What is industrial robotics?
This is a field of automation that involves the use of robots to perform certain repetitive tasks in an industrial environment.
The ancestor of the robot is the automaton. The origins of the industrial robot date back to the 1950s, when George Devol and Joseph Engelberger developed the first programmable robot called Unimate. This robot was used to automate the manufacturing process in a car production plant in 1961. Its mission was already close to that which is still entrusted to its successors today, namely to perform tedious tasks in place of humans.
Since then, industrial robots have grown rapidly and become a mainstream technology in many industries.
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Industrial robot: definition
A robot is an industrial tool programmed to perform tasks automatically. It consists of a poly-articulated arm, a control rack and a programming console.
For the International Organization for Standardization, a robot is an automatically controlled, multi-active, versatile system programmable on three or more axes.
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A robotic system has three major components:
- A mechanical part: comprising various components such as the arm, motors, actuators, sensors and chassis. This is the physical structure that enables the robot to move and perform tasks.
- An electronic part: the control cabinet with its central unit ensuring servo-control, its sensors and speed variators.
- A computer part: in the form of a specific programming language that enables the robot to be controlled by linking it to its user and its environment. This computer part includes a calculator for converting coded motor data into Cartesian values.
It's the programming part that links the elements together and turns a bare robot into a tool for automating industrial operations.
There are two types of industrial robot: Cartesian robots and poly-articulated robots. Each has its own technical specifications, the most important being range and maximum load-carrying capacity.
- The Cartesian robot is linear. It moves along three axes, corresponding to those of Cartesian coordinates: X, Y and Z. These robots are often used in applications where precise, repetitive movements are required.
- The poly-articulated robot. It moves on 6 rotary axes and can move loads, containers and other more complex operations.
Increasingly present in many industries, industrial robots are suitable for a variety of applications. Here are the main ones:
- Assembly and erection
- Palletizing
- Handling
- Machining
There are also robots designed to perform tasks in particular environments. This is the case, for example, with hygienic robots for cleanrooms or special foundry robots.
- Maximization of production
- Improved safety with fewer MSDs
- Increased flexibility
- Improved quality and reliability
It's the one that best matches the specific needs of your project. Criteria to consider include:
- The tasks to be performed
- The size and range
- The desired speed and accuracy
- The cycle time
- The weight carried
How are industrial robotics evolving?
The development of the industrial robotics market in France and worldwide is considerable, with an equipment rate that is growing.
In a world that is transforming itself, industrial robotics today constitutes a key element of Industry 4.0, known as the fourth industrial revolution.
In fact, until now, the robot was programmed in a very precise way to carry out a defined task. But the arrival of Artificial Intelligence and HMI (Human Machine Interface) is changing this configuration, with robots that interconnect, learn and react in contact with their environment.
These new technologies mark a considerable evolution in production processes. Alongside virtual reality simulations and 3D printing, we are seeing the emergence of new generations of industrial robots:
