Robot manipulators are arm-like devices used to move materials and tools without human contact, often in hazardous or inaccessible locations. They have segments and can perform tasks like welding and drilling. Performance is measured by accuracy, payload weight, speed, range, and dexterity. Different types of manipulators have various combinations of links and joints. The wrist orients parts, while the arm and body manipulate them. Manipulators can be attached to almost any surface and some have advanced software for computer control or integration with other systems.
A robot manipulator is a robotic arm-like mechanism designed to manipulate or move materials, tools, and parts without direct human contact. Most robotic manipulators are lightweight devices that allow humans to interact with objects in an environment with complete safety. Sometimes, a material may be hazardous or radioactive, or it may simply be located in an inaccessible location. Manipulator robots resemble robotic arms and consist of a number of segments. They are used in industrial applications to effectively perform tasks such as assembly, welding, surface finishing and drilling.
Segmented arms can grip and move objects under human control. Every commercial robot manipulator consists of two discrete elements: the controller and the manipulator arm. Most of these arms have six degrees of freedom and a proprietary controller. Tonearms differ from each other in the way the different components are arranged to deliver a certain type of performance. Manipulator performance is measured by characteristics such as accuracy, payload weight and speed. Range and dexterity are also measured when making decisions about the performance of a robot manipulator.
Reach is a measure of how well the manipulator covers the working area. Dexterity is a property of the angular displacement of the arm joints. Payload weight is specified by the manufacturer and also takes into account payload capacity under different payload and speed conditions. The arm’s ability to repeat the movement, or repeatability, is measured to get an accurate idea of the arm’s accuracy. Simulations and motion test methods are used to verify performance parameters for various applications.
Various combinations of links and joints lead to various types of manipulators. The rigid parts that connect the joints are called links. Joints allow for movement of the links and can be linear or rotary. Linear mechanical joints allow only non-rotating movement between adjacent links. Rotary joints, however, allow the connecting links to rotate.
For example, the cylindrical type robot manipulator is manufactured with linear joints, which are connected to a basic rotary joint. A Cartesian robot, or gantry configuration, consists of linear joints in the arm. A pole pattern consists of a combination of both linear and rotary joints. An articulated manipulator robot, by contrast, has an arm whose linkages are connected via rotary joints.
Basically, the manipulator can be thought of as a wrist connected to an arm and body. The wrist has few compact joints and serves to orient the parts. The arm and body are used to manipulate the tools or parts within the workspace. The latter can be configured in ways suitable for different types of applications.
Many manipulator arms can be attached to almost any surface. Some manipulators have advanced to the point where the wrists contain mechanical gripping fingers. This allows the manipulating robot to pick up a delicate object such as an egg. Some manipulators also come with advanced software that allows them to be controlled with a computer or integrated with other systems effortlessly.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
