Automation With Robot

Robot is intelegent mechanical device or system that can perform tasks or high precision motion based on programs that have been made.

Robot Motoman
HP3XFC by Yaskawa

Today, many robots have been created so as to perform work that could no do humans. Even some of robots have been made to resemble human beings capable of responding like a human. But in this chapter, the focus of discussion is a robot that is used in the field of industrial automation which made by some makers such Yamaha, IAI, Yaskawa, ABB and so on.

Based on its structure, robots that are widely used in the field of industrial automation can be grouped into three categories as follows:

1. Single Axis Robot, robot that has only one arm, and usually only uses one motor.
2. Cartesian(XY-X) Robot, robot that has more than one arm and motor, capable of movement according cartesian coordinates (X and Y)
3. SCARA Robot, SCARA stands for Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm. This robot has compliance only in  X and Y directions and has rigidy in Z direction. This robot usually used in assembling works because it has outstanding speed and be able to save the space.

Some robots are also categorized based on the application. In industry, these applications include welding, assembling, process components (pick and place), material handling, painting, cutting and so on. 

Nowdays robots are widely used in industry because of the ability to do the job faster and more efficiently than the conventional way (other actuator) or even humans. As a simple  description is application of single axis robotic when compared with a air cylinder (controlled by air):

Air cylinder MY3
by SMC

Robot Flip F10
by Yamaha

1. Smoother motion , especially when starting and stopping. This because the robot has the function of setting " acceleration and decceleration ", while the air cylinder depents only by how much air supply.
2. Speed and precision, The robot can move faster with high accuracy.
3. Point Position, Robot can perform movements with different point position, while the air cylinder only perform a full stroke movement.

The structure of robot :
The structure of robot is devided into two parts 

1. Robot Controller, is a part of the robot that functioned as a control, driver and power that move robot actuator. In this controller is a program that determines how a movement performed by the robot. This program was created by the user or a programmer in accordance with the desired movement.
2. Robot actuator, is the part of robot that performs the function of movement. The main parts of actuator consists of servo motor AC or DC type, brake, encoder or resolver, mechanical ball screw drive system. And about the brake is usually only used in vertical application.

     Ball screw of T6T7 Type by Yamaha

Robot Actuator Structure by Yamaha

System Configuration
The following image is an example of basic configuration of a control system with a robot. As an application example is single axis Yamaha robot Flip-X series.
From the following image can be explained:

1. The controller is SR1 type with actuator Flip X series.
2. Programming tool, HPB programming box or POPCOM communication software. Both are used to enter parameters, programs, and point position data that determines the movement to be performed by robot.
3. External control, This is the input-output controller that can be used PLC and conventional circuit. Some commands are received by robot controller commands eg for origin, running, point position and so on. Instead the robot controller is also a signal origin, busy, current position, error and so on.

Yamaha robot system configuration