easy programming requires long room space.
Cylindrical 2 linear axes +1 rotating can reach Can’t reach above itself, base
coordinates all around itself, reach and height rotation axis as less rigid,
axes rigid, rotational axis easy to linear axis is hard to seal.
seal
SCARA 1 linear + 2 rotational axes is rigid, 2 ways to reach point, difficult
coordinates large work space area for floor to program offline, highly
space complex arm
Spherical 1 linear + 2 rotational axes, long Can’t reach around obstacles.
coordinates horizontal reach short vertical length
Revolve 3 rotational axes can reach above Difficult to program off-line,
coordinates or below obstacles. most complex manipulator

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 Motion systems

 Point-to-point system: In this, the robot’s movement is

controlled from one point location in space to another. Each
point is programmed into the robot’s control memory and then
played back during the work cycle.
Example:- Machine loading/unloading, pick and place activities,
spot welding
Contouring system: In this, robots have the capability to follow a
closely spaced locus of points that describe a smooth compound
curve.
Example:- Paint spraying, continuous welding
Technical Features
Work volume:
The term ‘work volume’ refers to the space within which the
robot can operate.
It is the spatial region within which the end of the robot’s wrist
can be manipulated.
The work volume of an industrial robot is determined by its
physical configuration, size, and limits of its arm and joint
manipulations.
 Technical Features
Precision of movement:
The precision within which the robot can move the end of its
wrist.
It consists of the following attributes:-
(i) Spatial resolution
(ii) Accuracy
(iii) Repeatability
 Technical Features
Spatial resolution:
The term Spatial resolution refers to the smallest increment of
motion at the wrist end that can be controlled by a robot.
This is largely determined by the robot’s control resolution, which
depends on its position control system and/or its feedback
measurement system.
Control resolution refers to the control system’s ability to divide
the total range of the axis movement into closely spaced points
that can be distinguished by the MCU. Control resolution is
defined as the distance separating two adjacent addressable
points in the axis movement.
 Technical Features
Accuracy:
The accuracy of the robot refers to its capability to position its
wrist end at a given target within its work volume.
Repeatability:
This refers to the robot’s ability to position its wrist end back to a
point in space that was previously taught.
Weight carrying capacity:
The weight carrying capacity of the robot covers a wide range.
 Joint drive system
Robot joints are actuated by the following types of drive systems:-
Hydraulic :-
•Used in large robots, and hydraulic system adds floor space required by
robot.
•Advantages are mechanical simplicity, high strength, and high speed.
Electric motor:-
•Driven by electric motors (DC stepping motors or servomotor)
•Do not possess physical strength or speed as compared to hydraulic type.
•Accuracy and repeatability are better.
•Less floor space required.
Pneumatic:-
•Used in smaller robots.
•Used for simple operations such as pick and place operations.
 Robot control systems
Limited sequence control:-
• This is most elementary control type.
• It can be utilized only for simple motion cycles such as pick and
place operations.
• It is usually implemented by setting limits or mechanical stops
for each joint and sequencing the actuation of the joints to
accomplish the cycle.
 Robot control systems
Playback with point to point control:-
• Playback control means that the controller has a memory to
record the sequence of motions in a given work cycle as well as
the locations and other parameters associated with each motion
and then to subsequently play back the work cycle during the
execution of program.
• In PTP type, individual positions of robot arm are recorded into
memory.
 Robot control systems
Playback with continuous path control :-
•Continuous path robots have the same play back capacity as the
playback with point to point control.
•The difference between PTP and continuous path is same as that
of NC machine.
 Robot control systems
Intelligent robots:-
•Intelligent robots have the capability to
Interact with its environment.
Make a decision when things go wrong during work cycle.
Communicate with humans.
Make computations during motion cycle.
Respond to advanced sensor inputs.
In addition to above they possess playback capability for both PTP
or continuous control. These features require (i) high level of
computer control (ii) advanced programming language.
 End effectors
End effector is usually attached to the robot’s wrist.
End effector enables the robot to accomplish a specific task.

Categories of end effector:-

Grippers
Tools
Grippers
• Grippers are end effectors used to grasp and manipulate
objects during the work cycle.
• The objects are usually workparts that are moved from one
location to another.
• Machine loading and unloading applications fall into this
category.
 Types of grippers used
Mechanical Grippers:- consisting of 2 or more fingers that can be actuated
by robot controller to open and close to grasp the work part.
Vacuum Grippers:- consists of suction cups used to hold flat objects.
Magnetized devices:- for holding ferrous parts.
Adhesive devices:- adhesive substance is used to hold a material.
Simple mechanical devices:- such as hooks.
Mechanical grippers are the most common gripper type.
 Tools
Tools are used in applications where the robot must perform some
processing operation on the work part.
Examples of tool used:-
• Spot welding gun
• Arc welding tool
• Spray painting gun
• Rotating spindle for drilling, grinding etc.
• Assembly tool (e.g automatic screw driver)
• Water jet cutting tool
Sensors in robotics
Internal sensors:-
•Used for controlling position and velocity of various joints of
the robot.
•These sensors form a feedback control loop with robot
controller.
•Examples are potentiometers and optical encoders.
External sensors:-
Used for coordinating the operation of the robot with other
equipment in the cell.
Examples are limit switches.
 Commonly used sensors
Tactile sensors:- Used to determine whether contact is made
between sensor and other object. Tactile sensor can be divided into 2
categories:-
(i) Touch Sensors:- Only indicates that contact has been made with the object.
(ii) Force Sensors:- Used to indicate magnitude of force with object.
Proximity sensors:- Indicate when an object is close to the sensor.
Optical sensors:- Used for detecting presence or absence of object.
Other sensors:- These include devices for measuring temperature,
fluid pressure, electric voltage, current and various other physical
properties.
Reference
Groover, M.P. (2008) Automation, Production Systems,
and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing. 3rd Edition,
Pearson Education, New Delhi.

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