Between four-axis SCARA robots and six-axis articulated robots, four-axis robots are specifically designed for high-speed pick-and-place operations, while six-axis robots offer greater flexibility in production movements.
Four-axis robot
The first two joints of the SCARA robot can rotate freely left and right in the horizontal plane. The third joint consists of a metal rod and a gripper. This metal rod can move up and down in the vertical plane or rotate about its vertical axis, but it cannot tilt.
This unique design gives quadcopter robots high rigidity, enabling them to perform high-speed and highly repetitive tasks. In packaging applications, quadcopter robots excel at high-speed pick-and-place and other material handling tasks.
Six-axis robot
A six-axis robot has two more joints than a four-axis robot, and therefore more "degrees of freedom".
The first joint of a six-axis robot can rotate freely in the horizontal plane like a four-axis robot, while the latter two joints can move in the vertical plane. In addition, a six-axis robot has an "arm" and two "wrist" joints, which gives it capabilities similar to a human arm and wrist.
The increased number of joints in a six-axis robot means it can pick up parts facing any direction on a horizontal plane and place them into packaged products at specific angles. It can also perform many tasks that would otherwise require a skilled worker.
