What is a robot?
Application of robots in manufacturing
Robots are one of the great inventions of man since nearly 100 years and are constantly being developed to become smarter, more useful and safer. With the development of science and technology, countries and industries around the world are racing to improve and create the most modern robots for all areas of life and production.
This article will introduce readers to mechanical robots, industrial robots for processing, assembly, inspection, warehouse management, etc., applications in smart factories are increasingly popular and gradually replacing humans in production arduous and boring jobs.
From robots with fixed legs that only move in 3-axis XYZ to a 4-5-6-axis industrial robot arm that is as flexible as a human arm, the more modern AGV robot integrates a queuing cobot robotic packaging systems, intelligent movement in the warehouse to form self-propelled robots, picking robots, loading/unloading robots; pick & place integrated vision solution for classification, product inspection…
What is a robot?
A robot is a special machine that is programmed by a computer capable of performing a complex series of actions automatically.
The robot can be guided by an external control device (sliding rail, lead screw) or the control can be embedded internally (motor, wheel, moving chain, etc.).
Robots can be built to evoke the human form, but most robots are task-based machines, designed with a focus on clear functionality, rather than external aesthetics.
The branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, and application of robots, as well as computer systems for control, sensory feedback, and information processing is robotics. These technologies deal with automated machines that can replace humans in hazardous environments or manufacturing processes, or resemble humans in appearance, behavior, or perception.
Many robots today are inspired by nature contributing to the field of biologically inspired robotics.
These robots have also spawned a newer branch of robotics: soft robots.
For a long time, there have been numerous user-configurable automated devices and even autonomous cars that resemble humans and other animals, designed primarily for entertainment. As mechanical engineering progressed through the industrial age, more practical applications such as automatic machines, remote control and wireless remote control appeared. The term comes from a Slavic root, robot-, with labor-related meanings. The word ‘robot’ was first used to denote a fictitious human figure in Karel Čapek’s 1920 Czech play RUR (Rossumovi Univerzální Roboti – Rossum’s Universal Roboti), although it was Karel’s brother Josef Čapek. who invented this word.
Electronics evolved into the driving force of development with the introduction of the first electronic autonomous robot created by William Gray Walter in Bristol, England in 1948, as well as Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine tools. ) in the late 1940s by John T. Parsons and Frank L. Stulen. The first modern programmable and digital robot was invented by George Devol in 1954 and spawned his robotics company Unimation. The first Unimate was sold to General Motors in 1961, where it lifted hot metal pieces from a die casting machine at the Inland Fisher Guide Plant in the West Trenton area of Ewing Township, New Jersey.
Robots have replaced humans in performing repetitive and dangerous tasks that humans are unwilling or unable to do because of size limitations or take place in harsh environments such as space or the bottom sea. There are concerns about the increasing use of robots and their role in society. Robots are blamed for rising tech unemployment as they replace workers in a growing number of functions.
Application of robots in manufacturing
Robots have many applications in modern manufacturing industries. With the goal of replacing humans in simple and boring repetitive jobs, to jobs that require high precision, danger and many risks, industrial robots are appearing more and more in the factory and fulfill their role.
Industrial robot arm
Industrial robot arm is probably the most popular line of robots in factories today, because of its ability to replace humans in many heavy and dangerous jobs.
4-5-6 axis robot arm for loading and unloading goods on pallets, packaging: robotic packaging systems. Loading and unloading goods from the conveyor to the pallet and vice versa. Robot spot welding, chassis welding, welding machine components with complex welding requirements and welding positions.
Assembling, polishing, painting robots are intelligently programmed for many different product models.
Most of these robots perform tasks automatically according to pre-programmed, pre-programmed programs without human involvement. Industrial robotic arms are typically large in size for power requirements with long reach. The working area is installed with protective barriers around to avoid conflicts and cause occupational accidents, collisions between robots and humans/machines/motor vehicles/other robots.
Autonomous vehicles
AGV are used a lot for smart warehouses with applications for import and export, freight, logistics in the factory. Smart warehouse solutions help save time, labor and easily control goods. The AGV robots can be in the form of undercarriages, trolleys, crates navigated by magnetic tape, laser or barcode.
Co-bot or collaborative robots
Have higher safety than industrial robot arms, can work at the same time with workers and assist in the stages of assembling, lifting, lifting and moving products. from positions on assembly and production lines.
Collaborative robots of this type are usually polishing, screwing, feeding robots, etc.
Picking robots
With a compact size, agility and intelligence, pick and place robots are used for pick and place applications in part lines. inspect products with modern vision features, check color, shape, measure… combine suction heads, handle after camera inspection.
Robotic packaging systems.
Robots are increasingly being designed and programmed to diversify human-assisted tasks with the aim of improving productivity, accuracy and safety for users.