Don't be alarmed. Industrial spider robots only resemble arachnids. They don't bite and they have three legs not eight.
Parallel-link or Delta style robot models go by many different names. FANUC Robotics calls theirs Genkotsu (the Japanese word for fist) as well as Spider Robots. ABB's Delta robot is the Flexpicker. And Adept's four-legged contribution is the Quattro.
Whatever the title, one thing is certain: this speedy, dexterous robot design is here to stay.
Delta robots are used in a diversity of industries from food production, electronics, and pharmaceuticals, to solar panel manufacturing, material handling, and packaging. Their spider-like nimbleness and flexibility make them ideal for handling delicate items and assembling quickly.
Industrial delta robots are typically constructed with three or four legs (jointed in the middle) connecting base to tooling plate. Motors are either located in the base, or, as with the FANUC M-3iA spider robot, incorporated into each leg. Both designs allow the legs to move with exceptional speed and dexterity. Spider robots operate within a dome-shaped work envelope. They also offer installation flexibility and space-efficiency.
FANUC Spider Robots:
FANUC's parallel-link spider robots include the M-1iA and M-3iA. Each model is available in two versions, one with four axes of movement, one with six. Six-axis FANUC spider robots have three base-mounted axes and three axes in the wrist.
The M-1iA model has a 0.5kg payload capacity, built-in iRVision, and a compact base that can mount virtually anywhere - ceiling, wall, and at an angle. The four-axis version boasts a single axis wrist capable of rotating 3000 degrees each second.
When it came to the M-3iA, FANUC sought to improve upon the traditional motor placement in the base. Small servomotors are tucked neatly into each leg, each connected to individual drive shafts, which connect to universal joints in the plate. The result is increased flexibility and speed. This particular spider robot can maneuver objects as fast as 2,000 degrees a second!
Adept Quattro: Adept Technology's four-legged Delta robot, the Adept Quattro s650H, provides exceptional speed and dexterity. It is also available in a food-safe USDA certified version, the Quattro s650HS.
ABB Flexpicker: ABB's parallel-link robot, the Flexpicker IRB 360 has three legs. There are four different Flexpicker models: compact, standard, high-payload, and long reach. Cleanroom and food-safe stainless steel versions are also available.
Interested in learning more about Delta robots? Contact RobotWorx at 740-251-4312.
