The robot control system is the brain of the robot, and it is the main factor determining the robot's functions and performance. The main task of industrial robot control technology is to control the robot's position, posture, trajectory, operation sequence, and the timing of actions within the workspace. It features simple programming, software menu operation, a user-friendly human-machine interface, online operation prompts, and ease of use.
Key technologies for industrial robots include:
( 1 ) Open and modular control system architecture: It adopts a distributed CPU computer structure, which is divided into robot controller ( RC ), motion controller ( MC ), opto-isolated I/O control board, sensor processing board and programming teach pendant, etc. The robot controller ( RC ) and programming teach pendant communicate through serial port /CAN bus. The main computer of the robot controller ( RC ) completes the robot's motion planning, interpolation and position servo, as well as main control logic, digital I/O , sensor processing and other functions, while the programming teach pendant completes the display of information and key input.
( 2 ) Modular and hierarchical controller software system: The software system is built on the open-source real-time multitasking operating system Linux , and adopts a layered and modular structure design to achieve the openness of the software system. The entire controller software system is divided into three layers: hardware driver layer, core layer and application layer. The three layers face different functional requirements and correspond to different levels of development. Each layer in the system is composed of several functionally opposing modules, which cooperate with each other to realize the functions provided by that layer.
( 3 ) Robot fault diagnosis and safety maintenance technology: Diagnosing robot faults and carrying out corresponding maintenance through various information is a key technology to ensure robot safety.
( 4 ) Networked robot controller technology: As robot applications evolve from single robot workstations to robot production lines, the networking technology of robot controllers is becoming increasingly important. The controller has serial port, fieldbus, and Ethernet networking capabilities. It can be used for communication between robot controllers and between robot controllers and host computers, facilitating the monitoring, diagnosis, and management of robot production lines.
Top 10 Applications of Industrial Robot Technology
1. Automobile manufacturing industry
In China, 50 % of industrial robots are used in the automotive manufacturing industry, with over 50 % being welding robots. In developed countries, automotive robots account for over 53 % of the total robot fleet . Statistics show that major global automakers employ more than 10 robots per 10,000 vehicles produced annually . With the continuous development and improvement of robot technology, industrial robots will undoubtedly play a significant role in promoting the development of the automotive manufacturing industry. As China moves from a manufacturing giant to a manufacturing powerhouse, it needs to upgrade its processing methods, improve product quality, and enhance enterprise competitiveness—all of which indicate a vast potential for the development of robots.
Case Study: Before the introduction of robots, at China National Heavy Duty Truck Group Co., Ltd. (CNHTC), one worker could only oversee two machine tools. After the introduction of industrial robots, one robot could automatically control 5-10 machining centers. From 2005 to 2011 , CNHTC's annual truck production increased from over 40,000 vehicles to 150,000 vehicles , while the number of permanent employees only increased by about 10 %, and the increase in contract-based temporary workers was also relatively limited. The increase in production was largely attributed to the introduction of robots.
In addition, in 2008, when building its new workshop, China National Heavy Duty Truck Group (CNHTC) introduced industrial robots and built a fully automated stamping machine. The robotic arms feed steel plates into the stamping machine, which not only stabilizes product quality but also replaces manual labor and avoids workplace accidents.
2. Electronics and Electrical Industry
Industrial robots are widely used in electronic ICs and surface-mount components. Currently, the most widely installed industrial robot in the world is the SCARA four-axis robot, followed by the serial articulated six- axis vertical robot. Luo Baihui pointed out that these two types of industrial robots, accounting for more than half of the global industrial robot installations, are our focus.
In the mobile phone manufacturing industry, vision robots, such as sorting and packing, film-tearing systems, laser plastic welding, and high-speed four-axis palletizing robots, are suitable for the application of automated systems in a series of processes such as touch screen inspection, cleaning, and film application.
The robots in this special zone are all custom-made by domestic manufacturers to meet the needs of the electronics manufacturing industry. Their miniaturization and simplification enable high-precision and high-efficiency electronic assembly, satisfying the increasingly sophisticated demands of electronic assembly and processing equipment. Furthermore, automated processing significantly improves production efficiency. According to relevant data, product polishing using robots can increase the yield rate from 87% to 93 %. Therefore, whether it's a robotic arm or a more advanced robot, their use will substantially improve production efficiency.
3. Rubber and Plastics Industry
The plastics industry is highly collaborative and specialized: plastics production, processing, and machinery manufacturing are inextricably linked. Even in the future, this sector will remain a vital economic force and ensure numerous jobs, as plastics are virtually ubiquitous: from the automotive and electronics industries to consumer goods and food processing. Machinery manufacturing, as the technology linking production and processing, plays a crucial role. Raw materials are processed through injection molding machines and tools into innovative, refined, and durable finished or semi-finished products for finishing —through the adoption of automated solutions, production processes become more efficient, economical, and reliable.
To enter the plastics industry, extremely stringent standards must be met. This is certainly no problem for robots. They are not only best suited for tool production in cleanroom environments, but also for performing high-intensity tasks alongside injection molding machines. Even in high-standard production environments, they will reliably improve the economics of various processes because robots master a range of manipulation, pick-and-place, and finishing operations.
With its versatile capabilities, the robot operates quickly, efficiently, and flexibly. It is robust and durable, capable of withstanding the heaviest loads. This allows it to optimally meet the ever-increasing demands for quality and productivity, ensuring a decisive competitive advantage for businesses in future market competition.
4. Foundry industry
Multi-shift operations in extreme working environments —the foundry field places heavy burdens on both workers and machines. Another reason for manufacturing robust KUKA foundry robots specifically designed for extremely heavy loads is in highly polluted, high-temperature, or harsh external environments. The easy-to-operate control system and dedicated software package make the robots highly flexible in application—whether directly in injection molding machines, connecting two processes, or transporting extremely heavy workpieces. This is due to their superior positioning performance, high load-bearing capacity, and ability to safely and reliably perform high-intensity operations.
With its modular structural design, flexible control system, and dedicated application software, the robot can meet the highest requirements of automation applications across the entire foundry industry. It is not only waterproof but also dirt-resistant and heat-resistant.
It can even be used to remove workpieces directly next to, inside, and above the injection molding machine. Furthermore, it can reliably connect process units and production units. In addition, the robot performs exceptionally well in finishing operations such as deburring, grinding, or drilling, as well as in quality inspection.
5. Food industry
The applications of robots are becoming increasingly widespread, with efforts being made to replace human workers even in many traditional industrial sectors, including the food industry. Currently, food industry robots developed include canning robots, automated lunch robots, and beef-cutting robots.
From the perspective of imagining robots, cutting the forequarters of a cow is not a simple problem; the details to consider are extremely complex. While the limbs of each cow are roughly the same, there are still many differences in their anatomy. The robotic system must choose the optimal cutting method for each cow to minimize beef waste. In reality, to enable a robotic system to skillfully simulate the actions of a skilled slaughterhouse worker, the ultimate solution will be to integrate multiple high-tech fields such as sensor technology, artificial intelligence, and robotics manufacturing, allowing the robotic system to automatically adapt to various changes during product processing.
The robot that cuts beef compares the limb of the cow to be processed with the cutting information of previous cow limbs stored in a database to process each cow. This allows it to determine the start and end points of the blade according to the initial path direction of each cut, and then the robot drives the blade to cut into the cow's body. A sensor system monitors the amount of force used during the cut to determine whether the blade is cutting into the bone, and feeds this information back to the robot's control system to control the blade to move only along the contour of the bone, thus avoiding damage to the blade.
6. Chemical industry
The chemical industry is one of the main application areas for industrial robots. Currently, the main cleanroom robots and automated equipment used in the chemical industry include atmospheric manipulators, vacuum manipulators, cleanroom coating manipulators, cleanroom AGVs , RGVs , and cleanroom logistics automated transport systems. Many modern industrial products require precision, miniaturization, high purity, high quality, and high reliability. A clean environment is essential for product manufacturing, and the level of cleanliness directly affects the product's yield. Cleanroom technology has continuously developed to meet increasingly stringent requirements for controlling pollutants in clean production environments, including control methods and facilities. Therefore, in the chemical field, as more chemical production sites demand increasingly higher levels of environmental cleanliness, cleanroom robots will be further utilized, thus possessing a vast market potential.
An automated palletizing and packing robot for synthetic rubber has been put into operation at Qilu Petrochemical Rubber Plant. For a long time, the plant relied on manual palletizing, which was not only labor-intensive but also physically demanding for employees. This robotic packing equipment can pack 600 pieces of synthetic rubber per hour, with a record of filling a box in 3 minutes. It can handle various types of international standard containers, saving 480,000 yuan in labor costs annually and enabling the reuse of the container system, reducing costs associated with utility construction and the degradation of plastic packaging bags.
7. Glass Industry
Whether it's hollow glass, flat glass, tubular glass, or fiberglass —modern, mineral-based high-tech materials are crucial components of the electronics and communications, chemical, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. And today, they are indispensable to the construction industry and other sectors of industry as well. Especially for glass requiring extremely high cleanliness, industrial robots are the best choice.
Cleanroom glass handling system. A two-handed, coordinated cleanroom handling robot designed for a Class 10,000 cleanroom environment . This robot has five degrees of freedom ( X1 , X2 , Z1 , Z2 , and R) , is driven by servo motors, and features high speed, rapid response, and high repeatability.
The X1 and X2 axes share a pair of guide rails in the X direction , performing alternating and coordinated movements. The Z1 axis has a rotary axis R at its end . The end effector of the robot arm is equipped with an end effector for picking up and placing workpieces. The RB35J can be used in industries such as glass manufacturing and flat panel display ( FPD ) where two robots need to take turns handling and stacking.
8. Home appliance industry
The demand for cost-effectiveness and productivity is increasing in the large-scale equipment sector of white goods. Reducing process costs and improving production efficiency are paramount, and automation solutions can optimize the production of home appliances. Whether mass-producing washing machine drums or glazing bathtubs —robots can more economically and efficiently handle production, processing, handling, measurement, and inspection. They can reliably and continuously complete production tasks without the need for frequent transfers of heavy components. This ensures smooth material flow on the production line—and maintains consistently high quality.
The reasons are multifaceted: due to their high productivity, high repeatability and accuracy, high reliability, and optical and tactile performance, robots can be applied to almost all aspects of the manufacturing process for household appliances.
9. Metallurgical industry
Whether it's light metals, colored metals, precious metals, specialty metals, or the steel -metal industry, it cannot function without foundries and steel/metal processing. Moreover, without automation and multi-shift operations, it's impossible to ensure the economic efficiency and competitiveness of production and alleviate the heavy workload of employees.
Industrial robots in the metallurgical industry primarily perform tasks such as drilling, milling or cutting, bending, and stamping. They can also shorten work cycles and improve productivity in welding, assembly, and loading/unloading processes.
Even in the casting industry, KUKA robots equipped with specialized casting equipment have demonstrated their exceptional capabilities, boasting advantages such as long service life, high-temperature resistance, waterproofing, and dustproofing. Furthermore, KUKA robots can independently perform surface inspection and other testing tasks, thus making a significant contribution to efficient quality management.
10. Tobacco Industry
The application of industrial robots in China's tobacco industry began in the mid-1990s. Yuxi Cigarette Factory used industrial robots to palletize its finished cigarettes and used AGVs (Autonomous Gear Vehicles) to move finished product pallets, which saved a lot of manpower, reduced cigarette box damage, and improved the level of automation.
The application of industrial robots in the tobacco industry: Over the years, China's tobacco industry has continuously strengthened technological transformation and promoted technological progress. The production equipment of key cigarette enterprises has reached the level of the international level in the early 1990s .
However, advanced production equipment must be paired with corresponding management methods and logistical support systems to truly realize its high efficiency. For example, the distribution of raw materials and auxiliary materials for cigarettes requires an advanced automated logistics system. Traditional manual management and handling are prone to errors and are not timely, making them unsuitable for the needs of production development. Precision industrial robots are being applied in this field.
