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

The body—consisting of the base and the actuating mechanism, includes the arm, wrist, and hand, and some robots also have locomotion mechanisms. Most industrial robots have 3 to 6 degrees of freedom, with the wrist typically having 1 to 3 degrees of freedom;

Drive system—comprising the power unit and transmission mechanism, with the core being the reducer and servo motor, used to enable the actuating mechanism to perform corresponding actions;

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

“Teaching Playback” Method: It teaches the mechanical arm how to move through either a “teaching box” or “hand-in-hand” methods, the controller memorizes the teaching process, and then the robot repeats the taught actions in cycles, such as spray painting robots.

“Programmable Control” Method: Workers pre-write control programs based on the robot’s work tasks and motion trajectories, then input the control program into the robot’s controller, starting the control program, and the robot completes the actions step by step as specified by the program. 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: Controlled by a person using a wired or wireless remote control to complete tasks in places 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 and most complex control method in robot control, requiring the robot to have the ability to recognize the environment and make autonomous decisions in complex unstructured environments, essentially exhibiting certain intelligent behaviors akin to humans.

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