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Editor’s Note

According to ISO 8373, an industrial robot is a multi-joint mechanical arm or multi-degree-of-freedom robot aimed at the industrial sector. An industrial robot is an automatic machine device that performs work, relying on its own power and control capabilities to achieve various functions. It can accept commands from humans or operate according to pre-arranged programs. Modern industrial robots can also act based on principles established by artificial intelligence technology (Wikipedia).

01

Composition of Industrial Robots

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

Body – This 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 – This includes the power device and transmission mechanism, with the core components being the reducer and servo motor, which enable the actuators to perform corresponding actions.

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

Industrial Robot Disassembly Diagram

02

Classification of Industrial Robots

There is no internationally designated unified 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 components to be sold to system integrators through agents, who directly face end customers. Some body manufacturers and agents may also act as system integrators.

Regionally, Europe and Japan firmly dominate the industrial robot sector. The levels of industrial robots in Japan and Germany are world-leading, mainly due to their first-mover advantage and technological accumulation. Japan has strong technical barriers in the research and development of key components for industrial robots (reducers, servo motors, etc.). Germany has certain advantages in raw materials, body components, and system integration.In terms of companies, ABB, Fanuc, KUKA, and Yaskawa Electric are the four major families of industrial robots, becoming the main suppliers of industrial robots in the world, 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 robots is to imitate human limb movements, thinking methods, and control decision-making abilities. From a control perspective, robots can achieve this goal through the following four methods.

“Teaching Playback” method: It teaches the robotic arm how to move through either a “teaching box” or “hand-in-hand” method, with the controller memorizing the teaching process. The robot then repeatedly performs the taught actions according to memory, such as a spraying robot.“Programmable Control” method: The staff prepares a control program based on the robot’s work tasks and motion trajectories in advance, then inputs the control program into the robot’s controller. By starting the control program, 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 person 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 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, essentially mimicking certain intelligent behaviors of humans.For example, a six-axis vertical multi-joint robot can achieve operations and coordination of six axes through the robot controller and its control system, enabling movements such as S-axis rotation, L-axis downward arm tilt, U-axis upward arm tilt, R-axis arm swing, B-axis wrist pitch, and T-axis wrist rotation.If a centralized control system is used, its control principle will be as shown in the following diagram:However, if a distributed control system is used, its control principle will be as shown in the following diagram: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, in the upgrade and transformation of some factories and production lines, robot manufacturers need to adapt to market changes and make corresponding adjustments.

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