Introduction to Industrial Robots

Industrial robots are computer controlled mechanical devices that automate manufacturing processes. As their capabilities have advanced over the years, robots are becoming more common in factory settings to perform repetitive, dangerous, or precision tasks. Some key attributes of industrial robots include their ability to operate 24 hours a day, lift heavy objects, work in hazardous environments, and perform tasks with very high accuracy and precision.

History and Development

The earliest industrial robots were simple automated machines designed to perform a single task and introduced in the 1960s. Over time, advancements in motor control, sensing, artificial intelligence, and other technologies enabled the development of more sophisticated multi-functional robots. In the 1970s, industrial robots started gaining popularity for welding, material removal, and assembly applications. The 80s saw a boom in robot installations as programmable controllers allowed customizable robot paths for diverse manufacturing processes. Modern robots today are versatile, high-performance robots with advanced artificial vision, force control and able to learn from their environment.

Types of Industrial Robots

There are several common types of industrial robots based on their configuration and application:

- Articulated robots - Most widely used robots that resemble an arm and have rotating joints for high dexterity and reach. Used for material handling, assembly, arc welding and surface treatment applications.

- SCARA robots - Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm design ideal for precise pick and place tasks. Compact design with horizontal reach allowing use in confined spaces. Common in electronics assembly.

- Delta robots - Parallel robot with triangular links providing fast speeds for high volume applications like packaging. More expensive than alternatives.

- Cartesian robots - Use linear slides and motors arranged orthogonally providing accurate control for 3D printers, laser cutting machines.

- Cylindrical robots - Revolute joints provide rotational motion around a center axis for tasks like polishing or deburring.

- Collaborative robots - Designed to safely operate alongside humans for tasks involving picking, inspection and assembly. Feature integrated safety systems and controls.

Benefits of Industrial Robotics

Incorporating robots into manufacturing offers several compelling advantages over manual labor:

Consistent Quality - Robots can perform repetitive tasks with extremely high precision, quality and consistency compared to humans. They are unaffected by fatigue or loss of concentration.

Increased Productivity - Robots work faster than humans and can achieve much higher production outputs. They can operate continuously 24/7 without breaks.

Improved Employee Safety - Robots handle dangerous tasks in hazardous environments like welding that expose humans to injuries. They eliminate ergonomic risks.

Lower Labor Costs - Robots reduce dependence on expensive human labor over time and wage inflation. Payback periods of 1-3 years are common.

Minimized Waste - Programmable robots minimize defects and wastage during production through accurate, repeatable motions.

Increased Flexibility - Robots can be swiftly reprogrammed to handle different product variants or tasks, unlike hard automation. Their payloads and speeds can be altered.

Applications of Industrial Robots

Some major applications where industrial robots have become common in modern manufacturing include:

- Material handling - Robots pick and place components or products, load/unload machines, palletize goods etc. speeding parts flow.

- Welding - Arc, spot and seam welding robots perform complex welds with precision for automotive, shipbuilding, and other metal fabrication industries.

- Assembly - Assemble electronic components, insert parts in molds, fasten vehicle bodies etc. Precise robots boost quality and throughput of assembly lines.

- Surface treatment - Spray painting and coating robots apply protective or decorative finishes evenly on large volumes of automobile bodies or appliance exteriors.

- Machine loading/unloading - Load raw materials/parts and retrieve finished products from machine tools like CNC lathes and mills, injection molding machines.

- Inspection/quality control - Vision guided robots perform 100% inspection of products through imaging, gauging or other sensors, reducing defects.

- Packaging - Robots box, wrap or bottle products at high rates with minimal errors for distribution to stores or warehouses.

Challenges and the Future

While robots have transformed many industries, challenges remain around high upfront costs, programming complexity, safety around coworkers, and lack of tactile sensing compared to human hands. As AI, sensors and computer power continue advancing rapidly, future robots will gain even more dexterity, judgement and flexibility to handle complex tasks like in-home caregiving. Collaborative robots also promise to further expand robotic usage from traditional industrial spaces into new fields like construction, agriculture or small businesses as costs come down. Overall, industrial robotics will play an increasingly prominent role in global manufacturing competitiveness and productivity in the years ahead.