SCARA Robots
Brief Summary:
SCARA robots function as pick-and-place machinery. These robots have been around for years though have the ability to adapt to manufacturing issues. These industrial robots by manufacturers such as, Fanuc, are used in the automotive industry though have been incorporated into smaller processes.
- In the 30 years since their invention, SCARA robots and the well-known heavy welding and painting robots are still producing. PC-based technologies, communications like FireWire and Ethernet, and sophisticated components give designers new options for developing solutions.
- Mention robots and even engineers may have pictures of Sony's Aibo pet dog or the Jetson's household helpers. Robots have also made news recently with products from iRobot Corp. ( Somerville, MA) helping troops scour caves in Afghanistan and helping archaeologists search tombs in the Egyptian desert.
- In the case of robotics, so much of the control is specific to the entire system that it has been closed. Companies have gradually exposed some internal data for communication to automation systems. Some companies, however, have built open robotic controllers from the ground up.
- Another reason to consider open control on a robotic project lies in the situation where a control retrofit is necessary. Many times, the mechanical parts of the robot are still in good order and the hydraulics are easily refurbished, but the controller may be woefully out of date, or even unsupported. In this case, an engineer must consider going to the original manufacturer for a control retrofit, scrapping the robot, or considering an open control alternative.
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