Industrial robots are being used more and more widely, and even the general public is becoming increasingly familiar with them. However, for most people, their understanding of industrial robots is largely at the level of sensory perception, and they may not fully understand the related technologies. Therefore, this article will introduce seven key technologies of industrial robots. If you are interested in industrial robots, please continue reading.
Technical parameters are a direct manifestation of the differences between different industrial robots. Different robots have different technical parameters, which correspond to their different application ranges. Industrial robots are high-precision modern mechanical equipment with numerous parameters. When selecting industrial robots, companies should pay attention to the following 7 key parameters.
1. Degrees of freedom
Degrees of freedom (DOF) can be explained by the number of axes a robot has. The more axes a robot has, the more degrees of freedom it possesses, resulting in greater flexibility and versatility in its mechanical structure. However, increased DDF makes the robotic arm structure more complex and reduces the robot's rigidity. When the number of DDFs on a robotic arm exceeds the number required to complete the task, the extra DDFs can provide the robot with some obstacle avoidance capabilities. Currently, most robots have 3 to 6 DDFs, which can be selected based on the complexity of the actual task and the obstacles encountered.
2. Driving method
The drive method mainly refers to the power source of the joint actuator, which generally includes hydraulic drive, pneumatic drive, and electric drive. Different drive methods have their own advantages and characteristics, and the choice should be made according to the actual work requirements. Currently, electric drive is more commonly used. The main advantage of hydraulic drive is that it can output a large driving force with a small actuator, but the disadvantage is that oil is prone to leakage, polluting the environment . The main advantage of pneumatic drive is that it has a good buffering effect and can achieve stepless speed regulation, but the disadvantage is that it is noisy . The advantages of electric drive are high driving efficiency, ease of use, and low cost.
3. Control Method
The control method of a robot, also known as the control axis method, is mainly used to control the robot's motion trajectory. Generally, there are two control methods: servo control and non-servo control. Servo control can be further subdivided into continuous trajectory control and point-to-point control. Compared with non-servo control robots, servo control robots have a larger memory storage space, can store more point addresses, and can make the operation process more complex and stable.
4. Working speed
Operating speed refers to the angle of rotation or the distance traveled by the center of the mechanical interface or the center of the tool per unit time during uniform motion under a reasonable workload. Simply put, the higher the maximum operating speed, the higher the work efficiency. However, higher operating speeds require more time to accelerate or decelerate, or place higher demands on the maximum acceleration or deceleration rate of the industrial robot.
5. Workspace
The workspace refers to the maximum spatial range within which the origin of the end effector's coordinate system can move when the robot is operating normally; in other words, it is the volume of space occupied by all points that the end effector can reach. The size of the workspace is related not only to the dimensions of the robot's links but also to the robot's overall structural form. The shape and size of the workspace are crucial, as a robot may be unable to complete a task due to blind zones that the end effector cannot reach.
6. Working load
The workload is the maximum load that the robot's wrist can withstand while operating within its specified performance range. Workload depends not only on the mass of the load but also on the robot's speed and the magnitude and direction of its acceleration. For safety, the workload specification is defined as the load-bearing capacity during high-speed operation. Typically, workload refers not only to the mass of the load but also to the mass of the robot's end effector.
7. Working accuracy, repeatability, and resolution
In simple terms, a robot's working accuracy refers to the error it produces each time it positions itself; repeatability is the average error produced when the robot repeatedly positions itself; and resolution refers to the minimum distance of movement or the minimum angle of rotation that each axis of the robot can achieve. These three parameters work together to determine the robot's working accuracy.
