Fundamentals of Industrial Robotics: Robot Anatomy, Robot configurations: Polar,

Cartesian, Cylindrical, and Jointed Arm, Robot motions, Robot joints, 3-dgree of freedom of

robot arm, Joint notation scheme, Work Volume, Robot Drive Systems, Control Systems.

Robot control system: Commercially available robot controls, Speed of response and

stability, Precision of Movement: Spatial resolution, Accuracy, Repeatability, Compliance.

Definition for Robot: The Robot Institute of America (1969) defines robot as a re-
programmable, multifunctional manipulator designed to move materials, parts, tools or
specialized devices through various programmed motions for the performance of a variety
of tasks.

A robot is a mechanical apparatus designed to do the work of a human. Its components are
usually electromechanical and dare guided by a computer program or electronic circuity.

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 TYPES OF ROBOTS

1. Mobile Robots : These are capable of moving around and are not fixed to one physical location.
2. Industrial Robots : These are used in Industrial manufacturing environment. Ex: welding, material handling,
painting etc.
3. Domestic or House Hold Robots: Robots used at Home such as robot vacuum cleaner, robotic pool cleaner
and sweeper.
4. Medical Robots: Robots used in medicine and medical institutions. Ex : Surgery Robots .
5. Service Robots : These are the robots used for research activates.
6. Military Robots : These are used in military application. Ex: Bomb detection and disposal

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 ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ROBOTS:

1. Sensing : The robot should be capable of sensing its surrounding with the help of
sensors. Ex: Light Sensors, Touch Sensors, etc
2. Movement: A robot should be able to move around its environment either by walking,
rolling or skating.
3. Energy: A robot needs to generate power itself which is dependent on several power
resources. Ex: Batteries, power generators or fuels.
4. Intelligence: A robot should be intelliegent and smart.

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 COMPONENTS OF A ROBOT:

1. Mechanical platforms or hardware base is a mechanical device, such as a wheeled platform, arm, fixed frame
or other construction, capable of interacting with its environment and any other mechanism involve with his
capabilities and uses.
2. Sensors systems is a special feature that rest on or around the robot. This device would be able to provide
judgment to the controller with relevant information about the environment and give useful feedback to the
robot.
3. Joints provide more versatility to the robot itself and are not just a point that connects two links or parts that
can flex, rotate, revolve and translate. Joints play a very crucial role in the ability of the robot to move in
different directions providing more degree of freedom.
4. Controller functions as the "brain" of the robot. Robots today have controllers that are run by programs - sets
of instructions written in code. In other words, it is a computer used to command the robot memory and logic.
So it, be able to work independently and automatically.
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 COMPONENTS OF A ROBOT: CONTINUATION

5. Power Source is the main source of energy to fulfill all the robots needs. It could be a source of direct current
as a battery, or alternate current from a power plant, solar energy, hydraulics or gas.
6. Artificial intelligence represents the ability of computers to "think" in ways similar to human beings. Present
day "AI" does allow machines to mimic certain simple human thought processes, but cannot begin to match the
quickness and complexity of the brain. On the other hand, not all robots possess this type of capability. It
requires a lot of programming and sophisticates controllers and sensorial ability of the robot to reach this level.
7. Actuators: These are the muscles of robot. An actuator is a mechanism for activating process control
equipment by the use of pneumatic, hydraulic or electronic signals. There are several types of actuators in
robotic arms namely synchronous actuator – brush and brushless DC servo, stepper motor and asynchronous
actuator – AC servo motor, traction motor, pneumatic, hydraulic.

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 CLASSIFICATION OF ROBOTS:

The ways of classifying a robot as follows

1) According to the structural capability of robot – i) mobile or ii) fixed robot.
(i) Mobile robot: A mobile robot is an automatic machine that is capable of locomotion. . Example: spying robot.
Mobile robots have the capability to move around in their environment and are not fixed to one physical location. Mobile
robots can be "autonomous" (AMR - autonomous mobile robot) which means they are capable of navigating an uncontrolled
environment without the need for physical or electro-mechanical guidance devices. Alternatively, mobile robots can rely on
guidance devices that allow them to travel a pre-defined navigation route in relatively controlled space (AGV - autonomous
guided vehicle). By contrast, industrial robots are usually more-or-less stationary, consisting of a jointed arm (multi-linked
manipulator) and gripper assembly (or end effector), attached to a fixed surface .
(ii) Fixed Robot: Most industrial robots are fixed with the base but the arms are moving.

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 CLASSIFICATION OF ROBOTS: CONTINUATION
2) According to the control
To perform as per the program instructions, the joint movements an industrial robot must accurately be controlled. Micro-
processor-based controllers are used to control the robots. Different types of control that are being used in robotics are given as
follows.

Limited Sequence Control: Playback with Point-to- Playback with Intelligent Control
Point Control continuous Path Control An intelligent robot exhibits
It is an elementary control type. It is Playback control uses a controller behavior that makes it seems
used for simple motion cycles, such Continuous path control refers to to be intelligent.
with memory to record motion
as pick-and- place operations. It is a control system capable of For example, it may have
sequences in a work cycle, as well
implemented by fixing limits or continuous simultaneous control capacity to interact with its
as associated locations and other
mechanical stops for each joint and of two or more axes. The ambient surroundings;
parameters, and then plays back
sequencing the movement of joints following advantages are noted decision -making capability;
the work cycle during program
to accomplish operation. Feedback with this type of playback ability to communicate with
execution. Point-to-point control
loops may be used to inform the control: greater storage capacity humans; ability to carry out
means individual robot positions
controller that the action has been —the number of locations that computational analysis during
are recorded in the memory. These
performed, so that the program can can be stored is greater than in the work cycle; and
positions include both mechanical
move to the next step. Precision of point-to-point; and interpolation responsiveness to advanced
stops for each joint, and the set of
such control system is less. It is calculations may be used, sensor inputs. They may also
values that represent locations in
generally used in pneumatically especially linear and circular possess the playback
the range of each joint. Feedback
driven robots. S R S Acharya interpolations. facilities. 8
control are provided.
 ROBOT JOINTS
Robot joints are the movable parts of a robot that allow relative motion
between adjacent links. The links are the rigid components that connect
the joints. Here are some different types of robot joints:

a) Linear joint (type L joint)

The relative movement between the input link and the output link is a
. translational sliding motion, with the axes of the two links being parallel.
b) Orthogonal joint (type U joint)
This is also a translational sliding motion, but the input and output links
are perpendicular toeach other during the movement.
c) Rotational joint (type R joint)
This type provides rotational relative motion, with the axis of rotation
perpendicular to the axesof the input and output links.
d) Twisting joint (type T joint)
This joint also involves rotary motion, but the axis or rotation is parallel
to the axes of the two links.
e) Revolving joint (type V-joint, V from the “v” in revolving)
In this type, axis of input link is parallel to the axis of rotation of the
joint. However the axis of the output link is perpendicular to the axis of
rotation.

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ROBOT JOINTS

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 ROBOT ANATOMY
 The body of a robot moves in some 2D or 3D space, by means of applying forces to the robot's own body or its
environment. The body can have a wide range of forms, ranging from a ground vehicle with wheels to a complex
humanoid robot. Most robots are usually made of metal or some other rigid material, where rigid sections known
as links are connected by movable joints at their articulation points.
Link : A rigid component of a robot, often attached to other links via joints.
Joint : An articulation point between two robot link.

 The manipulator of an industrial robot consists of a series of joints and

links.
 Robot anatomy deals with the study of different joints and links and
other aspects of the manipulator's physical construction.

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Figure 1.1: ROBOT ANATOMY
 ROBOT ANATOMY: CONTINUATION

 A robotic joint provides relative motion between two links of the robot. Each joint, or axis, provides a
certain Degree of Freedom (DoF) of motion.
 In most of the cases, only one DoF is associated with each joint. Therefore the robot's complexity can be
classified according to the total number of degrees of freedom they possess.
 Each joint is connected to two links, an input link and an output link.
 Joint provides controlled relative movement between the input link and output link.
 A robotic link is the rigid component of the robot manipulator. Most of the robots are mounted upon a
stationary base, such as the floor. From this base, a joint-link numbering scheme may be recognized as
shown in Figure 1.1.

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 ROBOTIC ARM CONFIGURATIONS:

Based on the coordinate system of motion of the manipulator and end effectors, there are four basic
configurations of robots:
1) Cartesian Configuration Robots (LOO)
2) Cylindrical Configuration Robots (TLO)
3) Polar (Spherical) Configuration Robots (TRL)
4) Jointed-Arm (Articulated) Configuration Robots
i) Revolute Robots (TRR)
ii) SCARA Robots (VRO)

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 1. CARTESIAN COORDINATE ARM CONFIGURATION (LOO):

1. Cartesian coordinate or rectangular coordinate configuration is constructed by three

perpendicular slides, giving only linear motions along the three principal axes X,Y and
Z axis. However, there is no rotary motion
2. It consists of three prismatic joints. The end points of the arm are capable of operating
in a cuboidal space. Cartesian arm gives high precision and is easy to program.
3. Configuration provides rectangular work envelope
Drawbacks:
 Limited manipulability
 Low dexterity (not able to move quickly and easily)
Applications:
 Used to lift and move heavy loads.
 Used for assembly, palletizing and machine tool loading.

Students are advised to write

this sketch in the examination
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 2. CYLINDRICAL COORDINATE ARM CONFIGURATION (TLO):

1. The cylindrical configuration uses two perpendicular prismatic joints and a revolute joint.
2. This configuration uses a vertical column and a slide that can be moved up or down along
the column. The robot arm is attached to the slide, so that it can be moved radially with
respect to column. By rotating the column, the robot is capable of achieving a workspace
that approximates a cylinder. The cylindrical configuration offers good mechanical stiffness.
3. Provides two linear and one rotary motions.
Applications:
 Suitable to access narrow horizontal capabilities,
hence used for machine loading operations.
 Used for loading and unloading on machine tools.
Drawback:
 Accuracy decreases as the horizontal stroke increases.

Students are advised to write

this sketch in the examination
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 3. POLAR COORDINATE ARM CONFIGURATION (TRL):
1. The polar arm configuration is shown in the figure.
2. It consists of a prismatic joint that can be raised or lowered about a horizontal revolute
joint.
3. The two links are mounted on a rotating base. These various joints provide the capability
of moving the arm endpoint within a partial spherical space. Therefore it is called as
spherical coordinated configuration.
4. This configuration allows manipulation of objects on the floor.
5. Provides one linear and two rotary motions.
6. Configuration provides spherical work envelope.
Advantages:
 Low mechanical stiffness
 Complex construction
 Position accuracy decreases with the increasing radial stroke. Students are advised to write
this sketch in the examination
Applications: Machining, spray painting, spot welding and
manipulation (Handling) of heavy loads. S R S Acharya 16
4. Jointed arm configuration (TRR) or Articulated configuration:
1. Figure shows the jointed arm configurations are similar to that of
human arm.
2. It consists of two straight links, corresponding to human fore arm
and upper arm with two rotary joint corresponding to the elbow
and shoulder joints.
3. These two are mounted on a vertical rotary table corresponding to
human waist joint.
4. The work volume is spherical. This structure is the most
dexterous one. This configuration is very widely used. ..

Applications:
 Arc welding,
 Spray coating.

Example:
 Revolute robots (TRR)
 SCARA robots.
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 (i) REVOLUTE ROBOTS (TRR)

Provides three rotary motions about three mutually perpendicular axes.

▪ Configuration is similar to that of human arm.
▪ Consists of two straight links, corresponding to the human forearm
and upper arm, connected by a rotary joint.
▪ Provides spherical work envelope, has excellent work areas to floor
area ratio.
▪ Used to spray painting, seam welding, spot welding, assembly, heavy
material handling, etc

Students are advised to write this

sketch in the examination
S R S Acharya 18
 SCARA robots : (Selective compliance Assembly Robot Arm) (VRO)

 It is similar in construction to the jointed-arm robot, except the shoulder and elbow
rotational axes are vertical. It means that the arm is very rigid in the vertical
direction, but compliant in the horizontal direction.
 Provides one linear and two rotary motions.
 Provides cylindrical work envelope with high speed drive motors.
 Used for assembly operations.
 The SCARA body-and-arm configuration typically does not use a separate wrist
assembly.

Students are advised to write

this sketch in the examination
S R S Acharya 19
CONFIGURATION OF ROBOTS: SUMMARY

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 ROBOT MOVEMENTS

Robot Wrist:
Wrist assembly is attached to end-of-arm. End effectors are attached to wrist assembly Functionof wrist assembly is to
orient end effectors. Body-and-arm determines global position of end effector It has three degrees of freedom:
 Roll (R) axis – involves rotation of the wrist mechanism about the arm axis.

 Pitch (P) axis – involves up or down rotation of the wrist.

 Yaw (Y)axis - involves right or left rotation of the wrist.

Robot wrist assembly generally consists of either two or three degrees of freedom. The roll joint is accomplished by use of a
T joint; the pitch joint is achieved by recourse to an R joint; and the yaw joint, a right-and-left motion, is gained by
deploying a second R joint. Care should be taken to avoid confusing pitch and yaw motions, as both utilize R joints.

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 ROBOT MOTION:
1. LINEAR MOTION:
Robot motion refers to the physical motion and
This is one of the most basic ways a robot can move, similar to a train on
mobility of robots. The way a robot moves depends
a track:
on its configuration and joints. The major types of
•Straight-line glide: The robot smoothly travels along a single axis,
motion are:
perfect for transporting materials or tools in a straight line.
1. Linear
•Extension and retraction: In some robots, the arm segments extend and
2. Rotational
retract to reach different points along the path, like a telescope adjusting
3. Cartesian
its focus.
4. Cylindrical
‍2. ROTATIONAL MOTION:
5. Spherical
These are the motion which are similar to human shoulders, elbows, and
6. Articulated
wrists, that rotate to enable flexible and controlled movement.
7. Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm
Example: Similar to a spinning top. Some robots have a rotating base,
(SCARA)
allowing a complete 360-degree turn of their entire arm.
8. Delta •Precise maneuvering: This motion type allows for super-intricate tasks
‍‍
like assembly,
S R S Acharya
product handling, and packaging, where accuracy22is key.
 ROBOT MOTION: CONTINUATION

3. CARTESIAN MOTION:
These are Grid-like movement which moves along three perpendicular axes (X, Y, and Z), covering a large work area
much like a 3D printer or a robotic arm on an assembly line.
•High accuracy: These robots have very precise movements and rigid structures, which makes them perfect for tasks that
demand high levels of accuracy, like welding and assembly.
•Defined workspace: Cartesian robots typically have a fixed base, so their movement is limited to their predefined work
area.
4. CYLINDRICAL MOTION:
This motion consists of Vertical lift and horizontal rotation: The robot has a vertical column for lift and a rotating arm to
move around the column, creating a helical path.
•Curvy moves: This design is perfect for tasks that involve curved surfaces or require the robot to follow a circular path,
like wrapping or painting cylindrical objects.
‍

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 ROBOT MOTION: CONTINUATION
5. SPHERICAL MOTION: 6. ARTICULATED MOTION:
This type of motion is similar to ball-and-socket joint Mimicking the movement of a human arm, articulated

of human shoulder. motion enables robots to bend, twist, and extend their

•Three-axis rotation: Three rotational joints intersect at arms with multiple joints:
•Multiple rotary joints: Typically featuring four to six
a single point, allowing the robot to move its end
rotary joints, these robots have a wide range of motion and
effector in any direction.
flexibility.
•Unrestricted movement: This type of motion offers
•Human-like skill levels: These robots can perform
an incredible range of movement, similar to a human complex tasks requiring pinpoint movements, like picking
shoulder joint. and placing delicate objects.
•Complex tasks made easy: With spherical motion, •Super versatile: Articulated robots are popular in a wide

robots can effortlessly handle intricate assemblies or range of industries from manufacturing to healthcare, for

navigate obstacles. jobs like assembly, welding, painting, and more.

•Precision control: Getting the desired movement

S R S Acharya 24
requires precise coordination of the rotational joints.
 ROBOT MOTION: CONTINUATION
7. SCARA MOTION:
8. DELTA ROBOT MOTION:

These are known for their rapid and precise

These parallel robots are known for their speed and agility.
movements:
Unique features of delta robot motion are:
•Two rotational joints: SCARA robots have two
•Three arms, one base: Delta robots have three arms
rotational joints that allow for quick and precise
connected to a common base, allowing for rapid and precise
movements in a horizontal plane.
movements.
•The speedsters: They excel at tasks that require high
•Lightning-fast pick and place: They are the go-to choice for
speed and accuracy, such as electronics assembly,
high-speed pick-and-place operations, such as packaging and
pharmaceuticals, and medical applications.
sorting.‍
•Wide reach: With their extended arms and rotational
•Parallel design for precision: The parallel structure of the
joints, SCARA robots can cover a large work area,
arms nearly guarantees constant accuracy and stability, even at
which makes them a good fit for a wide range of tasks
high speeds.
like assembly, picking and placing, etc.
‍ S R S Acharya 25
.
 FACTORS THAT AFFECT ROBOT MOTION
 The major factors influencing how a robot moves are its joint types and degrees of freedom.
 Robot joints, like elbows and shoulders, can rotate, slide, or both.
 Robot joints that can only rotate, known as revolute joints, provide rotational motion. Prismatic joints, on the other hand, can
only slide to enable linear movement. Some robots have hybrid joints that combine rotation and sliding for added flexibility.
 A robot’s degrees of freedom refers to the number of directions in which it can move.
 The more degrees of freedom, the more complex the motion. Industrial robots typically have 4 to 6 degrees of freedom, with
3 positions (x, y, z) and 3 orientations (roll, pitch, yaw).

 Other factors impacting a robot’s movement include:

a. The kinematic structure is how its joints and links are arranged. Serial kinematic chains have a straightforward
arrangement, while parallel structures, like Delta robots, enable fast, dexterous motion.
b. The actuators are the mechanisms driving its joints, such as electric motors or hydraulic actuators. More powerful
actuators allow for higher speeds, larger payloads, and higher precision.
c. The control system includes the hardware and software coordinating its motion.
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 DEGREE OF FREEDOM:

In mechanics, the Degree of Freedom (DOF) of a mechanical system is the number of independent parameters that define its
configuration. It is the number of parameters that determine the state of a physical system and is important to the analysis of
systems of bodies in mechanical engineering, aeronautical engineering, robotics, and structural engineering.
The position and orientation of a rigid body in space is defined by three components of translation and three components of
rotation which means that it has six degrees of freedom.

Example : Six degrees of freedom of movement of a ship

The motion of a ship at sea has the six degrees of freedom and is shown in figure.

Translation: (03)
1. Moving up and down (heaving);
2. Moving left and right (swaying);
3. Moving forward and backward (surging);

Rotation: (03)
4. Tilts forward and backward (pitching);
5. Swivels left and right (yawing);
6. Pivots side to side (rolling). S R S Acharya 27
 ROBOT WORK VOLUME

 A space on which a robot can move and operate its wrist end is called as a work volume. It is also referred as
the work envelope and work space.
 For developing a better work volume, some of the physical characteristics of a robot should be considered
such as:
 The anatomy of various robots.
 The maximum value for moving a robot joint .
 The size of the robot components like wrist, arm, and body

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 CONTROL SYSTEMS

A robot control system (RCS) is a computer program that manages the movement and actions of a robot. It's a combination
of hardware and software that allows a robot to perceive its environment, make decisions, and perform tasks.

RCS’s are made up of three main parts:

•Controller - Receives input from the user and sensors, and then commands the robot's movements
•Actuator - Uses motors, pistons, and wheels to create the robot's mechanical movements
•Feedback control system - Runs through a computer program to help the controller command the robot's movements

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 CONTROL SYSTEMS- TYPES

1. Open Loop Control System

In this kind of control system, the output doesn’t change the action of the control system otherwise; the working of the system
which depends on time is also called the open-loop control system. It doesn’t have any feedback. It is very simple, needs low
maintenance, quick operation, and cost-effective. The accuracy of this system is low and less dependable. The example of the
open-loop type is shown below. The main advantages of the open-loop control system are easy, needs less protection; operation
of this system is fast & inexpensive and the disadvantages are, it is reliable and has less accuracy.

Example
The clothes dryer is one of the examples of the open-loop control system. In this, the control action can be done physically
through the operator. Based on the clothing’s wetness, the operator will fix the timer to 30 minutes. So after that, the timer will
discontinue even after the machine clothes are wet. The dryer in the machine will stop functioning even if the preferred output
is not attained. This displays that the control system doesn’t Sfeedback.
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In this system, the controller of the system is the 30
timer.
 2. Closed Loop Control System
The closed-loop control system can be defined as the output of the system that depends on the input of the system. This
control system has one or more feedback loops among its input & output. This system provides the required output by
evaluating its input. This kind of system produces the error signal and it is the main disparity between the output and input
of the system.

The main advantages of the closed-loop control system are accurate, expensive, reliable, and requires high maintenance.
Example
The best example of the closed-loop control system is AC or air conditioner. The AC controls the temperature by evaluating it
with the nearby temperature. The evaluation of temperature can be done through the thermostat. Once the air conditioner gives
the error signal is the main difference between the room and the surrounding temperature. So the thermostat will control the
compressor. These systems are accurate, expensive, reliable,S Rand
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requires high maintenance. 31
 JOINT NOTATION SCHEME

A robot joint is a mechanism that permits relative movement between parts of a robot arm. The joints of a robot
are designed to enable the robot to move its end-effector along a path from one position to another as desired.

The basic movements required for a desired motion of most industrial robots are:
 Rotational movement: This enables the robot to place its arm in any direction on a horizontal plane.
 Radial movement: This enables the robot to move its end-effector radially to reach distant points.
 Vertical movement: This enables the robot to take its end-effector to different heights.

These degrees of freedom, independently or in combination with others, define the complete motion of the end-
effectors. These motions are accomplished by movements of individual joints of the robot arm. The joint
movements are basically the same as relative motion of adjoining links. Depending on the nature of this relative
motion, the joints are classified as prismatic or revolute.

S R S Acharya 32
 JOINT NOTATION SCHEME: CONTINUATION
Prismatic joints are also known as sliding as well as linear joints. They are called prismatic because the cross section
of the joint is considered as a generalized prism. They permit links to move in a linear relationship. Revolute joints permit only
angular motion between links. Their variations include:
 Rotational joint (R)
 Twisting joint (T)
 Revolving joint (V)
In a prismatic joint, also known as a sliding or linear joint (L), the links are generally parallel to one another. In some cases,
adjoining links are perpendicular but one link slides at the end of the other link..

The joint motion is defined by sliding or translational movements of the links. The orientation of the links
remains the same after the joint movement, but the lengths of the links are altered.

 A rotational joint (R) is identified by its motion, rotation about an axis perpendicular to the adjoining links.
Here, the lengths of adjoining links do not change but the relative position of the links with respect to one
another changes as the rotation takes place.
 A twisting joint (T) is also a rotational joint, where the rotation takes place about an axis that is parallel to both
adjoining links.
 A revolving joint (V) is another rotational joint, where the rotation takes place about an axis that is parallel to
one of the adjoining links. Usually, the links are aligned perpendicular to one another at this kind of joint. The
rotation involves revolution of one link about another.
S R S Acharya 33
 ROBOT DRIVE SYSTEMS
 Robot drive systems are the mechanisms that power and control the movement of a robot. A robot will require a drive
system for moving their arm, wrist, and body. The joints are moved by actuators powered by a particular form of drive
system. A drive system can also be used to determine the capacity of a robot. They consist of a number of subsystems,
including:
 Motors: The actuator that converts power into motion
 Electronics: Part of the drive system's complex subsystems
 Gears: Part of the drive system's complex subsystems
 Encoders: Part of the drive system's complex subsystems
 Seals: Part of the drive system's complex subsystems
 Lubrication: Part of the drive system's complex subsystem

There are three different types of drive systems available. They are
 Hydraulic drive system
 Pneumatic drive system
 Electric drive system S R S Acharya 34
ROBOT DRIVE SYSTEMS : HYDRAULIC DRIVE SYSTEMS

S R S Acharya 35
 ROBOT DRIVE SYSTEMS : HYDRAULIC DRIVE SYSTEMS

FEATURES OF HYDRAULIC DRIVE SYSTEM COMPONENTS OF HYDRAULIC DRIVE SYSTEM

S R S Acharya 36
ROBOT DRIVE SYSTEMS : PNEUMATIC DRIVE SYSTEMS

S R S Acharya 37
 ROBOT DRIVE SYSTEMS : PNEUMATIC DRIVE SYSTEMS
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HYDRAULIC AND
OF PNEUMATIC DRIVE SYSTEM PNEUMATIC DRIVE SYSTEM

S R S Acharya 38
ROBOT DRIVE SYSTEMS : ELECTRIC DRIVE SYSTEMS

S R S Acharya 39
 ROBOT DRIVE SYSTEMS : ELECTRIC DRIVE SYSTEMS
COMPONENTS OF ELECTRIC DRIVE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF
SYSTEMS ELECTRIC DRIVE SYSTEMS

S R S Acharya 40
 ROBOT CONTROL SYSTEM

 In order to operate, a robot must have a means of controlling its drive systems to properly regulate its motions.
 The actuations of the individual joints must be controlled in a coordinated fashion for the manipulator to
perform a desired motion cycle.
 Microprocessor based controllers are commonly used today in robotics as the control system hardware.
 Different types of robot control are required for different applications.
 Robot controllers can be classified into four categories:
1. Limited sequence control
2. Playback robots with point-to-point control
3. Playback robots with continuous path control
4. Intelligent control.

S R S Acharya 41
 1. LIMITED SEQUENE CONTROL 2. PLAYBACK ROBOTS WITH POINT-TO-POINT CONTROL

 Limited sequence robots do not use servo controlled to

 Playback with Point to Point Control, Playback robots represent a
inclined relative positions of the joints; instead they are
more-sophisticated form of control than limited sequence robots.
controlled by setting limit switches & are mechanical stops.
 Playback control means that the controller has a memory to record
 There is generally no feedback associated with a limited
the sequence of motions in a given work cycle as well as the
sequence robot to indicate that the desired position, has been
locations and other parameters (such as speed) associated with
achieved generally thin type of robots involves simple
motion as pick & place operations. each motion and then to subsequently play back the work cycle

 This is the most elementary control type. It can be utilized during execution of the program. It is this playback feature that

only for simple motion cycles, such as pick-and-place gives the control type its name.
operations [i.e., picking an object up at one location and  In point-to-point (PTP) control, individual positions of the robot
placing it at another location). arm are recorded into memory. These positions are not limited to
 It is usually implemented by setting limits or mechanical mechanical stops for each joint as in limited sequence robots.
stops for each joint and sequencing the actuation of the Instead. each position in the robot program consists of a set of
joints. values representing locations in the range of each joint of the
manipulator.
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 [Link] ROBOTS WITH CONTINOUS PATH CONTROL

Continuous path robots have the same playback capability as the previous type. A playback robot
with continuous path control is capable of one or both of the following:
Cremer Storage Capacity. The controller has a far greater storage capacity than its point-to-point
counterpart, so that the number of locations that can be recorded into memory is far greater than for
point=to-point. Thus, the points constituting the motion cycle can be spaced very closely together
to permit the robot to accomplish a smooth continuous motion. In PTP. only the final location of
the individual motion elements arc controlled. so the path taken by the arm to reach the final
location is not controlled. In a continuous path motion, the movement of the arm and wrist is
controlled during the motion.
Interpolation Calculation. The controller computers the path between the starting point and the
ending point of each move using interpolation routines similar to those used in Numerical
Controlled (NC) robots. These routines generally include linear and circular interpolation.
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 [Link] ROBOTS
Industrial robots are becoming increasingly intelligent. In this context. an intelligent robot is one that exhibits behavior
that makes it seem intelligent. Some of the characteristics that make a robot appear intelligent include the capacity to:
 Interact with its environment
 Make decisions when things go wrong during the work cycle
 Communicate with humans
 Make computations during the motion cycle
 Respond to advanced sensor inputs such as machine vision

In addition to these, robots with intelligent control possess playback capability for both PTP or continuous path control.
These features requires
1. a relatively high level of computer control
2. an advanced programming language to input the decision-making logic and other "intelligence" into
memory.
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 SPEED OF RESPONSE AND STABILITY
 Speed of response and stability are two important characteristics of dynamic performance related to control systems
design. The speed of response refers to the capability of the robot to move to the next position in a short amount of time.
This response time is related to the robot's motion speed.

 It is also a function of the control system.

 In robotics, stability is generally defined as a measure of the oscillations which occur in the arm during movement from
one position to the next. A robot with good stability will exhibit little or no oscillations either during or at the termination
of the arm movement. Poor stability would be indicated by a large amount of oscillation. It is generally desirable in
control systems design for the system to have good stability and a fast response time.

 The stability of a robot can be controlled to a certain extent by in- corporating damping elements into the robot's design. A
high level of damping will increase the robot's stability (reduce its tendency toward oscillation).

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 PRECISION OF MOVEMENT
Precision of movement (or) parameters of robot:- The response speed and stability is concerned with the dynamic
performance of the robot. Another measure of performance is precision of the robot's movement.

The precision is defined as a function of three features:

 Spatial resolution
 Accuracy
 Repeatability
These terms will be defined with the following assumptions.

1) The definitions will apply at the robot’s wrist end with no hand attached to the wrist.
2) The terms apply to the worst case conditions, the conditions under which the robot's precision will be at its wont. This
generally means that the robot’s arm is fully extended in the case of a jointed arm or polar configurable.
3) Third, our definitions will he developed in the context of a point-to-point robot.

Spatial resolution:- The spatial resolution of a robot is the smallest increment of movement into which the robot can divide its
work volume. Spatial resolution depends on two factors: the system's control resolution and the robot's mechanical inaccuracies.
It is easiest to conceptualize these factors in terms of a robot Swith
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1 degree of freedom. 46
 PRECISION OF MOVEMENT : CONTINUED

2. Accuracy:- Accuracy refers to a robot's ability to position its wrist end at a desired target point within the work volume.
The accuracy of a robot can be denned in terms of spatial resolution because the ability to achieve a given target point depends
on how closely the robot can define the control increments for each of its joint motions.

3. Repeatability:- Repeatability is concerned with the robot's ability to position its wrist or an end effector attached to its wrist
at a point in space is known as repeatability. Repeatability and accuracy refer to two different aspects of the robot’s precision.
Accuracy relates to the robot's capacity to be programmed to achieve a given target point. The actual programmed point will
probably be different from the target point due to limitations of control resolution Repeatability refers to the robot’s ability to
return to the programmed point when commanded to do so.

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 COMPLIANCE
Compliance : In robotics, compliance refers to the relationship between a robot's motion and forces and the
assembled part. It can also refer to the flexibility and suppleness of a robot. Compliance can be achieved in two
ways: active compliance and passive compliance. A robot with compliance at its end‐effector can effectively
accommodate the end‐effector motion associated with the external forces or moments. For tasks like window‐
wiping, where position and force control are both needed, the compliance at the end‐effector of a robot is
obviously an essential requirement
•Active compliance
This type of compliance can theoretically meet many application requirements. However, passive compliance
is still important because active compliance has a relatively slow dynamic response.
•Passive compliance
A minimum amount of passive compliance is required before active compliance can take effect

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Module 1 ends here …!!!

Thank you

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