Industrial robots are multi-jointed manipulators or multi-degree-of-freedom machines designed for industrial applications. They can perform tasks automatically, relying on their own power and control capabilities to achieve various functions. They can be commanded by humans or operate according to pre-programmed procedures. Modern industrial robots can also act according to principles established by artificial intelligence technology.
Robots are becoming increasingly intelligent and playing an increasingly important role in manufacturing enterprises. Advanced IT and automation technologies are driving innovation in manufacturing to achieve "intelligentization," improve efficiency, and reduce costs.
I. Application Scenarios of Industrial Robots
In just over 50 years, robotics technology has developed rapidly. Among many manufacturing sectors, the most widespread application of industrial robots is in the automotive and auto parts manufacturing industry, and it is constantly expanding into other fields, such as the machining industry, the electronics and electrical industry, the rubber and plastics industry, the food industry, and the wood and furniture manufacturing industry.
Industrial robots, such as welding robots, grinding and polishing robots, laser processing robots, spraying robots, handling robots, and vacuum robots, have been widely adopted in industrial production.
1. Grinding and polishing robot
In just over 50 years, robotics technology has developed rapidly. In many manufacturing sectors, grinding and polishing robots are mainly used in the grinding and polishing of aerospace, marine, and nuclear power blades. The robots hold sand belts to grind and polish the blade surface, and use flexible contact and vision positioning to reduce grinding and polishing defects.
Compared to manual grinding and polishing, it features shorter processing time, higher surface accuracy, lower surface roughness, and better processing consistency. It can withstand heavy loads and harsh working environments. It is suitable for applications requiring high precision.
2. Welding robots
Arc welding robots are mainly used in the welding production of various automotive parts, and there are two main types: consumable electrode welding and non-consumable electrode welding.
In this field, major international industrial robot manufacturers primarily supply unit products to complete equipment suppliers. Application characteristics: Requires rapid and stable movement, and high positioning accuracy.
3. Laser processing robots
Laser processing robots apply robotics technology to laser processing, enabling more flexible laser processing operations through high-precision industrial robots.
The system automatically detects and generates a model of the workpiece, which in turn produces machining curves. It can also be used for direct machining using CAD data. Applications include laser surface treatment, drilling, welding, and mold repair. High precision is required.
4. Vacuum Robot
A vacuum robot is a robot that works in a vacuum environment and is mainly used in the semiconductor industry to transfer wafers within a vacuum chamber.
Vacuum robotic arms are difficult to import, subject to restrictions, used in large quantities, and highly versatile. They have become a key component restricting the R&D progress and competitiveness of semiconductor equipment. High precision is required.
5. Painting robot
Painting robots are generally hydraulically driven and feature fast action speed and good explosion-proof performance. They can be taught by hand or by displaying numbers at specific points.
Painting robots are widely used in automotive, instrumentation, electrical appliance, and enamelware manufacturing processes. The working environment for painting robots is harsh, and their precision requirements are relatively low.
6. Handling robots
The handling robot is computer-controlled and has functions such as movement, automatic navigation, multi-sensor control, and network interaction. It can be widely used in flexible handling and transmission functions in various industries, and is also used in automated warehouses, flexible processing systems, and flexible assembly systems.
It can also be used as a transportation tool in the sorting of goods at stations, airports, and post offices. It has a large load capacity and does not have strict precision requirements.
II. Performance Evaluation Indicators for Industrial Robots
The basic parameters and performance indicators that represent the characteristics of a robot mainly include workspace, degrees of freedom, payload, motion accuracy, motion characteristics, and dynamic characteristics.
1. Workspace
The workspace refers to the set of spatial locations that a specific part of a robot arm can reach under certain conditions. The shape and size of the workspace reflect the robot's working capabilities.
2. Degrees of freedom of movement
Degrees of freedom of motion refer to the number of variables required for a robot manipulator to move in space. They are parameters used to represent the flexibility of a robot's movements and are generally expressed as the number of independent movements along an axis and rotation around an axis.
A free object in space has six degrees of freedom (three rotational degrees of freedom and three translational degrees of freedom). Industrial robots are often open linkage systems, with each joint having only one degree of freedom. Therefore, the number of degrees of freedom of a robot is usually equal to the number of its joints. The more degrees of freedom a robot has, the more powerful its functions.
3. Payload
Payload refers to the weight of an object that a robot manipulator can carry or the force or torque it can withstand during operation, and is used to indicate the load capacity of the manipulator.
The maximum allowable transportable mass of a robot varies depending on its posture. Therefore, the rated transportable mass of a robot refers to the maximum mass that its arm can transport at the end of the wrist joint when it is in any posture in the workspace.
4. Motion accuracy
The precision of a robot's mechanical system mainly involves pose precision, repeatability of pose precision, trajectory precision, and repeatability of trajectory precision.
Pose accuracy refers to the deviation between the commanded pose and the actual pose center when approaching the commanded pose from the same direction. Repeatable pose accuracy refers to the degree of inconsistency between the actual pose and the actual pose after responding to the same commanded pose n times from the same direction.
Track accuracy refers to the degree to which a robot's mechanical interface closely follows a commanded trajectory when following it n times in the same direction. Track repeatability accuracy refers to the degree of inconsistency between the actual trajectories after following a given trajectory n times in the same direction.
5. Motion characteristics ( Sped )
Velocity and acceleration are the main indicators of a robot's motion characteristics. Robot manuals typically provide the maximum stable velocities for the main degrees of freedom, but in practical applications, simply considering the maximum stable velocity is insufficient; the maximum permissible acceleration should also be taken into account.
6. Dynamic characteristics
The dynamic parameters of a dynamic structure mainly include mass, moment of inertia, stiffness, damping coefficient, natural frequency, and vibration modes.
