Robotics.There are many different types of robots used to do many different types of tasks, but all these robots are narrowed down to their bare minimum and all have the same principal behind them.

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        Name: Kiran Jabeen

        Tutor: Justin Dean

        Date: 20/01/04

        Course: Mechanical Engineering

A robot can be defined as a self-controlled device, which consists of electrical or mechanical units. A robot comes to mind, and has been fictionally known as a mobile device that is humanoid in appearance and has a metallic structure. At present robots are not very humanoid, instead they are machines that run continuously and respond automatically to a users respond, and can be controlled by a human operator even from a great distance. The word robot comes from the Czech story/play and means ‘worker’. Most scientists define a robot being a machine that is operated by a computer and is able to many different jobs. Like many other machines robots are there to make our work easier, which they can do by moving materials, tools or other objects through programmed actions. A robot can be programmed to perform certain tasks, that can receive inputs, compute it, and then act out a desired behaviour or task as directed. It is a machine designed to execute one or more tasks repeatedly, with speed and precision.

There are many different types of robots used to do many different types of tasks, but all these robots are narrowed down to their bare minimum and all have the same principal behind them.

There are four main parts to a robot: the power supply, this provides all the electricity for the robot motors. There is the computer, which can also be known as the brain of the robot, and this controls what the robot does. There is the interface that links everything together.

Many automated machines are often referred to as having hard automation and this is due to the fact of the machine having a fixed configuration that cannot easily be changed. If the task was to be changed then the hard automation often becomes redundant and then may result in having to be changed physically by the operator to adapt its modification to suit the new task that has been set, or sometimes the components are used again on other applications, if this was to happen then the robot is cannibalised.

Industrial robots have many objectives: they are programming, have multiples movements and interchangeable grippers.

An operator determines the initial movements and actions of an industrial robot. This can result in a sequence of movements, which is stored within a control system, with the robot being programmed to perform the task with great accuracy as and when required. If the task is to be changed then the robot will be programmed and taught a new sequence of movements and will easily adapt to the new task. Robots can be thought to having soft automation because of its operation being largely under software control for example the control of a computer program.

Industrial robots have in-chargeable grippers, which involve gripping items of various sizes, and shape, which furthermore involve transporting or manipulating tools, components or applicators to perform various manufacturing activities.

There are many types of robot which consist of different types of control:

The limited sequence controller is used on the limited sequence control, which can also be described as the bang-bang control. The programming application is done mechanically, which can be done by placing a mechanical stop at the end of each of its axis. This operation may be purely mechanical, because it may use a motor to run its timing.

If a robot is able to move from one specified point to another, but is unable to stop at arbinary points that have not been previously designated, then this is called a point-to-point robot. Point-to-point robots that are driven by servos are often controlled by potentiometers and/or limit switches, which is set to stop the robot arm at a specific point.

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Point-to-point robots are usually non pneumatic, they are either hydraulic or mechanical. Because hydraulics and mechanical systems do not compress like pneumatics they are able to lift much higher loads than pneumatic robots. Point-to-point robots are able to lift much higher loads than pneumatic robots. Point-to-point robots pick up heavy raw materials and are able to load them into a machine centre for it to be shaped into useful products.

A continuous path robot is able to stop at as many points, which have been specified. However a continuous-path robot is unable to pause on a straight line ...

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