By

Dr.V.Arunkumar
Assistant Professor (Senior Grade -2),
School of Computer Science and
Engineering(SCOPE),
VIT University,
Chennai Campus.
 Objectives of the Course
• To summarize and analyze the fundamentals of
robotics.
• To introduce students the kinematics and dynamics
of robots.
• To elucidate students the types of motion control.
• To familiarize students with the basic techniques of
designing the robots

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 What is a Robot?
• The term: robot has come from the CZECH
word; robots which means forced or slave
labourer
• In 1921, Karel Capek, a Czech playwright used
the term: robot first in his drama named
Rossum’s Universal Robots (R.U.S)
• In 1954, George Devol developed the first
programmable robot

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Evolution of Robotics

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 Industrial Robots Definition
A robot is a programmable arm
simulator

“A robot is a programmable,
multifunction manipulator designed to
move material, parts, tools, or special
devices through variable programmed
motions for the performance of a
variety of tasks”
Robot Institute of America
 Laws of Robotics
Isaac Asimov @ 1939

1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through

inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

2. A robot must obey orders given it by human beings

except where such orders would conflict with the
First Law.

3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as

such protection does not conflict with the First or
Second Law.
The manipulator consists of segments that
may be jointed and that move about,
allowing the robot to do work. It moves
materials, parts, tools, or special devices
through various motions to provide useful
work.
The end effector is the robot’s hand, or the
end-of-arm tooling on the robot.

It is a device attached to the wrist of the

manipulator for the purpose of grasping,
lifting, transporting, maneuvering, or
performing operations on a workpiece.

Robot’s performance is a direct result of

how well the end effector meets the task
requirements.

Area within reach of the robot’s end

effector is called its work envelope.
The controller is the part of a robot that
coordinates all movements of the
mechanical system.

It also receives input from the immediate

environment through various sensors.

The heart of the robot’s controller is

generally a microprocessor linked to
input/output and monitoring devices.

The commands issued by the controller

activate the motion control mechanism,
consisting of various controllers,
amplifiers, and actuators.

This movement is initiated by a series of

instructions, called a program, stored in
the controller’s memory.
Means for Programming:

The means for programming is used to

record movements into the robot’s
memory.

A robot may be programmed using any

of several different methods. The teach
pendant, also called a teach box or
handheld programmer teaches a robot
the movements required to perform a
useful task.

The operator uses a teach pendant to

move the robot through the series of
points that describe its desired path. The
points are recorded by the controller for
later use.
Power supply:

Provides the energy to drive the controller and actuators.

It may convert ac voltage to the dc voltage required by the robot’s internal

circuits, or it may be a pump or compressor providing hydraulic or
pneumatic power.

The three basic types of power supplies are electrical, pneumatic and
hydraulic.
 Degrees of Freedom
The individual joint motions associated with the performance of
task or Number of independent parameter required to define the
motion

Describe a robot’s freedom of motion in three dimensional space.

The ability to move
 to the left and to the right - rotational traverse (x- axis)
 forward and backward - radial traverse (y-axis)
 up and down - vertical traverse (z-axis)
 Degrees of Freedom
Additional degree of freedom can be obtained from wrist
 up and down - pitch (x-axis)
 side to side - yaw (y- axis)
 swivel - roll (z- axis)

A robot requires a total of six degrees of freedom to locate and

orient its hand at any point in its work envelope
 Manipulator Joints
• Translational motion
(Prismatic Joint (P))
– Linear joint (type L)
– Orthogonal joint (type O)

• Rotary motion
(Revolute Joint (R))
– Rotational joint (type R)
– Twisting joint (type T)
– Revolving joint (type V)
 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
 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 …

 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

 Polar Coordinate
Body-and-Arm Assembly
• Notation TRL/RRP/2RP:

• 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/RPP/R2P:

• 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/PPP/3P:
• 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/RRR/3R:
 SCARA Robot
• Notation VRO/RRP/2RP
• 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
Reach (Work Volume / Work envelop)
Spatial region within
which the end of the
robot’s wrist can be
manipulated

Determined by
– Physical configurations
– Size
– Number of axes
– The robot mounted position (overhead gantry, wall-
mounted, floor mounted, on tracks)
– Limits of arm and joint configurations
– The addition of an end-effector can move or offset the
entire work volume
 (a) Polar (b) Cylindrical

(c) Cartesian

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 Coordinate Systems

World coordinate system Tool coordinate system

 Technical Specifications
• Size of the working envelope • Motion control
• Precision of movement – path control
– Control resolution – velocity control
– Accuracy • Types of drive motors
– Repeatability – hydraulic
• Lifting capability – electric
– pneumatic
• Number of robot axes
• Speed of movement
– maximum speed
– acceleration/deceleration time
 Weight Carrying Capacity
(Pay load)
The lifting capability provided by manufacturer
doesn’t include the weight of the end effector
• Usual Range 2.5lb-2000lb
• Condition to be satisfied:
Load Capability > Total Wt. of workpiece
+ Wt. of end effector
+ Safety range
 Speed of Movement

Speed with which the robot can manipulate

the end effector

•Acceleration/deceleration times are crucial for cycle

time.
•Determined by
– Weight of the object
– Distance moved
– Precision with which object must be positioned
 Motion Control

• Path control - how accurately a robot traces a given path

(critical for gluing, painting, welding applications);
• Velocity control - how well the velocity is controlled
(critical for gluing, painting applications)
• Types of control path:
- point to point control (used in assembly, palletizing, machine loading); -
- continuous path control/walkthrough (paint spraying, welding).
- controlled path (paint spraying, welding).
 Type of Drive System

• Hydraulic
– High strength and high speed
– Large robots, Takes floor space
– Mechanical Simplicity
– Used usually for heavy payloads

• Electric Motor (Servo/Stepper)

– High accuracy and repeatability
– Low cost
– Less floor space
– Easy maintenance

• Pneumatic
– Smaller units, quick assembly
– High cycle rate
– Easy maintenance
 Example
(Unimation – PUMA 500)

Model: 550 Actuator : Electrical Applications:

Axes : 6 DoF Payload : 3kg M/c tool loading, Part
Speed : 1000 m/s Repeatability : ±0.10 transfer, Assembly,
Welding, Inspection etc.
 Spatial Resolution
Smallest increment of motion at the wrist end that
can be controlled by the robot

Depends on the position control system, feedback

measurement, and mechanical accuracy
 Accuracy
Capability to position the wrist at a target point in
the work volume
• One half of the distance between two adjacent resolution points
• Affected by mechanical Inaccuracies
• Manufacturers don’t provide the accuracy (hard to control)
 Repeatability
Ability to position back to a point that was previously
taught
• Repeatability errors form a random variable.
• Mechanical inaccuracies in arm, wrist components
• Larger robots have less precise repeatability values