Physical capabilities of a robot
Robots are described in terms of their physical capabilities. The work envelope and grippers (hands of a robot) are the main determinants of the capability of a robot. The 'work envelope' of a robot is the physical movement capability of the robot's arms and hands. By determining a robot's work envelope, the materials manager can fix its position such that the area in which materials move falls within the work envelope of the robot.
The design of the robot grippers is another important element in classifying robots. The jaw hand is usually used to pick up materials, turn them and keep them in a nearby conveyor (or any other location) within its work envelope. The claw hand of the robot has teeth for better grasp of the materials. Machine tools can also be fixed in place of the robots' hands. The hand-tool interface is better with robots as robots can move 360 degrees, while rotation of a human hand is limited to 210 degrees.
Robots can be broadly classified into six categories based on the nature of their operations:
Physically operated robots
These types of robots have a mechanical arm and hand. Workers can use such robots to pick up materials. The primary objective of using these robots is to protect workers from hazardous work environments. For instance, a worker can use a robot of this type to shift or transport radioactive materials like uranium and plutonium.
Fixed sequence robots
These robots perform a sequence of operations according to a predetermined set of procedures. These robots are not flexible as they lack the versatility to change their work sequence and are hence used to perform a limited or fixed number of activities. The sequence of actions of such robots is usually triggered by electronic sensors.
Variable-sequence robots
The sequence of actions performed by these robots can be easily changed while their functioning is similar to that of fixed sequence robots.
Numerical control robots (NC robots)
These robots perform a set of operations based on numerical data that is fed into them through devices like punched tapes, data cards and digital switches. These robots are used to perform manufacturing operations where high precision is required. These machines require support from an operator for positioning the materials on which they work. Once the materials are fixed in the right position, these robots perform a set of activities according to the instructions given in the program.
Playback robots
These robots can store a sequence of operations in memory. Initially, an operator performs the operations using the robots. The robot stores all those activities (in the same sequence) in its memory and repeats them to produce similar types of products on its own subsequently.
Intelligent robots
These robots are capable of perceiving the environmental conditions of the workplace through tactile or visual perception (or both) and can make necessary and suitable decisions by using on-board computers that they are equipped with. These robots can also move to the work location and perform the work. However, these robots are much more expensive than the other robots discussed above.
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