What is an Industrial Robot

An industrial robot is a robot system used for manufacturing. Industrial robots are automated, programmable and capable of movement on three or more axis. Typical applications of robots include welding, painting, assembly, disassembly, pick and place for printed circuit boards, packaging and labeling, palletizing, product inspection, and testing; all accomplished with high endurance, speed, and precision. They can assist in material handling. In the year 2015, an estimated 1.64 million industrial robots were in operation worldwide according to IFR On basis of their movement these robots are categorized into two categories:

• Fixed Arm Robot: These robots are mounted on a base in a single location near where it will perform its work. It is generally secured to a cement floor with heavy bolts or is mounted on a table or other work surface so that it cannot move. In some special applications, the robot arm can be movable. E.g.: it may be mounted on rails so that it can slide along a production line.
• Mobile Robot: A mobile robot is capable of moving around. Such robots are generally manipulator arms mounted on a small vehicle

Components of an Industrial Robot

Gripper

1. Controller
The controller is the "brain" of the industrial robotic arm and allows the parts of the robot to operate together. It works as a computer and allows the robot to also be connected to other system. It sends signals to the power source to move the robot arm to a specific position and to actuate the end effector. Many of today's industrial robot arms use an interface that resembles or is built on the Windows operating system.
2. Manipulator Arm
Industrial robot arms can vary in size and shape. The industrial robot arm is the part that positions the end effector. With the robot arm, the shoulder, elbow, and wrist move and twist to position the end effector in the exact right spot. Each of these joints gives the robot another degree of freedom. A simple robot with three degrees of freedom can move in three ways: up & down, left & right, and forward & backward.
3. End Effector
The end effector connects to the robot's arm and functions as a hand. This part comes in direct contact with the material the robot is manipulating. Some variations of an effector are a gripper, a vacuum pump, magnets, and welding torches.Gripper is the simplest end-effector with pincher-type assembly that simulates a thumb and one finger. This allows the robot to be able to pick up objects within a certain size limitation. More sophisticated assemblies use three or more “fingers” to provide added flexibility.
4. Drive or Actuator
The actuator or drive is also referred as the power source. This is the basic source of energy for moving the arm, controlling the joints, and operating the end effector. Industrial robot arms generally use one of the following types of drives: hydraulic, electric, or pneumatic.
• Hydraulic Drive:
A hydraulic drive is a method of providing movement to a robot manipulator. It uses a special hydraulic fluid, usually oil-based, to transfer forces to various joints and end effectors. Hydraulically driven manipulators are used when motions must be rapid, precise, and repeated numerous times. Hydraulic systems are also noted for the ability to impart considerable force, so they are good for applications involving heavy lifting or the application of large amounts of pressure or torque. In addition, hydraulically driven robot manipulators resist unwanted movement in the presence of external forces.
• Electric Drive:
These drives AC and DC motors that provide rotation or joint movement. These are used in combination with mechanical assemblies such as gears or pulleys to make the basic movements.
• Pneumatic Drive:
These actuators use the principle of Pneumatics (where pressurized air/gas) to create motion (or perform work). Pneumatic actuators can be used to produce both rotational motion and linear motion.
5. Sensors
Sensors allow the industrial robotic arm to receive feedback about its environment. They can give the robot a limited sense of sight and sound. The sensor collects information and sends it electronically to the robot controlled. One use of these sensors is to keep two robots that work closely together from bumping into each other. Sensors can also assist end effectors by adjusting for part variances. Following are main sensors used in Robots:



Sensors

• Vision Sensors:
Vision sensors allow a pick and place robot to differentiate between items to choose and items to ignore. Installing a camera that focuses on the workspace gives vision to robot.
• Hearing Sensors:
Robots having speech recognition and generation technology use hearing sensors. These robots collect sounds from environement then sound signals are converted into digit signals by an ADC. Then these binary digits are compared with with previously stored binary representations of words and phrases. When match occurs, recognition is achieved. Once recognition is achieved the robot executes the command.
• Strain Guage:
They provide pressure feedbacks installed generally on grippers. The controller program adjusts the actuation devices, either increasing or decreasing pressure according to the feedback from strain guage sensors.
• Touch Sensors:
Touch sense enables the robot to know when it has come into contact with the work piece. It gives robot the sense of knowing how much pressure is being applied to workspace by the arm or end effector.