Industrial Robot Technology

Unit A40

Level:                               3

Guided learning:              60

Unit introduction

This unit will give learners an understanding of the principles and operation of industrial robots used in modern manufacturing. The unit will cover robot control systems, the operating principles of different types of sensors used and their application in an industrial robot.

Learners will gain an understanding of the programming methods used and will be required to produce a working program for an industrial robot or robot work cell. The unit will give learners an understanding of the health and safety and maintenance requirements associated with modern industrial robots.

Note that the use of ‘e.g.’ in the content is to give an indication and illustration of the breadth and depth of the area or topic. As such, not all content that follows an ‘e.g.’ needs to be taught or assessed.

 

Learning outcomes

On completion of this unit a learner should:

  • Understand the operating, design and control principles of modern industrial robots and typical robot work cells
  • Understand the operating principles of industrial robot sensors and end effectors
  • Be able to produce a working program for an industrial robot or robot work cell
  • Know the hazards and health, safety and maintenance requirements associated with industrial robots and robot work

 

Unit content

 

  • Understand the operating, design and control principles of modern industrial robots and robot work cells

Principles of operation: operational characteristics and specifications; types of controller, manipulator, end effector/tooling, e.g. pneumatic suction cup, hydraulic, electrical and mechanical grippers; work space organisation,

e.g. feed of work, robot-to-robot work, material flow and logistics

Design principles: manipulator coordinate systems, e.g. cylindrical spherical, jointed, spherical, Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm (SCARA) with associated working envelope; wrist articulations, e.g. yaw, pitch and roll, degrees of freedom in terms of translations and rotations; drive mechanisms: mechanical (ball screws, chain/belt, gears), pneumatic, hydraulic, electrical; speed reducers/gearheads, e.g. harmonic, cycloidal, parallel shaft spur gear, planetary

Control systems: on/off and proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control; closed-loop servo controlled systems e.g. for driving one axis of a robot; input, output and feedback signals e.g. the sequence which takes place in order to perform a task; control of three axes of a robot

 

  • Understand the operating principles of industrial robot sensors and end effectors

Sensors: sensor types, e.g. tactile (micro switches/piezoelectric/strain gauge/pressure), non-tactile (capacitive/inductive/light/laser), vision (inspection, identification and navigation); sensor applications, e.g. safety, work-cell control, component/part inspection

End effectors: grippers and tools, e.g. parts handling/transfer, assembly, welding, paint spraying, testing

 

  • Be able to produce a working program for an industrial robot or robot work cell

Operating program: program selection, start-up, test, alterations and operation; types of programming, e.g. manual, walk through, teach pendant methods;

off-line programming; planning robot efficient routes; writing programs using flowcharts; work-cell commands, e.g. wait/signal/delay

 

  • Know the hazards and health, safety and maintenance requirements associated with industrial robots and robot work cells

Health and safety requirements: relevant regulations, e.g. Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, Health and Safety Executive (HSE) publications; human dangers, e.g. during programming, maintenance and as a result of system faults; safety barriers, e.g. ‘dead man’s handle’, hold and emergency stop buttons, pressure pads/matting surrounding robot, infrared curtains and electromagnetic field barriers

Maintenance: inspection routines, e.g. mechanical condition of all parts, environmental conditions (particulate matter, temperature, ventilation, shock, vibration, electrical noise); spare parts required to sustain continuous operation; relevant maintenance tools and test equipment; set-up and maintenance schedules