According to the ISO 8373 definition, an industrial robot is a multi-joint mechanical arm or multi-degree-of-freedom robot aimed at the industrial field. Industrial robots are machines that automatically perform tasks, relying on their own power and control capabilities to achieve various functions. They can accept commands from humans or operate according to pre-programmed routines. Modern industrial robots can also act based on principles set by artificial intelligence technologies.

——Wikipedia

01

Components of Industrial Robots

Industrial robots mainly consist of three basic parts: the body, drive system, and control system.

Body – refers to the base and the actuators, including the arm, wrist, and hand. Some robots also have locomotion mechanisms. Most industrial robots have 3-6 degrees of freedom, with the wrist typically having 1-3 degrees of freedom;

Drive System – includes the power device and transmission mechanism, with the core being the reducer and servo motor, which enable the actuators to perform corresponding actions;

Control System – issues command signals to the drive system and actuators according to the input program and performs control.

Disassembled Diagram of Industrial Robot

02

Classification of Industrial Robots

There is no internationally designated standard for the classification of industrial robots. They can be classified based on load weight, control method, degrees of freedom, structure, application field, etc.

Classification by structural form is as follows:

Classification by application is as follows:

03

Industrial Robot Industry Chain

The industrial robot industry chain mainly consists of robot component manufacturers, robot body manufacturers, agents, system integrators, and end users. The body is the core of the robot industry chain. Typically, body manufacturers design the body, write software, and procure through agents to sell to system integrators, who directly face the end customers. Some body manufacturers and agents also act as system integrators.

Regionally, Europe and Japan firmly dominate the industrial robot market. Japan and Germany lead the world in industrial robot technology, mainly due to their first-mover advantage and technological accumulation. Japan has strong technological barriers in the research and development of key components for industrial robots (such as reducers and servo motors). Germany has certain advantages in raw materials, body components, and system integration.

From a corporate perspective, ABB, FANUC, KUKA, and YASKAWA are the four major families of industrial robots, becoming the world’s main suppliers of industrial robots, accounting for about 50% of the global market share.

04

Working Principle of Industrial Robots

The working principle of robots is a relatively complex issue. Simply put, the principle of a robot is to imitate various human limb movements, thinking methods, and decision-making capabilities. From the control perspective, robots can achieve this goal through the following four methods.

“Teaching Reproduction” Method: It teaches the robotic arm how to move through a “teaching box” or by “hand-in-hand” methods. The controller memorizes the teaching process, and then the robot repeats the taught actions over and over according to the memory, such as in spray painting robots.

“Programmable Control” Method: Workers prepare control programs in advance based on the robot’s work tasks and motion trajectories, then input the control program into the robot’s controller. When the control program is activated, the robot completes the actions specified by the program step by step. If the task changes, the control program can be modified or rewritten, making it very flexible and convenient. Most industrial robots operate according to the first two methods.

“Remote Control” Method: The robot is controlled by a human using a wired or wireless remote control to complete tasks in areas that are difficult or dangerous for humans to reach, such as bomb disposal robots, military robots, and robots working in environments with nuclear radiation and chemical contamination.

“Autonomous Control” Method: This is the highest level and most complex control method in robotics, requiring the robot to have the ability to recognize the environment and make autonomous decisions in complex, unstructured environments, akin to certain intelligent behaviors of humans.

For example, a six-axis vertical multi-joint robot can achieve actions and coordination of six axes through the robot controller and its control system, enabling movements such as S-axis rotation, L-axis lower arm tilt, U-axis upper arm tilt, R-axis arm lateral swing, B-axis wrist pitch, and T-axis wrist rotation.

If a centralized control system is used, the control principle will be as shown in the following diagram:

If a distributed control system is used, the control principle will be as shown in the following diagram:

05

Challenges Faced by Industrial Robot Manufacturers

With the continuous upgrading of the industrial manufacturing industry and the emergence of various new technologies, robot manufacturers must consider the usage needs of their end users during the production process. For example, some factories and production lines require upgrades and renovations, and robot manufacturers need to adapt to market changes and make corresponding adjustments.

☞ Source: Industrial Control Sharing

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