What are the system components of an industrial robot?
1. Main body
The main mechanical components, namely the base and actuator, include the upper arm, forearm, wrist, and hand, forming a multi-degree-of-freedom mechanical system. Some robots also have a locomotion mechanism. Industrial robots typically have six or more degrees of freedom, while the wrist usually has one to three degrees of freedom.
2. Drive system
The drive system is the transmission mechanism that enables a robot to operate. Based on the power source, it is divided into three main categories: hydraulic, pneumatic, and electric. Depending on the requirements, these three types can also be combined into a composite drive system. Alternatively, it can be indirectly driven through mechanical transmission mechanisms such as synchronous belts, pulley systems, and gears. A drive system consists of a power unit and a transmission mechanism, used to execute the corresponding actions of the mechanism. Each of these three basic drive systems has its own characteristics; currently, the mainstream is the electric drive system.
3. Control System
The robot's actuators are controlled by the robot's operating instructions and signals fed back from the sensors to complete the prescribed movements and functions.
High-performance, cost-effective microprocessors have brought new development opportunities to robot controllers, making it possible to develop low-cost, high-performance robot controllers. To ensure sufficient computing and storage capabilities, robot controllers now mostly adopt powerful chips such as ARM series, DSP series, POWERPC series, and Intel series.
4. Sensing System
It consists of an internal sensor module and an external sensor module to acquire information about the internal and external environmental conditions.
Internal sensors: These are sensors used to detect the robot's own state (such as the angle between its arms), and are mostly sensors that detect position and angle. Specifically, they include: position sensors, angle sensors, etc.
External sensors: Sensors used to detect the robot's environment (e.g., detecting objects and their distance) and condition (e.g., detecting whether a grasped object has slipped). These include distance sensors, vision sensors, and force sensors.
The use of intelligent sensing systems has improved the mobility, practicality, and intelligence of robots. While human perception systems are more dexterous than robots in understanding information from the external world, sensors are more effective than human systems for certain specific information.
5. End effector
An end effector is a component attached to the last joint of a robotic arm. It is typically used to grasp objects, connect with other mechanisms, and perform the required tasks.
