Introduction to Industrial
Automation
- ETIA 31413 -
Faculty of Computing and
Technology
M r. M . M . S h e ya n U d aya n ga S i l va
B.ET(Hon.s) Specialization in Industrial Automation and Robotics
Te m p o r a r y L e c t u r e r
Outline
Industrial Robots:
• Robotics
• Industrial robot manipulators
• Joint primitives
• Types of robot mechanisms
• Manipulator control systems
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Brief History of Robotics
• Definition
• A piece of machinery that could perform tasks which are generally
ascribed to humans, such as voice recognition, speech synthesis,
obstacle avoidance, face recognition, etc..
• The word robot first appeared in a Czech stage play “Rossum’s
Universal Robots” by Karel Capek in 1921. In Czech, “robot”
means “forced labor”
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Robotics
• Robotics is the science and engineering of using
robots.
• The word robotics first appeared in the science
fiction “Runaround” by Issac Asimov in 1938.
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Robotics is Interdisciplinary
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Early Robots
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Early Robots
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Early Robots
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Early Robots
• Honda P3 in 1996.
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Early Robots
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Early Robots
• Honda ASIMO in 2000.
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Industrial Robot
• An industrial robot is a programmable, multi-
functional manipulator designed to move
materials, parts, tools, or special devices
through variable programmed motions for the
performance of a variety of tasks”
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Industrial Robot Manipulators
• In general robot manipulators are called as
Robotic Arms
• Robotic arms are similar to that of human arms
Consist of links and joints
• Robotic arms constitutes the major potion in
industrial robotics and come with various
shapes and sizes
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Industrial Robot Manipulators
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Components of a Manipulator System
• Arm
• Consist of the total electro-mechanical structure. It
includes robot base, links, joints, actuators, sensors
and end effectors (tool).
• Robot Controller
• Consist of all the control circuits including
microprocessors, motor drives, sensor electronics,
interface connectors and the power units
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Components of a Manipulator System
• Teach Pendant
• A hand held controller unit that allows the operator to
program the robot by direct control of the robot joints
and motion.
• Interface Computer
• A computer that provides the interface between the
robot controller and the operator. Programs can be
written, edited, simulated or compiled for the robot
controller to be able to download it.
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Components of a Manipulator System
• Robot Software
• Consists of the robot programming language, a
program development environment and simulation
capabilities.
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Hand of a Robot (End Effector)
• Usually various types of end-effectors are made for
the same robot to make it more versatile and
flexible.
• The End-effectors are of two types
• Grippers
• Tools
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End Effectors- Grippers
• Grippers are generally used to grasp and hold an
object and place it at a desired location
• Mechanical
• Vacuum or suction cups
• Magnetic
• Hooks, scoops etc.,
• Adhesive
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End Effectors – Tools
• Tools enable the robot to perform a specific
operation on a work-piece
• Welding guns
• Spay painting tools
• Drilling tools
• Milling tools
• Other forms of machining tools
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Links and Joints
• Robotic manipulators are composed of a sequence
of links attached at joints.(sometimes referred to
as ‘Kinematic Chains’)
• Each link can move with respect to the preceding
link through joints
• Links can either be rigid or flexible
• A robot joint is a mechanism that permits relative
movement between parts of a robot arm
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Robotic Joints
• The basic movement necessary for a desired motion in
an industrial robot
• Rotational movement
• Enables the robot to place its arm in any direction on a
horizontal plane.
• Radial movement
• Enables the robot to move its end-effector radially to reach
distant points.
• Vertical movement
• Enables the robot to take its end-effector to different heights.
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Robotic Joints
• Depending on the nature of this relative motion, the
joints can be classified as
• Prismatic (P)
• Revolute (R)
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Robotic Joints
Prismatic (P):
• These are also termed linear, sliding or translational
joints
• A translational joint allows a link to slide or translate
along a fixed axis with respect to the preceding link
• They are called prismatic because the cross section of
the joint is considered as a generalized prism
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Robotic Joints
Prismatic (P):
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Robotic Joints
Revolute (R):
• These permit only angular motion between
links
• These have 3 types
• Rotational
• Twisting
• Revolving
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Robotic Joints – Revolute (R)
Rotational Joint (R):
A rotational joint is identified by its motion, rotation about an
axis perpendicular to the adjoining links
The lengths of adjoining links do not change but
the relative position of the links with respect to one another
changes as the rotation takes place
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Robotic Joints – Revolute (R)
Tw i s t i n g J o i n t ( T ) :
The rotation takes place about an axis that is
parallel to both adjoining
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Robotic Joints – Revolute (R)
Revolving Joint (V):
The rotation takes place about an axis that is parallel to
one of the adjoining links. Usually, the links are aligned
perpendicular to one another at this kind of joint. The
rotation involves revolution of one link about another.
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