WEEK 2: ROBOTICS

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Topic 1: Introduction to Robots and Robotics

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Resolution, Accuracy and Repeatability
Resolution
It is defined as the smallest allowable position increment of a robot
Resolution

Programming resolution Control resolution

Smallest allowable position Smallest change in position
increment in robot that the feedback device
programme can measure say 0.36
Basic Resolution Unit degrees per pulse
BRU = 0.01 inch/0.1degree

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Accuracy (mm)

It is the precision with which a computed point can be reached

Repeatability (mm)

It is defined as the precision with which a robot re-position itself to a

previous taught point

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 Applications of Robots
In Manufacturing Units

Advantages of Robots
 Robots can work in hazardous and dirty environment
 Can increase productivity after maintaining improved
quality
 Direct labour cost will be reduced
 Material cost will be reduced
 Repetitive tasks can be handled more efficiently

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Application Areas

 Arc Welding
 Spot Welding
 Spray Painting
 Pick and Place Operation
 Grinding
 Drilling
 Milling

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Under-Water Applications

Purposes

 To explore various resources

 To study under-water environment
 To carry out drilling, pipe-line survey, inspection and
repair of ships

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Notes
 Robots are developed in the form of ROV (Remotely
Operated Vehicle) and AUV (Autonomous Under-water
Vehicle)
 Robots are equipped with navigational sensors,
propellers/ thrusters, on-board softwares, and others

Medical Applications
 Telesurgery
 Micro-capsule multi-legged robots
 Prosthetic devices

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Space Applications

 For carrying out on-orbit services, assembly job and

interplanetary missions
 Spacecraft deployment and retrieval, survey of outside
space shuttle; assembly, testing, maintenance of space
stations; transport of astronauts to various locations
 Robo-nauts
 Free-flying robots
 Planetary exploration rovers

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In Agriculture

 For spraying pesticides

 For spraying fertilizers in liquid form
 Cleaning weeds
 Sowing seeds
 Inspection of plants

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Some Other Applications

 Replacement of maid-servant
 Garbage collection
 Underground Coal mining
 Sewage-line cleaning
 Fire-fighting etc.

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Robot End-Effectors
An end-effector is a device attached to the wrist of a manipulator for
the purpose of holding materials, parts, tools to perform a specific
task End Effectors

Grippers Tools
End-effectors used to grasp End-effectors designed to
and hold objects perform some specific tasks
Ex: Spot welding electrode,
Spray gun

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Classification of Grippers
1. Single gripper and double gripper

 Single gripper: Only one gripping device is mounted on

the wrist

 Double gripper: Two independent gripping devices are

attached to the wrist

Example: Two separate grippers mounted on the wrist for

loading and unloading applications

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2. Internal gripper vs. External gripper

Internal gripper External gripper

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3. Soft gripper vs. Hard gripper
Hard gripper: Point contact between the finger and object

Soft gripper: Area (surface) contact between the finger and

object

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4. Active Gripper and Passive Gripper

 Active gripper: Gripper equipped with sensor

 Passive gripper: Gripper without sensor

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A Few Robot Grippers
1. Mechanical Grippers

 Use mechanical fingers (jaws) actuated by some

mechanisms

 Less versatile, less flexible and less costly

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Examples
i. Gripper with linkage actuation

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ii. Gripper with rotary actuation

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iii. Gripper with cam actuation

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2. Vacuum Gripper (used for thin parts)

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•Suction cup is made of elastic material like rubber or soft plastic
•When the object to be handled is soft, the cup should be made
of hard substance
•Two devices can be used: Either Vacuum pump or venturi

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3. Magnetic Gripper (for magnetic materials only. For
example: various steels but not stainless steel)

 Can use either electro-magnets or permanent magnets

 Pick up time is less
 Can grip parts of various sizes
 Disadvantage: residual magnetism
 Stripping device: for separating the part from the
permanent magnet
 For separating the part from electro-magnet, reverse the
polarity

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Magnetic Gripper

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4. Adhesive Gripper

 Grasping action using adhesive substance

 To handle lightweight materials

5. Universal Gripper

Example: Human gripper

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Passive Gripper
Task: To insert a peg into a hole

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Solution: Use Remote Center Compliance (RCC)

RCC is inappropriate for

assembly of pegs in
horizontal direction
Insertion angle must be
less than 45 degrees
Cannot be used in
chamferless insertion
tasks

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Robot Teaching
 To provide necessary instructions to the robot
Teaching Methods

Online Methods Off-line Methods

(Programming language)
Manual teaching Lead-through Teaching
(point to point task) (continuous path task)
• Control handle / Joystick • Robot simulator
• Push buttons
• Teach-pendant

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Off-line Method
VAL Programming for PUMA
Task: Pick and place operation
VAL program Other VAL commands
APPRO PART, 100 SPEED 40
MOVES PART EXECUTE
CLOSEI ABORT
DEPARTS 200 EDIT filename
APPROS BIN, 300 LISTF
MOVE BIN STORE
OPENI DELETE
DEPART 100 LOAD filename

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Specification of a Robot

 Control type
 Drive system
 Coordinate system
 Teaching/Programming methods
 Accuracy, Repeatability, Resolution
 Pay-load capacity
 Weight of the manipulator
 Applications
 Range and speed of arms and wrist
 Sensors used
 End-effector/ gripper used

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Economic Analysis

 Let F: Capital investment to purchase a robot which

includes its purchasing cost and installation cost
 B: Savings in terms of material and labour cost
 C: Operating and maintenance cost
 D: Depreciation of the robot
 A: Net savings
A= B-C-D
G: Tax to be paid on the net savings
Pay-back period, E = (Capital investment, F)/ (B-C-G)

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Economic Analysis

 Let I: Modified net savings after the payment of tax

 Rate of return on investment
H= (I/F)X100%

A company decides to purchase the robot, if

 pay-back period < techno-economic life

 rate of return on investment > rate of bank interest

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 Numerical Example
The costs and savings associated with a robot installation are given
below.
Costs of a robot including accessories : Rs. 12,00,000
Installation cost : Rs. 3,00,000
Maintenance and operating cost : Rs. 20 per hour
Labour saving : Rs. 100 per hour
Material saving : Rs. 15 per hour
The shop runs 24 hours in a day (in 3 shifts) and the effective workdays
in a year are 200. The tax rate of the company is 30% and techno-
economic life of the robot is expected to be equal to six years.
Determine (a) pay-back period of the robot and (b) rate of return on
investment

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 Solution
Capital investment 𝑭 = 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒐𝒃𝒐𝒕 𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒄𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 +
𝑰𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝒕 = 𝑹𝒔. 𝟏𝟓, 𝟎𝟎, 𝟎𝟎𝟎

Total hours of running of the robot per year = 𝟐𝟒 × 𝟐𝟎𝟎 = 𝟒𝟖𝟎𝟎

Saving per year 𝑩 = 𝑳𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒔𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 + 𝑴𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒔𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈

= 𝟏𝟎𝟎 × 𝟒𝟖𝟎𝟎 + 𝟏𝟓 × 𝟒𝟖𝟎𝟎 = 𝑹𝒔. 𝟓, 𝟓𝟐, 𝟎𝟎𝟎

Maintenance and operating cost per year 𝑪 = 𝟐𝟎 × 𝟒𝟖𝟎𝟎 = 𝑹𝒔. 𝟗𝟔, 𝟎𝟎𝟎

Techno-economic life of the robot = 𝟔 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔

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 Solution (Cont.)
𝟏𝟐,𝟎𝟎,𝟎𝟎𝟎
Constant depreciation per year = = 𝑹𝒔. 𝟐, 𝟎𝟎, 𝟎𝟎𝟎
𝟔

Net savings 𝑨 = 𝑺𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 − 𝑶𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝒕 − 𝑫𝒆𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏

= 𝟓, 𝟓𝟐, 𝟎𝟎𝟎 − 𝟗𝟔, 𝟎𝟎𝟎 − 𝟐, 𝟎𝟎, 𝟎𝟎𝟎
= 𝑹𝒔. 𝟐, 𝟓𝟔, 𝟎𝟎𝟎
Tax to be paid to the government by the company 𝑮 = 𝟑𝟎% 𝒐𝒇 𝑨
= 𝑹𝒔. 𝟕𝟔, 𝟖𝟎𝟎

Pay-back period of the robot

𝑭
𝑬= = 𝟑. 𝟗 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔 < techno-economic life
𝑩−𝑪−𝑮

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 Solution (Cont.)
Net savings after the payment of tax
𝑰 = 𝟎. 𝟕 × 𝟐, 𝟓𝟔, 𝟎𝟎𝟎
= 𝑹𝒔. 𝟏, 𝟕𝟗, 𝟐𝟎𝟎
Rate of return on investment
𝑰
𝑯 = × 𝟏𝟎𝟎% = 𝟏𝟏. 𝟗𝟓% > 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒃𝒂𝒏𝒌 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕
𝑭

Therefore, the purchase of the robot is justified by taking loan from the
bank.

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