The three major parts of industrial robots Comparison of collaborative robots and the four major fam

Mondo Technology Updated on 2024-01-24

Composition of industrial robots, collaborative robots and comparison of the four families

This article introduces the three major parts and six systems of industrial robots, as well as the definition and application of collaborative robots. Industrial robots are composed of three parts: mechanical, electrical and software, including six systems: drive, control, perception, operation, communication and human-computer interaction. As a new type of industrial robot, collaborative robots are friendly and perceptual, and can work in collaboration with people. ABB, KUKA, Fanuc and Yaskawa Electric are four major families of industrial robots, each with its own advantages and characteristics, and the choice needs to be comprehensively considered according to needs and budget.

1. What are the three major parts and six systems of industrial robots?

The three major parts of industrial robots are the mechanical part, the control part and the sensing part. Among them, the mechanical part includes a base, an arm and an end effector;The control part comprises a controller, a servo motor and a precision reducerThe sensing segment includes the sensory (sensing) system. Industrial robots usually consist of three major parts and six subsystems, which are:

Three major parts

1.Mechanical part: This is the physical structure of the robot, including joints, arms, claws, and other components. It determines the robot's range of motion, load capacity, and workspace.

2.Sensing part: This part is composed of various sensors, such as position sensors, torque sensors, vision sensors, etc. They collect information about the state of the robot itself, as well as the external environment.

3.Control part: The control part is the brain of the robot, which is responsible for processing information and deciding the behavior of the robot. It contains both hardware (e.g., controllers) and software (e.g., programming logic and algorithms).

Six subsystems

1.Drive system: The component that provides the power for the robot to perform an action, such as an electric motor, hydraulic cylinder, or pneumatic device.

2.Mechanical structure system: all the mechanical components of the robot body, including the skeleton, joints, and connectors.

3.Human-machine interaction systems: Ways that allow operators to communicate with robots, such as touch screens, teach pendants, or gesture recognition technology.

4.Control system: Electronic devices and software used to control robot motion and behavior, including servo drives, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), and high-level language programs.

5.Sensory (sensing) systems: various sensors used to perceive the internal state of the robot and the external environment.

6.Robot-to-environment interaction systems: Systems for how robots navigate, locate, and manipulate objects in the physical world, which may involve gripping tools, end effectors, and other assistive devices.

Through the synergy of these three parts and six systems, industrial robots can perform tasks precisely and play an important role in modern manufacturing.

2. What is a collaborative robot?What are cobots used for?

Collaborative robots, also known as cobots, are robots that are able to work in tandem with humans with the goal of enhancing human productivity and safety. They are typically lightweight, highly accurate, easy to program, and highly secure. Collaborative robots can work together with human workers to improve work efficiency while avoiding the harm caused by traditional industrial robots.

Features of cobots include:

1.Lightweight: The lightweight design makes them easy to handle and redeploy to different tasks.

2.Friendliness: Safe and has a human-machine friendly design that ensures a smooth and flat surface with no sharp edges or gaps that could pinch the operator.

3.Perception: Built-in sensors, such as force sensors and vision systems, to perceive the surrounding environment and adapt to changes.

4.Human-robot collaboration: Force-feedback that stops movement immediately when encountering preset resistance to protect nearby human colleagues from injury. This feature often allows for the absence of additional safety barriers after the risk assessment, allowing for closer human-machine collaboration.

Cobots are used in a wide range of applications, including but not limited to the following areas:

1.Manufacturing: Work with human workers on the production line to improve productivity and quality.

2.Medical industry: Assist doctors in surgical operations to improve surgical accuracy and efficiency.

3.Service industry: Serve as waiters, tour guides, etc. in catering, hotels, and other fields to provide better customer service.

4.Agriculture: Assist farmers in planting, harvesting and other farm work to improve production efficiency and quality.

5.Education industry: Assist teachers in teaching and improve the quality of education.

Cobots have a wide range of applications and can be used in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and services, among others. Some common uses include assembly, packaging, quality inspection, material handling, laboratory automation, and customer service. Due to their flexibility and ease of use, cobots are particularly suitable for small batch production and fast product changeovers. In the smart factories of the future, collaborative robots will play an increasing role in improving enterprise production efficiency, strengthening quality control, enhancing production flexibility, and reducing the cost of logistics lines.

3. Which of the four families of industrial robots is better?

The four major families of industrial robots refer to Yaskawa and Fanuc in Japan, Kuka in Germany and ABB in Switzerland. They all have their advantages, and it's hard to simply say which one is better. They are all world-renowned industrial automation equipment manufacturers, and they have deep technical accumulation and rich application experience in the field of robotics. There is no one-size-fits-all answer as it depends on the specific application, needs, and budget. Here are the characteristics of each of them:

1.Yaskawa Electric: Yaskawa Electric has a rich product line in the field of industrial robots, including arc welding, spot welding, assembly, handling, palletizing, loading and unloading applications. Its products are characterized by high precision, fast speed, stability and reliability. In addition, Yaskawa Electric also provides comprehensive after-sales service and repair and maintenance services.

2.Fanuc: Fanuc is a leading manufacturer of CNC systems, and its robot product line covers industrial, medical, agricultural and other fields. Fanuc robots are characterized by high precision, high speed and high reliability. In addition, Fanuc also provides intelligent solutions, such as visual inspection, Internet of Things, etc.

3.KUKA: KUKA is one of the world's leading manufacturers of robots for a wide range of applications in the automotive, electronics, food and other industries. KUKA robots are characterized by their flexibility and adaptability to meet the needs of a wide range of complex production processes. In addition, KUKA offers a comprehensive range of after-sales service and maintenance services.

4.ABB: ABB is a leading provider of electrical and automation solutions for the world's industrial robot product line covering handling, assembly, palletizing, painting and other applications. ABB robots are characterized by high precision, high speed, stability and reliability, and ABB also provides comprehensive after-sales service and maintenance services.

KUKA products in Europe are known as the top products in the industrial robot body. After entering the Asian market, Japan's Yaskawa and Fanuc have a higher CP value compared with European and American products, which is more in line with the needs of local customers. In particular, Fanuc's small robots have extremely high repeatability, with a payload of 7 kg and a repeatability of 001mm, which is the highest accuracy among the four majors.

On the other hand, FANUC's products are considered to be the best combination of industrial and design, making it easy to see at a glance that they are products from the industrial field, but with a unique sense of sophistication. This sense of refinement does not only come from industrial design, but also from the good balance of design, manufacturing and commissioning.

For customers, there are several factors to consider when choosing which company's bot:

Industry-specific expertise: Some robotics manufacturers may have more specialized solutions in specific industries, such as automotive or electronics manufacturing.

Local support and service: Considering the need for repair and maintenance, it is also important to have a strong local service network and technical support.

Cost-effectiveness: Different brands of robots** vary widely, and performance and ROI need to be weighed against budget.

Compatibility and integration capabilities: If a certain brand of automation equipment is already used in the existing production line, then choosing the same robot may be beneficial for the overall integration of the system.

To sum up, the four major families of industrial robots have their own strengths, and it is difficult to simply say which one is better. If you need a robot with high precision, speed and stability, you can choose ABB or Fanuc;If you need a robot with high flexibility, a large working range and a high load capacity, you can choose KUKA or Yaskawa Electric. Which brand to choose needs to be considered according to your specific needs and budget, and you can choose the right brand and model for yourself according to your actual needs. In practical applications, the robots of the four major families of industrial robots have shown high reliability and performance, which can meet the needs of most industrial production.

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