Do you know about the use of industrial robots? Whether it is for a factory or a manufacturing unit, it is at an all-time high. This blog can give you complete information on types of industrial robots, benefits, features, and other facts. Industrial robotics is the future of new-age automation, and most manufacturers are making use of it.
Why is its significance increasing day-by-day? Robotic automation also aids in boosting up productivity and helping people to manage all types of industrial tasks. A significant amount of human work gets well handled by industrial robotics and a better precision and accuracy level.
The industrial tasks that might take a toll on humans’ mental or physical health are now taken care of by industrial robots. This helps in saving the dangerous life hazards of the workers. After adapting to robotic automation, you can maintain and stay in sync with the industrial growth and progressive outlook.
What is an industrial robot?
An Industrial robot definition states that it is automatically reprogrammable, controllable, and a multipurpose manipulator program with three or more axes. Industrial robotics has reached new horizons of growth, making it a top-level mechanical device for further uses. Most of the manufacturing companies are utilizing robots for their work.
The industrial robotics field defines every bit of robotics automation. A few typical applications are essential for the robots, such as ironing, assembly, painting, palletizing, or even pick and placing. It is also entirely compatible when you need to undergo a detailed product inspection, speed, endurance, and even precision. This type of robot’s usual configuration comprises articulated robots, SCARA robots, industrial automation, and the Gantry robots.
What are the benefits of industrial robots?
Several business owners already have made a considerable sum of investment in industrial robotics technology programming and applications. It helps keep pace with the competitive edge and secure a topmost position in the market rat race. Similar to human labor and workforce. The industrial robot can deliver a large amount of quality and consistent results.
Every scope of imperfection gets eliminated with the robotic tasks. Human workers are although exceptionally perfectionist at their dedicated tasks but not always can they be perfect! In such a scenario, you can take the assistance of industrial robotics.
The top pros of industrial robot applications are:
- Perform repetitive tasks with precision
- Simplifies human tasks in a better manner
- Minimizes wastes and the industrial wastes
- Enhances productivity and the overall output
- Reduction in the risks of injuries
Common industries that use robotics:
Several manufacturing units and industries use robots to increase overall productivity and ensure better safety for the workers. Most of the automobile companies take the assistance of the painting robots for preparing the cars. Painting of vehicles involves heavy chemicals and their exposure to workers can lead to huge side-effects.
There are gases like the iso-cyanides, carcinogens, and volatile organic compounds that lead to causing health hazards. With these robots’ help, humans can work in a much safer environment while robots can handle challenging tasks.
After learning about the industrial robot definition, you need to also know about industrial robots’ features.
Robots are beneficial in:
- Material handling
- Assembly
- Painting and denting tasks
- Welding
- Manufacturing
- Packaging and picking
How to program Industrial robots?
The industrial robotics market is vast, and there are ample opportunities for the top players in it. With industrial robotics technology programming and applications, companies are making better use of their machinery. How to program industrial robots? After knowing in detail about the industrial robot accessories and the industrial robot cost, the manufactures can make the best use of it.
Right from the design phase, manufacturers have to integrate the robot with their types of machinery. You need to adapt to the new system after the application of robotics into the trend. There is also in-depth robotic training available for people who are new to this industry. Only with this, you can get complete benefits for the investments made from your end.
Do you think that industrial robot applications eliminated the needs for the human workforce? Absolutely no! Human surveillance is mandatory for the maintenance and troubleshooting of the robotics’ problems. Even the necessary repairs and wear and tear are possible with the help of human employees. Hence, the programming of robots is not possible unless humans intervene in the whole process.
Classification of Industrial Robots!
After the recent advancements in industrial robotics technology programming and applications, the businesses’ factory and manufacturing sectors are identifying a significant boost in robotics technology and advanced engineering. For highly repetitive and accurate tasks, robots are now becoming the first choice. They can work day and night rigorously to meet the tight deadlines. Hence, they can deliver higher factory output with minimal mistake scope.
Manufacturers can now set up multiple projects and production plants due to the high efficiency in tasks completed by the industrial robot. Above all, they add to enhancing the profit margins and very high profitability and advanced automation solutions for the factories.
Different types of industrial robots
Depending on the mechanical configurations and the performance, industrial robots get widely categorized into several types. There are 6 significant types into which this type of robot gets divided. It includes Cartesian robots, articulated robots, delta robots, cylindrical robots, SCARA robots, and polar robots. Classification of industrial robots also depends on other factors such as power supply control, motion control, and other multiple physical characteristics. Let’s start learning about each one of them individually.
What are the different types of Industrial robots?
1. Articulated Robots
It is the most popular option for industrial robots. It acts as the human workforce for the mechanical configuration and has a twisted joint to simplify it. Depending on the number of rotary joints that connect various links in the arms, the multiple joints get connected. This gives them freedom of movement to simplify the tasks. Either the joints align in the orthogonal or the parallel form with each other. Above all, these robots provide you with the optimum level of flexibility and movement ease as well.
Pros
- High speed
- Occupies lesser floor space and high work envelope
Cons
- Needs a specific robot controller
- Complex kinematics
- Complicated programming
Applications
- Material handling
- Machine tending
- Arc welding
- Spot welding
- Steel cutting
- Glass handling
- Food packaging
- Automotive assembly
2. Cartesian robots
Also known as the gantry or the rectilinear robots, this type of robot comprises a rectangular configuration. Along with 3 prismatic joints, they lie perpendicular in the linear motion to offer a rotational movement. Cartesian robots are highly usable for multiple industrial applications and configurations. Besides, there is better flexibility depending on the type of applications for which you need it.
Pros
- High-level positional accuracy
- Operational functionality
- Customizable
- Manage heavy loads
- Involves lesser cost
Cons
- Needs a significant area for installation and operation
- Constrained movements
Application
- Material handling
- Adhesive application
- Picking and placing the task
- Loading or unloading of goods
- Other adhesive applications
3. SCARA Robots
SCARA or Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm is a doughnut-shaped envelope with two parallel joints and a single plane. There are also rotary shafts aligning at the horizontal and vertical positions. For the assembly applications and the lateral movements, SCARA Robots are in high use. Above all, they have a better integration motion for the Cartesian and the cylindrical robots.
Pros
- High repeatability
- Multiple speed
- Huge workplace
Cons
- Constrained planar surface
- Needs a specific robot controller
- Tricky programming
Applications
- Bio-Med application
- Palletizing
- Packaging
- Handling semiconductors
- Other assembly application
4. Delta Robots
Delta Robots are also known as parallel link robots, and they comprise a parallel joint linkage having a common base. There is a direct control along with the end effector and is easy to control and monitor. It is also a very high-speed operation robot with a dome-shaped envelope. Manufacturers also make use of these robots for pick-and-place application purposes.
Pros
- High-level accuracy
- High speedy
Cons
- Complex operation
- Need robot controller
Application
- Flight simulators
- Automobile simulators
- Food industry
- Pharmaceutical industry
- Electronic industry
- Optical fiber alignment
5. Polar Robots
They are advanced industrial robots, also known as spherical robots. Polar robots have a connection through a combination of two rotary and a single linear joint. Its spherical envelope has a co-ordinated system to work with. The central pivoting shaft and the rotating arms help in saving a large amount of space. Within a restricted workspace, these robots can easily access the arm.
Pros
- Can reach all corners
- Huge work volume
- Needs minimal floor space
- Manages obstacles
Cons
- Unable to reach many places
- Short reachability vertically
- Lesser accuracy and high repeatability
- Needs an advanced control system
- Uncommon designs
Applications
- Glass handling
- Stacking and unstacking
- Die casting
- Injection molding
- Material handling
- Forging
- Welding
These are the popular types of industrial robots used widely for industrial robotics technology programming and applications. Accuracy, speed, precision and robotic programming are a few things for which industrial robot has great significance.
Types of Industrial robot accessories!
Do you want to know the various components or the industrial robot accessories? These types of robots are highly capable of offering multiple manufacturing applications starting from simple to complicated ones. They can deliver high-precision work that surpasses the average human capabilities and perform outstandingly. Industrial robot accessories consist of five essential components: the robot arm, controller, end effector, sensors, and the drive. Let’s take a quick glimpse into all these industrial robot accessories.
- Controller– It is a kind of robot’s brain that helps it function and operate correctly. With the help of a controller, the robot undertakes all types of operations through a uniform format. There is a small chip inside the robot that facilitates them to run and follow a dedicated program.
- Sensors– Next in the list of industrial robot accessories are sensors. With the help of sensors, these robots can share common feedback at their workspaces. Popular sensors include microphones and vision systems that help robots adapt to the environmental dynamics and send signals through their CPU.
- Robot Arm– The robot Arm is the next vital accessory for the proper positioning of the effector. It varies in size and shape for a mimic design of human body parts such as elbow, wrist, shoulder, and other parts. With the help of these parts, robots can efficiently complete the application. In all, it has 6 axes of motion that is similar to that of humans.
- End effector– These effectors have an attachment to the robot’s arm known as the end of arm tooling (EOAT). The general application can fit with the several end effectors and work for tool changers.
- Drive– The last option in the list of Industrial robot accessories is the motor or engine, either electrically, pneumatically, or hydraulically driven away. The hydraulic one is high on power and speed, while the electric one is comparatively lesser powerful.
Future and trends in the industrial robotics market
The industrial robotics market has a considerable market share of almost USD 24.35 billion in the year 2020. A rough estimation of this figure is to reach USD 52.85 billion by the year 2026. These robots have a significant role to play in the automotive and electronics industry.
Most big and even small manufacturers are now switching to robotic applications due to the repetitive process. In the last decade, the factory systems are transforming into robot automated processes that also help them fetch higher yields. An insight into the industrial robotics market gives a clear indication of its efficiency and eliminating all errors. It also has very increased production capabilities and that too without compromising on quality. In places where there is a shortage of talented workforce and resources, automated programs are a sheer blessing!