Robot Basics

An industrial robot is a programmable, multi-function manipulator designed to automate tasks such as welding or the movement of materials through variable programmed motions. Robots are capable of performing a wide variety of tasks and are an integral part of automated manufacturing systems.

Industrial robots consist of a number of rigid links connected by joints and controlled by a computer. The link assembly, or robot arm, is connected to a body that is mounted onto a base. A wrist attached to the robot arm uses an end effector to facilitate gripping or handling. The complete motion of the end effector is accomplished through a series of motions and positions of the links, joints, and wrist.

Types of Industrial Robots
There are four basic configurations commercially available in industrial robots:

• Cartesian - These are also called a rectilinear or gantry robots. The links are connected by linear joints.
• Cylindrical - The robot has one rotary joint at the base and linear joints to connect the links. They have a cylindrical-shaped work envelope.
• Polar - The arm is connected to the base with a twisting joint and a combination of rotary and linear joints. They have a spherical-shaped work envelope.
• Jointed-Arm - This is a combination of the cylindrical and articulated configurations. The arm is connected to the base with a twisting joint. The links in the arm are connected by rotary joints.

The axes of movement that a robot has are referred to as degrees of freedom. Typical industrial robots feature a 6-axis configuration, or six degrees of freedom.

Typical Robot Applications
Many factors determine which robot is best suited for a specific application.These include the axes of movement, type of drive, end effector, work envelope, axis speed, load capability (payload), working environment sensitivity, and structural rigidity. Each application demands a performance capability that matches the task. Typical applications include:

• Spot and arc welding
• Pick and place activities
• Clamping for machining
• Transfer and manipulation of parts

RobotWorx is an industrial robot integrator. Robot integrators specialize in customizing robot workcells and programming the robots for specific tasks or applications. Robots can be programmed for a wide variety of applications and can increase productivity, reduce labor costs, and increase quality of output.

Why choose a robot for your application? A robot can work 24 hours a day without worries or fatigue. The consistent output of a robotic system along with quality and repeatability are unmatched. For help selecting an industrial robot, use our robot advisor or contact a sales associate at 740-383-8383.