DEDAN KIMATHI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

EMG 2504 COMPUTER AIDED MANUFACTURING (CAM)

PREPARED BY:
PROF. J. N. KERAITA

TEACHING TOPICS

1. Robotics and Automation

2. Fundamentals of CAD CAM Systems
3. Geometric Modeling
4. Engineering Analysis and FEM as A CAD Tool
5. Parametric Design Techniques
6. CAM Hardware Systems and Machine Control

EXAMINATION
1. End of semester exam = 70%
2. 2 C.A.Ts = 10%
3. Assignments = 5%
4. Term Papers and Group Work = 15%

SYLLABUS

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 ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION

Introduction
Robotics is the branch of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and computer science
that deals with the design, construction, operation, and application of robots, as well as computer
systems for their control, sensory feedback, and information processing. These technologies deal
with automated machines that can take the place of humans in dangerous environments or
manufacturing processes, or resemble humans in appearance, behavior, and/or cognition. Many
of today's robots are inspired by nature contributing to the field of bio-inspired robotics.

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To view robotics as an application of the principles of motions together with motors to provide
motion and sensors to provide location and velocity may miss the inherent complexity of the
discipline. A real robot does face potential for errors due to a number of reasons, including:
incorrect parameter (for example: mass, direction, distance) values, frictional forces and terrain
estimations, play at the link joints, calibration errors in sensors, errors in the values read from the
sensors.

The resulting errors in robot actions need corrections; preferably, without any explicit human
help. These corrections cannot be precomputed by using the laws of physics and must be
generated, as they are detected, by the robot as it executes the operation to enhance their ability
to avoid immobilization, accommodate degraded performance and even self-recover. The needed
correction differs from one repetition of an operation to the next due to unpredictability of many
of the influences.

Robotic Construction
Robots all have some kind of mechanical construction, a frame, form or shape that usually is the
solution/result for a set task or problem. This mechanical aspect usually deals with a real world
application of an object or of itself, example lifting, moving, carrying, flying, swimming,
running, walking...etc. The mechanical aspect is mostly the creator's solution to completing the
assigned task and dealing with the physics of the environment around it, example: gravity,
friction, resistance...etc. Form follows function. Examples of locomotion methods include;
rolling robots, wheeled robots, legged robots, hopping robots, flying robots, climbing robots,
snaking robots etc.

Electrical Aspect
Robots have an electrical aspect to them in them, in the form of wires, sensors, circuits, batteries
…etc. Power comes in the form of electricity, which will have to travel through a wire and
originate from a battery, a basic electrical circuit. Even gas powered machines that get their
power mainly from gas still require an electrical current to start the gas using process which is
why most gas powered machines like cars, have batteries. The electrical aspect of robots is used
for movement: as in the control of motors which are used mostly were motion is needed.

Further, electrical signals are used to determine things like heat, sound, position, and energy
status. Robots also need some level of electrical energy supplied to their motors and/or sensors in
order to be turned on, and do basic operations.

Programming Aspect
All robots contain some level of computer programming (code). A program is how a robot
decides when or how to do something. Programs are the core essence of a robot, it could have
excellent mechanical/electrical construction, but if its program is poorly constructed its
performance will be very poor or it may not perform at all. There are three different types of
robotic programs, RC, AI and hybrid.

RC has a preexisting set of commands that it will only do if and when it receives a signal from a
control source, most of the time the control source is a human being with a remote control. AI
robot programing allows interaction with the environment on their own without a control source.
Robots with AI create solutions to objects/problems they encounter by using their preexisting
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programing to decide, understand, learn and/or create. Hybrid is a form of program that
incorporates both AI and RC functions.

Actuators
Actuators are like the "muscles" of a robot, the parts which convert stored energy into
movement. By far the most popular actuators are electric motors that spin a wheel or gear, and
linear actuators that control industrial robots in factories. But there are some recent advances in
alternative types of actuators, powered by electricity, chemicals, or compressed air.

Sensors
Sensors allow robots to receive information about a certain measurement of the environment, or
internal components. This is essential for robots to perform their tasks, and act upon any changes
in the environment to calculate the appropriate response. They are used for various forms of
measurements, to give the robots warnings about safety or malfunctions, and to provide real time
information of the task it is performing. Current robotic and prosthetic hands receive far less
tactile information than the human hand.

Classification of Robots based on Configuration

Industrial robots are primarily classified based on their basic configurations into five types.
However, there are several additional types of robot configurations. Each of these types offers a
different joint configuration. The five common configurations are as follows.
.
• Cartesian (3P i.e., 3 Prismatic joints)
• Cylindrical (R2P i.e 1 revolute joint, 2
Prismatic joints)
• Spherical or Polar (2RP)
• Articulated (3R)
• SCARA ( 2R in horizontal + 1P in vertical
plane)

(i) Casrtesian
Due to their rigid structure they can manipulate high loads so they are commonly used for pick-
and-place operations, machine tool loading, in fact any application that uses a lot of moves in the
X,Y,Z planes. These robots occupy a large space, giving a low ratio of robot size to operating
volume. They may require some form of protective covering.

(ii) Cylindrical
They have a rigid structure, giving them the capability to lift heavy loads through a large
working envelope, but they are restricted to area close to the vertical base or the floor. This type
of robot is relatively easy to program for loading and unloading of palletized stock, where only
the minimum number of moves is required to be programmed.

(iii) Spherical
These robots can generate a large working envelope. The robots can allow large loads to be
lifted. The semi-spherical operating volume leaves a considerable space near to the base that
cannot be reached. This design is used where a small number of vertical actions is adequate: the
loading and unloading of a punch press is a typical application.
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(iv) Articulated Arm
This is the most widely used arm configuration because of its flexibility in reaching any part of
the working envelope. This configuration flexibility allows such complex applications as spray
painting and welding to be implemented successfully.

(v) SCARA (Selective Compliance Arm for Robot Assembly)

Although originally designed specifically for assembly work, these robots are now being used for
welding, drilling and soldering operations because of their repeatability and compactness. They
are intended for light to medium loads and the working volume tends to be restricted as there is
limited vertical movement.

Other Robot Classifications

 Serial Verses Parallel Robots - In serial robots, there is only one link between any two
consecutive joints while in parallel, there are two or more links at least between a set of
consecutive joints.

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  Fixed Verses Mobile Robots - By fixed robot, we mean the base is fixed but the arms are
free to move (rotate and extent or contract). Mobile robots have both the base and the
arms free to move.

 Legged Verses Wheeled Robots – Both can move but one has legs while the other has
wheels.

 Type of Joints - Typically, revolute (rotary) and prismatic (slider) e.g., 3P robot, P2R
robot etc.

 Drive Technologies - Electric, Hydraulic, Pneumatic etc.

 Continuous Path Verses Point to Point – This is special case where it is the end-effector
that is considered.

ASSIGNMENT 1
(a) Give five jobs which a continuous path robot can do that a point to point robot cannot do.
(ii) In a table, give the advantages and disadvantages of legged robots over wheeled robots.
(iii) Give five typical applications where mobile robots will be preferred over fixed robots.

END