AboutDavid Story Expertise I can answer questions about Kuka, ABB, and Fanuc industrial robotics. Programming as well as electrical interface and integration. Uses of robots, teach pendants, various gripper design. I CAN NOT answer questions about medical uses for surgery etc.
Experience I have been working in the robotics industry for nine years focusing primarily on pick and place robotics and machining of materials. Most of my work consists of traveling to a customers site installation, startup and programming of various robotics in combination with other equipment. I have worked in many of the top automotive manufacturing companies as well as small "mom and pop" shops.
Education/Credentials I have recieved individual certificates from ABB, GEFanuc, as well as Kuka in programming and maintenance of their robots.
Past/Present Clients General Motors Defiance OH, General Motors Saginaw MI, General Motors Massena NY, Saturn Spring Hill TN, Ford Cleveland, Hayes-Lemmerz Montague MI, Stahl Specialty Aluminum Warrensburg MO.
Question how dose industrial robots hold their position under loads ?
what are the gears and mechanisms used beside motors
what type of sensors do they have do they use sensors or encoders to read the movement of motors?
Answer Thanks for the question.
Robots hold their positions entirely by servo motors. The motors have encoders which send the feedback to the controller. Depending on the manufacturer there are many different types of mechanical power transmission for the arms. Some axes, typically axis 1, or the axis that controls circular movement of the robot are direct drive but that is not always the case as well.
There is also a possibility to use program control to allow a specified amount of travel deviation. This is done to allow the robot a slight amount of freedom of movement to allow for greater speeds from one point to another. Typically this deviation is less than 10mm but can be as great as 100mm if the amount of free air space is there. This can cause beginning programmers a great amount of frustration in areas where the motion is limited. Many robots have been crashed in an attempt to gain cycle time by allowing greater range of motion. Precision and speed are constant enemies when dealing with robotics. It is very difficult to attain both.
