Unit 6 Industrial Robotics

Sections:
1. Robot Anatomy
2. Robot Control Systems
3. End Effectors
4. Industrial Robot Applications
5. Robot Programming
 Industrial Robot Defined

A general-purpose, programmable machine possessing

certain anthropomorphic characteristics

 Hazardous work environments

 Repetitive work cycle
 Consistency and accuracy
 Difficult handling task for humans
 Multishift operations
 Reprogrammable, flexible
 Interfaced to other computer systems
 Robot Anatomy

 Manipulator consists of joints and links Link3

Joint3
 Joints provide relative motion
End of Arm
 Links are rigid members between joints
 Various joint types: linear and rotary
 Each joint provides a “degree-of- Link2
freedom”
Link1
 Most robots possess five or six
degrees-of-freedom Joint2
 Robot manipulator consists of two
sections: Joint1
 Body-and-arm – for positioning of Link0
objects in the robot's work volume Base
 Wrist assembly – for orientation of
objects
 Manipulator Joints

 Translational motion
 Linear joint (type L)
 Orthogonal joint (type O)

 Rotary motion
 Rotational joint (type R)
 Twisting joint (type T)
 Revolving joint (type V)
 Joint Notation Scheme

 Uses the joint symbols (L, O, R, T, V) to designate joint

types used to construct robot manipulator
 Separates body-and-arm assembly from wrist assembly
using a colon (:)

 Example: TLR : TR

 Common body-and-arm configurations …

 Polar Coordinate
Body-and-Arm Assembly

 Notation TRL:

 Consists of a sliding arm (L joint) actuated relative to the

body, which can rotate about both a vertical axis (T joint)
and horizontal axis (R joint)
 Cylindrical Body-and-Arm Assembly

 Notation TLO:

 Consists of a vertical column,

relative to which an arm
assembly is moved up or down
 The arm can be moved in or out
relative to the column
 Cartesian Coordinate
Body-and-Arm Assembly

 Notation LOO:

 Consists of three sliding joints,

two of which are orthogonal
 Other names include rectilinear
robot and x-y-z robot
 Jointed-Arm Robot

 Notation TRR:
 SCARA Robot

 Notation VRO
 SCARA stands for Selectively
Compliant Assembly Robot
Arm
 Similar to jointed-arm robot
except that vertical axes are
used for shoulder and elbow
joints to be compliant in
horizontal direction for vertical
insertion tasks
 Wrist Configurations

 Wrist assembly is attached to end-of-arm

 End effector is attached to wrist assembly
 Function of wrist assembly is to orient end effector
 Body-and-arm determines global position of end
effector
 Two or three degrees of freedom:
 Roll
 Pitch
 Yaw
 Notation :RRT
 Example

 Sketch following manipulator configurations

 (a) TRT:R, (b) TVR:TR, (c) RR:T.

Solution:
R
R
T T R
R T
R
R V

T T

(a) TRT:R (b) TVR:TR (c) RR:T

 Joint Drive Systems

 Electric
 Uses electric motors to actuate individual joints
 Preferred drive system in today's robots
 Hydraulic
 Uses hydraulic pistons and rotary vane actuators
 Noted for their high power and lift capacity
 Pneumatic
 Typically limited to smaller robots and simple material
transfer applications
 Robot Control Systems
 Limited sequence control – pick-and-place
operations using mechanical stops to set
positions
 Playback with point-to-point control – records
work cycle as a sequence of points, then plays
back the sequence during program execution
 Playback with continuous path control –
greater memory capacity and/or interpolation
capability to execute paths (in addition to points)
 Intelligent control – exhibits behavior that
makes it seem intelligent, e.g., responds to
sensor inputs, makes decisions, communicates
with humans
 Robot Control System

Cell Level 2
Supervisor

Controller Level 1
& Program

Joint 1 Joint 2 Joint 3 Joint 4 Joint 5 Joint 6 Sensors Level 0

 End Effectors
 The special tooling for a robot that enables it to
perform a specific task
 Two types:
 Grippers – to grasp and manipulate objects (e.g.,
parts) during work cycle
 Tools – to perform a process, e.g., spot welding,
spray painting
Grippers and Tools
Working Envelope
Why do robots need sensors?

What is the angle of my arm?



internal information
 Introduction to Sensing
 Robotic sensing is a branch of robotics science intended
to give robots sensing capabilities, so that robots are more
human-like.
 Robotic sensing mainly gives robots the ability to see,
touch, hear and move and uses algorithms that require
environmental feedback.
 The use of sensors in robots has taken them into the next
level of creativity. Most importantly, the sensors have
increased the performance of robots to a large extent. It
also allows the robots to perform several functions like a
human being.
 What is Sensing ?

 Collect information about the world

 Sensor - an electrical/mechanical/chemical device

that maps an environmental attribute to a
quantitative measurement
 attribute mixtures - often no one to one map
 hidden state in environment

 Each sensor is based on a transduction principle -

conversion of energy from one form to another
 Also known as transducers
 Why do robots need sensors?

Where am I?

localization
 Why do robots need sensors?

Will I hit anything?

obstacle detection
Sensing for specific tasks

Where is the cropline?

Autonomous
harvesting
 Sensing for specific tasks

Where are the forkholes?

Autonomous material handling

Sensing for specific tasks

Where is the face?

Face detection & tracking

 1) Vision

• Method: The visual sensing system can be based on anything

from the traditional camera, sonar, and laser to the new
technology radio frequency identification (RFID), which aim for
three procedures—sensation, estimation, and matching.
• Usage: Visual sensors help robots to identify the surrounding
and take appropriate action. Robots analyze the image of the
immediate environment imported from the visual sensor.
 2) Touch

• Signal Processing: Touch sensory signals can be generated by

the robot's own movements. It is important to identify only the
external tactile signals for accurate operations.
• Usage : Touch patterns enable robots to interpret human
emotions in interactive applications.
Four measurable features — force, contact time, repetition, and
contact area change and associate them to human emotions with
up to 83% accuracy.
 3) Hearing

• Signal processing: Accurate audio sensor requires low internal

noise contribution.
• Robots may interpret strayed noise as speech instructions.
Current Voice Activity Detection (VAD) system uses the Complex
Spectrum Circle Centroid (CSCC) method and a maximum
Signal-to Noise Ratio (SNR) beam former.
• Usage Robots can perceive our emotion through the way we
talk. Acoustic and linguistic features are generally used to
characterize emotions.
 SENSORS USED IN ROBOTICS

• a) Proximity Sensor: This type of sensor is capable of pointing

out the availability of a component. Generally, the proximity sensor
will be placed in the robot moving part such as end effector. It is
also used to find the presence of a human being in the work
volume so that the accidents can be reduced.
• Infrared (IR) Transceivers: An IR LED transmits a beam of IR
light and if it finds an obstacle, the light is simply reflected back
which is captured by an IR receiver.
• Ultrasonic Sensor: These sensors generate high frequency
sound waves; the received echo suggests an object interruption.
• Photo resistor: Photo resistor is a light sensor; but, it can still be
used as a proximity sensor..
 SENSORS USED IN ROBOTICS

b) Range Sensor
Range Sensor is implemented in the end effector of a robot to
calculate the distance between the sensor and a work part.
c) Tactile Sensors
A sensing device that specifies the contact between an object,
and sensor is considered as the Tactile Sensor. Tactile sensors
are often in everyday objects such as elevator buttons and lamps
which dim or brighten by touching the base.
• This sensor can be sorted into two key types namely:
a)Touch Sensor, and
b) Force Sensor.
 SENSORS USED IN ROBOTICS

Touch Sensor
• The touch sensor has got the ability to sense and detect the touching of a
sensor and object. If the end effector gets some contact with any solid part,
then this sensor will be handy one to stop the movement of the robot. In
addition, it can be used as an inspection device, which has a probe to
measure the size of a component.
Force Sensor
The force sensor is included for calculating the forces of several functions
like the machine loading & unloading, material handling, and so on that are
performed by a robot. This sensor will also be a better one in the assembly
process for checking the problems. There are several techniques used in
this sensor like Joint Sensing, Robot – Wrist Force Sensing, and Tactile
Array Sensing.
 SENSORS USED IN ROBOTICS

d) Light Sensor
• A Light sensor is used to detect light and create a voltage are
Photo resistor and Photovoltaic cells.
• Photo resistor is a type of resistor whose resistance varies with
change in light intensity; more light leads to less resistance and
less light leads to more resistance.
 SENSORS USED IN ROBOTICS

e) Sound Sensor
• This sensor (generally a microphone) detects sound and returns
a voltage proportional to the sound level. A simple robot can be
designed to navigate based on the sound it receives. A robot
which turns right for one clap and turns left for two claps. Complex
robots can use the same microphone for speech and voice
recognition.
 SENSORS USED IN ROBOTICS
f) Temperature Sensor
• Tiny temperature sensor ICs provide voltage difference for a
change in temperature.
• Thermistor temperature sensor probe assemblies can
conveniently attach to or be an integral part of any system to
monitor or control temperature.
• Applications for temperature sensing include air temperature
sensors, surface temperature sensors and immersion
temperature sensors.
 SENSORS USED IN ROBOTICS

g) Contact Sensor
• Contact Sensors are those which require physical contact
against other objects to trigger. A push button switch, limit switch
or tactile bumper switch are all examples of contact sensors.
These sensors are mostly used for obstacle avoidance robots.
When these switches hit an obstacle, it triggers the robot to do a
task, which can be reversing, turning, switching on a LED,
Stopping etc.
 SENSORS USED IN ROBOTICS

h) Voltage Sensors
• Voltage sensors typically convert lower voltages to higher
voltages, or vice versa. One example is a general Operational-
Amplifier (Op-Amp) which accepts a low voltage, amplifies it, and
generates a higher voltage output. Few voltage sensors are used
to find the potential difference between two ends (Voltage
Comparator). Even a simple LED can act as a voltage sensor
which can detect a voltage difference and light up
 SENSORS USED IN ROBOTICS

i) Current Sensors
• Current sensors are electronic circuits which monitor the current
flow in a circuit and output either a proportional voltage or a
current. Most current sensors output an analog voltage between
0V to 5V which can be processed further using a microcontroller
 Types of Sensors

 Active
 send signal into environment and measure interaction
of signal with environment
 e.g. radar, sonar
 Passive
 record signals already present in environment
 e.g. video cameras
 Types of Sensors

 Classification by medium used

 based on electromagnetic radiation of various
wavelengths
 vibrations in a medium
 concentration of chemicals in environment
 by physical contact
 Types of Sensors

 Exteroceptive: deal with external world

 where is something ?
 how does is look ? (camera, laser rangefinder)
 Proprioceptive: deal with self
 where are my hands ? (encoders, stretch receptors)
 am I balanced ? (gyroscopes, INS)
 Types of Sensors

 Interoceptive
 what is my thirst level ? (biochemical)
 what is my battery charge ? (voltmeter)
Touch sensors Bend sensors
Tilt sensors Light sensors
Temperature sensors
Encoders Potentiometers

Laser rangefinders
Cameras
 Touch sensors

electrical flow
a simple
switch
force voltage
measurement
 Tilt sensors

another simple
switch

gravity
 Encoders

 Encoders measure rotational motion.

 They can be used to measure the rotation of a wheel.

 Servo motors: Used in conjunction with an electric motor

to measure the motor’s position and, in turn, control its
position.
Encoders

Voltage square wave

on on

off off off

1 2 3 4 ...

Important spec:
Number of counts
per revolution
 Bend sensor

a variable
resistor
resistance changes
as it bends

V=IxR
assuming constant
current, the measured
voltage changes with
resistance
 Light sensor

photo-resistor

resistance changes
with light intensity
 Temperature sensor

thermal resistor
“thermistor”

resistance changes
with temperature
 Potentiometer

another
rotational sensor

R
resistance changes
with position
of dial
 Sensors Based on EM Spectrum

 Basically used for ranging

 Light sensitive
 eyes, cameras, photocells etc.
 Operating principle
 CCD - charge coupled devices
 photoelectric effect
 IR sensitive - FLIR
 sense heat differences and construct images
 night vision application
 EM Spectrum

 Radio and Microwave

 RADAR: Radio Detection and Ranging
 Microwave radar: insensitive to clouds
 Coherent light
 all photons have same phase and wavelength
 LASER: Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of
Radiation
 LASER RADAR: LADAR - accurate ranging
The SICK Laser Rangefinder
 EM Spectrum

 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)

 heavy duty magnetic field lines up lines up atoms in a
body
 now expose body to radio signals
 different nuclei resonate at different frequencies which
can be measured leading to an image
 Local Proximity Sensing in EM

 Infrared LEDs
 cheap, active sensing
 usually low resolution - normally used for
presence/absence of obstacles rather than ranging
 operate over small range
 Sensors Based on Sound
 SONAR: Sound Navigation and Ranging

 bounce sound off of something

 measure time for reflection to be heard - gives a range

measurement

 measure change in frequency - gives the relative speed

of the object (Doppler effect)

 bats and dolphins use it with amazing results

 robots use it w/ less than amazing results

Sonar and IR Proxmity
 Odor Sensors
 Detection of chemical compounds and their density in an
area
 spectroscopy - mostly lab restricted
 fibre-optic techniques - recently developed
 chemical detection - sniffers aand electronic noses via
“wet chemistry on a chip”

 No major penetration in robotics yet applications are vast

(e.g. mine detection)
 Touch Sensors
 Whiskers, bumpers etc.
 mechanical contact leads to

 closing/opening of a switch

 change in resistance of some element

 change in capacitance of some element

 change in spring tension

 ...
Proprioceptive Sensors

 Encoders, Potentiometers
 measure angle of turn via change in resistance or by
counting optical pulses
 Gyroscopes
 measure rate of change of angles
 fiber-optic (newer, better), magnetic (older)
 Compass
 measure which way is north
 GPS: measure location relative to globe
Propriceptive Sensors
 Industrial Robot Applications

1. Material handling applications

 Material transfer – pick-and-place, palletizing
 Machine loading and/or unloading
2. Processing operations
 Welding
 Spray coating
 Cutting and grinding
3. Assembly and inspection
 Robotic Arc-Welding Cell

 Robot performs
flux-cored arc
welding (FCAW)
operation at one
workstation while
fitter changes
parts at the other
workstation
 Robot Programming

 Leadthrough programming
 Work cycle is taught to robot by moving the
manipulator through the required motion cycle and
simultaneously entering the program into
controller memory for later playback
 Robot programming languages
 Textual programming language to enter
commands into robot controller
 Simulation and off-line programming
 Program is prepared at a remote computer
terminal and downloaded to robot controller for
execution without need for leadthrough methods
 Leadthrough Programming

1. Powered leadthrough
 Common for point-to-
point robots
 Uses teach pendant
2. Manual leadthrough
 Convenient for
continuous path control
robots
 Human programmer
physical moves
manipulator
 Leadthrough Programming
Advantages
 Advantages:
 Easily learned by shop personnel
 Logical way to teach a robot
 No computer programming
 Disadvantages:
 Downtime during programming
 Limited programming logic capability
 Not compatible with supervisory control
 Robot Programming

 Textural programming languages

 Enhanced sensor capabilities
 Improved output capabilities to control external equipment
 Program logic
 Computations and data processing
 Communications with supervisory computers
 Coordinate Systems

World coordinate system Tool coordinate system

 Motion Commands

MOVE P1
HERE P1 - used during lead through of manipulator
MOVES P1
DMOVE(4, 125)
APPROACH P1, 40 MM
DEPART 40 MM
DEFINE PATH123 = PATH(P1, P2, P3)
MOVE PATH123
SPEED 75
Interlock and Sensor Commands

Interlock Commands
WAIT 20, ON
SIGNAL 10, ON
SIGNAL 10, 6.0
REACT 25, SAFESTOP
Gripper Commands
OPEN
CLOSE
CLOSE 25 MM
CLOSE 2.0 N
Simulation and Off-Line Programming
 Example

A robot performs a loading and unloading operation for a

machine tool as follows:
 Robot pick up part from conveyor and loads into machine (Time=5.5 sec)
 Machining cycle (automatic). (Time=33.0 sec)
 Robot retrieves part from machine and deposits to outgoing conveyor.
(Time=4.8 sec)
 Robot moves back to pickup position. (Time=1.7 sec)
Every 30 work parts, the cutting tools in the machine are
changed which takes 3.0 minutes. The uptime efficiency of
the robot is 97%; and the uptime efficiency of the machine
tool is 98% which rarely overlap.
Determine the hourly production rate.
 Solution

Tc = 5.5 + 33.0 + 4.8 + 1.7 = 45 sec/cycle

Tool change time Ttc = 180 sec/30 pc = 6 sec/pc
Robot uptime ER = 0.97, lost time = 0.03.
Machine tool uptime EM = 0.98, lost time = 0.02.
Total time = Tc + Ttc/30 = 45 + 6 = 51 sec = 0.85 min/pc
Rc = 60/0.85 = 70.59 pc/hr

Accounting for uptime efficiencies,

Rp = 70.59(1.0 - 0.03 - 0.02) = 67.06 pc/hr