2.1.1 Four Common Robot Config
variety of sizes, shapes and phySIcal
wide
Industrial robots are available in atoday's commercially available robots possess
configurations. The vast majority of
one of four basic configurations:
1. Polar configuration
2. Cylindrical configuration
3. Cartesian coordinate configuration
4. Jointed-arm configuration
The four basic configurations are illustrated in the schematic diagrams of Fig. 2.1.
The polar configuration is pictured in part (a) of Fig. 2.1. It uses a
arm that can be raised or lowered about a telescoping
a rotating base. horizontal pivot. The pivot is mounted on
, Fundamentals of Robot Technology, Programming, and Applications 21
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
Fig. 2.1 The four basic robot anatomies: (a) Polar, (b) Cylindrical, () Cartesian, (d) Jointed
arm. (Reprinted fromReference [71)ohostotiho
These various joints provide the robot with the capability to move its arm within
a spherical space, and hence the name "spherical coordinate" robot is sometimes
applied to this type.
The cylindrical configuration as shown in Fig. 2.1(6), uses a vertical column and
a slide that can be moved up or down along the column. The robot arm is attached to
the slide so that it can be moved radially with respect to the column. By rotating the
column, the robot is capable of achieving awork space that approximates acylinder.
The cartesian coordinate robot illustrated in Fig. 2.1(c), uses three perpendicular
slides to construct the x, , and z axes. Other names are sometimes applied to this
configuration, including xyz robot and rectilinear robot. By moving the three slides
relative to one another, the robot is capable of operating within a rectangular work
envelope.
The jointed-arm robot as shown in Fig. 2.1() is made up of rotating joints. This
robot configuration is also sometimes called anthropomorphic as its anatomy is
similar to the human-arm.
anatomies
There are relative advantages and disadvantages to the four basic robot
simply because of their geometries. In terms of repeatability of motion (the capability
cartesian
box-frame
to move to a taught point in space with minimum error), the
In
robot probably possesses the advantage because of its inherently rigid structure.
terms of reach (the ability of the robot to extend its arm significantly beyond
its base), the polar and jointed arm configurations have the advantage. The
lift capacity of the robot is important in many applications. The cylindrical
variety of sizes, shapes and phySIcal
wide
Industrial robots are available in atoday's commercially available robots possess
configurations. The vast majority of
one of four basic configurations:
1. Polar configuration
2. Cylindrical configuration
3. Cartesian coordinate configuration
4. Jointed-arm configuration
The four basic configurations are illustrated in the schematic diagrams of Fig. 2.1.
The polar configuration is pictured in part (a) of Fig. 2.1. It uses a
arm that can be raised or lowered about a telescoping
a rotating base. horizontal pivot. The pivot is mounted on
, Fundamentals of Robot Technology, Programming, and Applications 21
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
Fig. 2.1 The four basic robot anatomies: (a) Polar, (b) Cylindrical, () Cartesian, (d) Jointed
arm. (Reprinted fromReference [71)ohostotiho
These various joints provide the robot with the capability to move its arm within
a spherical space, and hence the name "spherical coordinate" robot is sometimes
applied to this type.
The cylindrical configuration as shown in Fig. 2.1(6), uses a vertical column and
a slide that can be moved up or down along the column. The robot arm is attached to
the slide so that it can be moved radially with respect to the column. By rotating the
column, the robot is capable of achieving awork space that approximates acylinder.
The cartesian coordinate robot illustrated in Fig. 2.1(c), uses three perpendicular
slides to construct the x, , and z axes. Other names are sometimes applied to this
configuration, including xyz robot and rectilinear robot. By moving the three slides
relative to one another, the robot is capable of operating within a rectangular work
envelope.
The jointed-arm robot as shown in Fig. 2.1() is made up of rotating joints. This
robot configuration is also sometimes called anthropomorphic as its anatomy is
similar to the human-arm.
anatomies
There are relative advantages and disadvantages to the four basic robot
simply because of their geometries. In terms of repeatability of motion (the capability
cartesian
box-frame
to move to a taught point in space with minimum error), the
In
robot probably possesses the advantage because of its inherently rigid structure.
terms of reach (the ability of the robot to extend its arm significantly beyond
its base), the polar and jointed arm configurations have the advantage. The
lift capacity of the robot is important in many applications. The cylindrical
