Five Types of Industrial Robots And How To Choose The ...
Ray Marquiss || Valin Corporation
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In general, when people hear the word "robot" they immediately think of a piece of machinery that looks and acts like a human. In the world of plant operations, "robot" brings productivity and assembly to the mind of an operator. But even in this specific definition of the machinery, operators often refer to the types of robots in terms of their applications like handling robots, palletizing robots, packaging robots, etc.
A simpler, more complete definition of robotic types can be narrowed down to five types: Cartesian, Cylindrical, SCARA, 6-Axis, and Delta. Each industrial robot type has specific elements that make them best suited for different applications. The main differentiators among them are their speed, size, and workspace. Knowledge of each operating aspect of all five types can help machine designers choose the best robot for their process. To learn more about Valin's complete robotic offering, click here.
Cartesian
The most commonly used robot type for the majority of industrial applications is Cartesian. Plant operators often default to this type because they are easy to use and program. The linear movements of the Cartesian elements give the robot a cube-shaped workspace that fits best with pick-and-pace applications and can range from 100 millimeters to tens of meters. These robots are also a popular choice because they are highly customizable. Customers can determine the stroke lengths, speed, and precision of the robots because most of the parts arrive separately and are assembled by the machine builders. That being said, one drawback to Cartesian robots is the complexity of assembly required. Overall, plant operators choose this robot design most often for the flexibility in their configuration that allows them to meet specific application needs. Learn more about Multi Axis Cartesian Robots. Also, be sure to check out IAI's WU Series Wrist Unit for Single Axis and 2-Axis Cartesian Robots.
Cylindrical
Cylindrical robots are very simple and similar to Cartesian in their axis of motion. Most Cylindrical robots are made of two moving elements: rotary and linear actuators. Because they have a cylindrical work envelope, machine designers might select them for their economy of space. The robot can be placed in the middle of a workspace, and, because of its rotation element, it can work anywhere around it. Simple applications where materials are picked up rotated, and then placed work best for cylindrical robots. Installation and use are not complex, and they come as fairly complete solutions with minimal assembly.
SCARA
SCARA robots offer a more complete solution than the Cartesian or Cylindrical. They are all-in-one robots, meaning a SCARA robot is equipped with x, y, z, and rotary motion in one package that comes ready-to-go, apart from the end-of-arm tooling. The work envelope is similar to cylindrical robots, but it has more degrees of motion in a radius or arch-shaped space. Applications are also similar to Cylindrical and Cartesian robots, but SCARA robots can move quicker than the other two. They are seen often in biomed applications due to their small work area. Because SCARAs have the easiest integration they seem like the best solution for the majority of applications, but Cartesians are more common because of their level of customization.
6-Axis
Another all-in-one robot type is the 6-Axis. Though sometimes 6-axis robots can be almost toy-sized, they are typically very large and used for large assembly jobs such as putting seats into a car on an assembly line. These robots operate like human arms and can pick up materials and move them from one plane to another. An example of this would be picking a part up from a tabletop and putting it into a cupboard something the other robot types cannot do easily. 6-Axis robots can move quick and come in complete solutions like SCARAs, however, their programming is more complicated. The robots can get so large and move so quickly that, if roller coaster seats were attached to them, they could simulate an amusement park ride. Because they are one of the largest of the five robot types, most designers choose them for their ability to make movements that others cannot to compensate for the loss of space.
Delta
As the fifth and final type, Delta robots are the fastest and most expensive. They have a unique, dome-shaped work envelope in which they can achieve very high speeds. Delta robots are best for fast pick-and-place or product transfer applications like moving parts from a conveyor belt and placing them in boxes or onto another conveyor belt. They also come as complete solutions for machine designers but are more complicated in use than the 6-Axis or SCARA robots. The main advantage of Delta robots is their speed and precision with which they operate.
Safety And Maintenance Of Industrial Robots
Across the board, all five types of robots come with almost the same level of safety implications. The typical method of protecting an operator from getting pinched or hit is an external system that basically creates a fence around the robots. This fence is a hard guard with a gate that, when opened by an operator, tells the robot to stop moving or switch to a mode of slow operation. This hard guard protects both the operator and the product by not allowing anyone to tamper with the robot when it is in use. As far as maintenance goes, there is no standard across the board for the robotic types. Maintenance periods mostly depend on the environments in which the robots are operating and their duty cycle. For example, processes with heavy exposure to dirt or dust will require more frequent maintenance on all robot types than processes in clean rooms.
Choosing The Best Fit
When designers are making the decision to implement one of the five robot types in their processes, they need to consider the basic starting points for any motion application: load, orientation, speed, travel, precision, environment, and duty cycle. Determining these factors will draw direct correlations to the corresponding robot type that will give them the most efficient and effective results in their plant.
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Speed Up Your Assembly Line Through Automation
Which Industries Use Assembly Robots?
Assembled products are present in a broad range of industries. Because of this fact, assembly robots are utilized in many different industries. These robots can handle the assembly of small PCB components and heavy vehicle frames. Here are a few examples of industries that use assembly robots today:
- Automotive
- Medical
- Electronics
- Metals Company
- Plastics Company
- Food and Beverage Company
These are just a few examples. Any manufacturer that assembles components together could potentially use this technology. But what can be gained from automated assembly?
Advantages of Automating the Assembly Process
Companies often choose to automate the assembly process for a few reasons:
When to Automate the Assembly Process
For companies new to the automation process, the question of when can be a challenge. Capital projects always carry risks. Understanding when it&#;s right to automate can help you feel more secure in taking on a robot project. Companies tend to take on assembly automation in the following scenarios:
- They require increased throughput
- The task is dangerous or can lead to injury
- They need to reduce overhead costs
- They are experiencing inconsistent production quality
Throughput
Robots often easily outpace human labor. Assembly tasks are no exception to this rule. Manufacturers that assemble products often have high quotas to attain. Assembly robots are one way to achieve higher production volume. Manufacturers commonly run into bottlenecking issues. This is a situation where a specific part of a process slows down the overall productivity of the entire process. An example of this might be found in a bottling plant. On a particular line, a bottle must be filled, capped, and labeled. Say the capping process is manual and currently can only output 45 parts per minute (PPM). The rest of the line, however, could potentially perform at 120 PPM. Automating the capping process allows you to unlock that extra potential of the line. This leads to increased revenue for your facility.
Safety
One reason companies automate is because assembly tasks can lead to injury. This is especially the case when the components are very large or tiny. Heavy components pose obvious safety risks. Operators can hurt themselves by moving large parts. Small parts pose a concern too. PCB assembly is a good example of the safety risks of small parts. Common ergonomic injuries include:
- Eyestrain
- Muscle strain
- Fume inhalation
- Impingements
Assembly robots remove the risk of operator injury due to these tasks. Money can be saved by avoiding the downtime, medical costs, and fines associated with worksite injuries.
Cost Reduction
Assembly lines have many associated costs. The primary cost is that of labor. Depending on the country you are in this can fluctuate, but it is always a major factor in the cost of goods. There are also raw material costs, as well as some hidden costs. These hidden factors include training costs, reduced production from time off task, and healthcare costs in some instances. Fully automated assembly lines remove the labor and hidden costs because the robots don&#;t require salaries or benefits. This leads to a leaner and more efficient production line. Many manufacturers repurpose this human capital to harder to automate tasks where people can be more productive.
A robot has a high up-front cost and some maintenance costs throughout its lifetime. But in ideal scenarios, robot projects can achieve net ROI in 12-18 months. This is especially the case in standardized automation projects that have proven robotic solutions. Experimental or difficult automation projects run the risk of not achieving these ROI targets. It is important to discuss these concerns with your integrator to understand your risk.
Consistent Production Quality
Automated systems are more repeatable in their movements than people are. They can perform at such a high level due to their programming. Robots are designed to follow a set of instructions. When tasks are predictable and repetitive robots can excel. This attribute allows them to make more consistent products. This means fewer failures and fewer products not passing quality control checks.
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