Robotics

Chapter 1 (Part A): Robot Anatomy

ETME -404

Overview
Robot anatomy
kinematic chain
Links
Joints
Degree of Freedom(DOF)
Joint Notation Scheme
Arm Configuration
Wrist Configuration
Work Volume
The End-effector

Robot anatomy
Robot anatomy is the study of skeleton of robot that is
the physical construction of the manipulator .
The mechanical structure consists of rigid body(links)
connected by means of joints.

Main parts of structure

1. Arm ensure mobility and reach ability i.e for
positioning the EE.
2. Wrist for orientation of the EE
3. End effector (EE)for performing tasks eg holding,
lifting etc.

Robot anatomy

4. Base ( generally fastened to the floor)

Robot anatomy
Robot Manipulators are composed of links connected
by joints to form a kinematic chain
Open kinematic chain
Closed kinematic chain

Robot anatomy
Links (Assumed to be rigid)
Binary link(connected with at most another 2 links)

Tertiary link(connected with at most 3 links)

Robot anatomy
Joints:
Two basic types of joints that are commonly used in
industrial robots are:
1. Linear joint
2. Rotating joint

Linear joints involve a sliding or translational motion

of the connecting links.
(achieved in no. of ways for eg rack and pinion, by
piston, screw and nut or mechanism etc.

Robot anatomy

Robot anatomy
Rotating joint
3 types of rotating joint
I. Rotational (R) joint: the axis of the rotation is
perpendicular to the axes of the two connecting
links.
II. Twisting (T) joint : the axis of the rotation is
parallel to the axes of the two connecting links.
III. Revolving (V) joint: in which input link is parallel
to the axis of rotation and o/p link is
perpendicular to the axis of rotation.

Robot anatomy

Degree of Freedom(DOF)
Degree of Freedom(DOF)
The number of independent variables required to
specify the location and orientation of EE in 3D
space.
A rigid link in space has ..dof
A rigid link in plane has .. dof

Degree of Freedom(DOF)

In open kinematic chain: the DOF is equal to the numbers of

links or number of joints.(it is assumed that each joint has
only 1 DOF)

Degree of Freedom(DOF)
Required DOF in a Manipulator
In order to position and orient a body freely in 3D space, a
manipulator should have at least 6DOF such a manipulator is
called Spatial manipulator.

A manipulator with less than 6 DOF has constrained motion in

3D space. There are many industrial manipulators that have 5
or less DOF
Spatial manipulator with more than 6DOF have surplus joints
and are known as redundant manipulators.

Degree of Freedom(DOF)
The extra DOF may enhance the performance by adding to its
dexterity/flexibility.

Joint Notation Scheme

Uses the joint symbols (L or P, 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
Notation = RR

Arm Configuration
The purpose of the arm is to position the wrist in the 3D
space.
According to joint movements and arrangement of links, four
well-distinguished basic structural configurations are possible
for the arm.
named according to the coordinate system employed or the
shape of the space they sweep.

Arm Configuration
The four basic configurations are:
(i) Cartesian (rectangular) configuration
(ii) Cylindrical configuration
(iii) Polar (spherical) configuration
(iv) Articulated (Revolute or Jointed-arm configuration)

Arm Configuration
(i) Cartesian(rectangular) configuration
This
is
the
simplest
configuration with all three
prismatic joints
The endpoint of the arm is
capable of operating in a
cuboidal
space,
called
workspace.
The workspace represents
the portion of space around
the base of the manipulator
that can be accessed by the
arm endpoint

A 3-DoF cantilever type Cartesian arm

configuration and its workspace

Arm Configuration
(i) Cartesian(rectangular) configuration
The volume of the space swept
is called work volume; the
surface of the workspace
describes the work envelope
Notation LLL or PPP
Gantry or box Cartesian
Gantry configuration is used
when heavy loads must be
precisely moved. The Cartesian
configuration gives large work
volume but has a low dexterity.
Notation LLL and High rigidity

Arm Configuration
(ii) Cylindrical Configuration
Uses two perpendicular
joints, and a twisting joint
Notation TLL

prismatic

The cylindrical configuration offers good

mechanical stiffness and the wrist
positioning accuracy decreases as the
horizontal stroke increases.
It is suitable to access narrow
horizontal cavities and, hence, is useful
for machine-loading operations.

Arm Configuration
(iii)Polar (Spherical) Configuration
It consists of a telescopic link
(prismatic joint) that can be
raised or lowered about a
horizontal rotary joint.
These two links are mounted on
a rotating base.
Notation TRP or TRL
gives the capability of moving
the arm end-point within a
partial spherical shell space as
work volume

Arm Configuration
(iii)Polar (Spherical) Configuration
This configuration allows manipulation
of objects on the floor because its
shoulder joint allows its end-effector to
go below the base.
Its mechanical stiffness is lower than
Cartesian and cylindrical configurations
the wrist positioning accuracy decreases
with the increasing radial stroke.
The construction is more complex. Polar
arms are mainly employed for industrial
applications such as machining, spray
painting and so on.

Arm Configuration
(iv) Articulated (Revolute or Jointed-arm) Configuration
Its configuration is similar to that of human
arm
It consists of two straight links,
corresponding to the human "forearm"
and "upper arm" with two rotary joints
corresponding to the "elbow" and
"shoulder" joints.
Notation TRR
The work volume of this configuration is
spherical shaped, and with proper sizing of
links and design of joints, the arm
endpoint can sweep a full spherical space
Ability to extend its arm beyond its base

Arm Configuration
(v) Other Configurations

characteristics of articulated and

cylindrical configurations are combined
The
result
is
SCARA(Selective
Compliance Assembly Robot Arm)
Notation VRP
The SCARA configuration has vertical
major axis rotations such that
gravitational
load,
Coriolis,
and
centrifugal forces do not stress the
structure as much as they would if the
axes were horizontal.

Arm Configuration
This advantage is very important at high speeds and high
precision.
This configuration provides high stiffness to the arm in the
vertical direction, and high compliance in the horizontal
plane, thus making SCARA ideal for many assembly tasks.

Wrist Configuration
Wrist assembly is attached to end-of-arm
End effector is attached to wrist assembly
Function of wrist assembly is to orient end effector properly
with respect to the task to be performed.
Two or three degrees of freedom:
Roll
Pitch
Yaw

Wrist Configuration
Notation :RRT

Wrist Configuration

Work Volume

Work Volume

Work Volume
The work volume is determined by the following :
1. The robots physical configuration.
2. The size of the body , arm and wrist components.
3. The limits of joint movement.

The End-effector
The special tooling for a robot that enables it to perform a
specific task
The end-effector is external to the manipulator and its DOF do
not combine with the manipulator's DOF.
Different end-effectors can be attached to the end of the wrist
according to the task to be executed.
These can be grouped into two major categories:
1. Grippers 2. Tools

The End-effector
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

The End-effector

A two-finger mechanical gripper for grasping rotational

parts

Thank You