Robot Drive Systems & Programming

MODULE 1
Introduction to drive system
• Introduction of drive system,
• Structure of drive system,
• Necessity of drive system,
• Different types of drive system,
• Design and consideration of drive system,
• Advantages and limitations of drive system.
• Robot Actuators: Types of actuators,
• Actuators quality,
• Characteristics of actuating systems.
Why are drives used?
• A drive operates and controls the speed, torque and direction of
moving objects.
• Drives are generally employed for speed or motion control
applications such as machine tools, transportation, robots, fans, etc.
• The drives used for controlling electric motors are known as electrical
drives.
What is a drive in a machine?

• A drive is the electronic device that harnesses and controls the

electrical energy sent to the motor.

• The drive feeds electricity into the motor in varying amounts and at
varying frequencies, thereby indirectly controlling the motor's speed
and torque.
 Motor VS Drive
• It is important to distinguish between motors and drives.

• A motor is the mechanical or electrical device that generates the rotational or linear force used
to power a machine.

• A drive is the electronic device that harnesses and controls the electrical energy sent to the
motor.

• The drive feeds electricity into the motor in varying amounts and at varying frequencies, thereby
indirectly controlling the motor’s speed and torque.

• There are two types of drives: a standard inverter drive for controlling speed and torque only; and
a servo drive for controlling speed and torque, as well as positioning machine components used
in applications that require complex motion.

• Together, a motor and drive form a “drive system.”

Robotic Drives
• The robot’s capacity to move its body, arm, and wrist is provided by
the drive system used to power the robot. The drive system
determines its speed of operation, load carrying capacity and its
dynamic performance.
Feature of Ideal Drive
• Uninterrupted Power supply

• Zero or minimum losses

• Precise and accurate control

• Supply required controlled torque/force and speed as per acting load

on the system.
Drive System Components
 A controller, in a
computing context, is a
hardware device or a
software program
that manages or directs
the flow of data
between two entities.

• Power converters are components needed for converting the AC power from
the grid into something that can be used for the storage process, and vice
versa.
• This can be, for instance, mechanical power for pumping of compressing gases
or DC power for charging batteries.
Electric Drive System
Hydraulic Drive System
• A hydraulic drive system is a drive
or transmission system that uses
pressurized hydraulic fluid to drive hydraulic
machinery.
• The term hydrostatic refers to the transfer of
energy from flow and pressure, not from
the kinetic energy of the flow.
• A hydraulic drive system consists of three
parts: The generator (e.g. a hydraulic pump),
driven by an electric motor, a
combustion engine or a windmill; valves,
filters, piping etc. (to guide and control the
system); the motor (e.g. a hydraulic
motor or hydraulic cylinder) to drive the
machinery.
Pneumatic Drive System
• A pneumatic drive system is a system
that transforms the energy from
compressed air into linear or
rotational movement.
• If the inlet air pressure is insufficient
to provide the needed force for the
work to be done, a booster pump can
be added to the system which will
increase the air pressure of the
system.
• This is called a pneumatic
transmission system.
 Pneumatic Drive System

• The pneumatic system has played an essential role in the

mechanical field and also it is being used in industrial
automation solutions development.
• These systems are related to hydraulic systems however
compressed air is used in these systems instead of hydraulic
fluid.
• The term ‘Pneuma’ means air whereas Pneumatics means
using compressed air to perform the specific task.
 Robot Drive Actuators-output is Mechanical
Power
• Electric Motors-AV/DC
• SERVO Motors
• Stepper Motors
• Hydraulic Motors
• Hydraulic cylinders
• Pneumatic Motors
• Vacuum –Suction Cups
• Pneumatic cylinders
Selection Criteria for a Drive
• Total payload of robotic system (Torque, Force, Acceleration, Inertia, losses in
friction ,transmission)
• Operating pressure
• Operating temperature
• Speed of work
• Environmental conditions
• Control requirements
• Cost of the drive
• Efficiency
• Space constraints/Compactness
• Advantages and Limitation of selected drive
Robot Inertia vs Payload
• Payload and inertia are both important factors when designing End of Arm Tooling and
selecting a robot.

• Payload is the weight the robot can lift. Payload includes the weight of the End of Arm
Tooling (EOAT) and the weight of the product being picked. The payload is easier to
measure and easier to calculate.

• Inertia is a property of matter where the object resists changes in velocity (speed and/or
direction). Inertia is calculated using the mass of the End of Arm Tooling and product,
the center of gravity of those items, and the distance from the robot face plate to the
center of gravity.

• It is possible for a robot to have an acceptable payload but the inertia of the End of Arm
Tooling and product is too high. This can slow the robot, affecting cycle times or cause
the robot to be unable to run.
 Robot Inertia vs Payload
• As a result of the influence of inertia, just selecting a robot
with a payload rating higher than your End of Arm Tooling and
products’ weight is not enough for a successful system. It is
possible for a robot to have an acceptable payload but the
inertia of the End of Arm Tooling and product is too high. This
can slow the robot, affecting cycle times or cause the robot to
be unable to run.
Example for load calculations
For an example specific to robotics, we will
use an LR Mate 200id7L.
This robot has a payload rating of 7 kg
(15.4 lbs). The EOAT will be a 0.1 m (4 in)
cube that weights 5 kg (11 lbs).
Acceptable Load – based on robot inertia

• When the weight is mounted directly to the robot face plate the
center of gravity is 0.05 m and the inertia on the robot is 10-15% of
the maximum allowed on robot axis 4 through 6. This is an acceptable
load.
Borderline Load – based on robot inertia
• When the weight is mounted .125 m (5 in) away from the robot face
plate the center of gravity is 0.175 m and the inertia on the robot is
40-110% of the maximum allowed on robot axis 4 through 6. This
load is borderline and would require the Integrator and FANUC to
decide on a case by case basis.
 Unacceptable Load – based on robot inertia

• When the weight is mounted .25 m away from the robot face plate the centre of
gravity is 0.3 m and the inertia on the robot is 110-310% of the maximum allowed
on robot axis 4 through 6. This load is unacceptable.
Unacceptable Load – based on robot inertia

• In the examples above, the payload was the same 5kg weight, but the
inertia changed drastically when the weight was extended further
from the robot face plate because of adding an EOAT. The example
shows how important the overall size of the End of Arm Tooling and
product is, and it is not enough to just look at the weight of the
product itself.
Robotic Arm Joint Torque Calculations :
Stall T= 35Kg-Cm
Robot Actuator : Types, Design, Working & Its Applications

• We know that robots are advanced and highly intelligent electromechanical

devices that can perform a number of daily tasks.
• This device is capable of responding to its surroundings & making actions to attain
a specific task.
• Robots are made with different components but one of the significant components
is the actuator.
• Generally, actuators are used in almost every machine around us like electronic
access control systems, mobile phone vibrators, household appliances, vehicles,
robots & industrial devices.
• The general actuator examples are; electric motors, jackscrews, stepper motors,
muscular stimulators within robots, and many more.
 What is a Robot Actuator?
• An actuator that is used in robots to make the wheels of the robot turn or
robot arm joints turn or to open/close the gripper of the robot is known as
a robot actuator.
• There are different types of robotic actuators are available based on the
load involved.
• Generally, the load is associated with different factors like torque, force,
accuracy, speed of operation, power consumption & precision.
• The working principle of a robot actuator is to change the energy into
physical motion and most actuators generate linear or rotary motion.
 Types of Robotic Actuators

Robotic actuators are classified into two types according to

the requirements of motion like linear motion & rotational
motion.
For Linear Motion:
There are two types of actuators used in robots for linear
motion activity they are; linear actuators and solenoid
actuators.
Linear Actuators
• Linear actuators in robotics are used to push or pull the
robot like move forward or backward & arm extension. Linear
• This actuator’s active end is simply connected to the Actuator
robot’s lever arm to activate the such motion.
• These actuators are used in a number of applications in
the robotics industry.
 Solenoid Actuators

• Solenoid actuators are special-purpose linear

actuators that include a solenoid latch that
works on electromagnetic activity.
• These actuators are mainly used for
controlling the motion of the robot and also
perform different activities such as a start & Solenoid Actuator
reverse, latch, push button, etc.
• Solenoids are normally used in the
applications of latches, valves, locks, and
pushing buttons which are controlled
normally by an external microcontroller.
For Rotational Motion:
There are three types of actuators used in robots for
rotational motion activity they are; DC motor, servo
motor, and stepper motor.
DC Motor Actuators
DC motor actuators are generally used for turning
robotic motion. These actuators are available in different
sizes with torque generation capability. Thus, it can be DC Motor Type

utilized for changing speed throughout rotating motions.

By using these actuators, different activities like robotic
drilling & robotic drive train motion are performed.
Servo Actuators
• Servo motor actuators in robotics are mainly used to
control & monitor rotating motion.
• These are very superior DC motors that allow 360
degrees of rotation, but, continuous revolution is not
compulsory.
• This actuator simply allows halts throughout a rotating
motion. By using this actuator, the activity like pick Servo Actuator

and place is performed.

Stepper Motor Actuators
• Stepper motor actuators are helpful in contributing
to repetitive rotating activities within robots.
• So these types of actuators are a combination of
both DC & servo motor actuators.
• These stepper motor actuators are utilized in
Stepper Motor Type
automation robots where repeatability of activity is
necessary.
Robot Actuator Design
• We know that there are different types of
actuators used in robots.
• Here we are going to discuss how to design a
linear actuator that is used in robotics for
changing rotating motion into a pull/push
linear motion.
• So this motion can be used to slide, drop, tilt or
lift materials or machines. Robot Actuator Design

• These actuators provide clean & safe motion

control that is very efficient & maintained free.
Power
The first consideration while designing a robot actuator is Power. To obtain mechanical power
out, it is essential to have power in. So, the amount of mechanical power out can be defined
by the load or force to be moved.
Duty Cycle
The duty cycle can be defined as how frequently the actuator will work & the amount of time
it will use. The duty cycle is determined by the actuator’s temperature when it is in motion
since power is lost throughout the heat.
When all the actuators are not the same, then there is a difference within their duty cycles.
One more factor is the load, which is particularly true of DC motors whereas other factors
that can determine the duty cycle are loading characteristics, age & ambient temperature.
Efficiency
The actuator efficiency simply helps in understanding how it will work while in operation.
So, the actuator’s efficiency is found by separating mechanical power generated by electrical
power.
Actuator Life
There are many factors that will extend the actuator’s life are; staying in the rated duty cycle,
reducing side load, and staying in the recommended voltage, force, and extreme
environments.
Working
• Robot actuators are mainly designed for ease of use & efficiency.
• The design of a linear robot actuator is the inclined plane that starts
with a threaded lead screw.
• This screw provides a ramp to generate force that works along with
a larger distance to move any load.
• The main purpose of robot actuator design is to provide pull/push
motion. So, the required energy to provide the motion is manual or
any energy source like electricity, fluid, or air.
• These actuators generally move car seats forwards & backward,
open automatic doors, computer disk drives opening and
closing.
Robot Actuator Failure
• The robot actuator failure mainly occurs due to many reasons. So these actuators can
experience different failures like stuck joints or locked, free-swinging joints & total
or partial loss of actuation efficiency.
• So, these failures will affect robot behavior if the controller of the robot has not been
designed with sufficient fault tolerance.
How to Choose an Actuator for your Robot?
Robot actuators are used for different purposes, so there are many aspects to consider
while selecting actuators like
Purpose & Intended Functionality
The necessary actuator type for a specified application mainly depends on the purpose
of a robot as well as the intended functionality.
Physical Requirements & Constraints
• Whenever the type of actuator is decided to use, then developers must look at the
physical requirements & constraints.
• Because the weight & physical size of the actuator plays a key role while arranging
the actuator in the robot otherwise a heavy actuator on a tiny robotic arm may cause
to fail the arm in its own weight.
Strength & Power
Based on their particular usage, developers must ensure the strength and power of a
specified actuator to perform the task.
Communication Protocol
• The communication protocol should also be considered while selecting an actuator
for the robot.
• Many actuators simply support communications with PWM (pulse width
modulation) whereas some actuators support serial communications.
Mounting Space & Options
• Developers should verify the mounting space obtainable in or on the robot & the
mounting options given by the actuator itself.
• Because some types of actuators are available with separate mounting hardware
that allows you to mount the unit within different orientations whereas others are
available with integrated mounting points, which are installed into a particular
position & orientation.
Advantages
Robot actuator advantages include the
following.
•Less cost
•Its maintenance is easy. Robot actuator disadvantages include the
•These are accurate. following.
•Easy to control. •Overheating within fixed conditions.
•Power conversion efficiency is high. •Need special safety within flammable
•Safe & simple to operate environments.
•Less noise. •Need good maintenance.
•These are very clean & less pollution to the •Fluid leakage will create ecological problems.
atmosphere. •Loud & noisy.
•These are very easy to maintain. •Lack of accuracy controls.
•These are very sensitive to vibrations.
Robot Actuator Applications
The applications of robot actuators include the following.
•The actuator is a very significant component in robotics which changes the external
energy into physical motion depending on the control signals.
•The electrical actuators in robotics are used to change the electrical energy into rotary
or linear motion
•Actuators generate forces that robots use this force to move themselves & other
objects.
•Actuators are associated with robotics, devices, or prosthetic arms which need to
move & bend.
•The linear actuators within robotics change electric energy into linear motion.
•An actuator is responsible for controlling & moving a system or mechanism.
• The actuator within a robot is an essential component that works as
the joint for the robot to move the robot rotate, arm up & down & it
changes energy into mechanical motions.
• The most common energy source to power actuators is electricity, however
pneumatic & hydraulic energy may also be utilized.
• So, some unique hydraulic-powered actuators are used to generate high
power & are shock-resistant.
 Pick N Place Robot

• A pick and place robot is the one which is used to pick up an object and place it in the
desired location.
• It can be a cylindrical robot providing movement in horizontal, vertical and rotational
axes, a spherical robot providing two rotational and one linear movement, an articulate
robot or a scara robot (fixed robots with 3 vertical axes rotary arms).
Advantages
Before moving further, let us see few reasons why pick and place robots are preferred:
•They are faster and can get the work done in seconds compared to their human
counterparts.
•They are flexible and have the appropriate design.
•They are accurate.
•They increase the safety of the working environment and actually never get tired.
 Parts of a Pick N Place Robot
•A Rover: It is the main body of the robot consisting of
several rigid bodies like a cylinder or a sphere, joints and
links. It is also known as a manipulator.
•End Effector: It is the body connected to the last joint
of the rover which is used for the purpose of gripping or
handling objects. It can be an analogy to the arm of a
human being.
•Actuators: They are the drivers of the robot. It actually
actuates the robot. It can be any motor like servo motor,
stepper motor or pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders.
•Sensors: They are used to sense the internal as well as
the external state to make sure the robot functions
smoothly as a whole. Sensors involve touch sensors, IR
sensor etc.
•Controller: It is used to control the actuators based on
the sensor feedback and thus control the motion of each
and every joint and eventually the movement of the end
 Working of a Basic Pick N Place Robot
• The basic function of a pick and place robot is
done by its joints. Joints are analogous to
human joints and are used to join the two
consecutive rigid bodies in the robot.
• They can be rotary joint or linear joint.
• To add a joint to any link of a robot, we need to
know about the degrees of freedom and
degrees of movement for that body part.
• Degrees of freedom implement the linear and
rotational movement of the body and Degrees
of movement imply the number of axis the
body can move.
• A simple pick and place robot consists of two rigid bodies on a
moving base, connected together with rotary joint.
• A rotary joint is a one which provides rotation in 360 degrees
around any one of the axes.
•The bottom or the base is attached with wheels which provide
linear movement.
•The 1st rigid body is fixed and supports the second rigid body to
which the end effector is provided.
•The 2nd rigid body is provided with movement in all 3 axes and
has 3 degrees of freedom. It is connected to the 1st body with a
rotational joint.
•The end effector should accommodate all 6 degrees of freedom,
in order to reach all sides of the component, to take up position to
any height.
On a whole, the basic pick and place robot works as follows:
•The wheels underneath the base help to move the robot to the
desired location.
•The rigid body supporting the end effector bends or
straightens up to reach the position where the object is placed.
•The end effector picks up the object with a strong grip and
places it at the desired position.

• A simple pick and place robot can be controlled by controlling the movement of its
end effector.
• The motion can be using hydraulic motion, i.e. using hydraulic fluid under pressure
to the drive the robot, or using pneumatic motion, i.e. using pressurized air to cause
mechanical motion.
• However the most effective way is using motors to provide the required motion.
The motors have to be controlled in order to provide required motion to the robot
and the end effector.
Working Example of Controlling a Pick N Place Robot

• How about controlling the robot with a just a few buttons on the keypad? Yes, it is
possible! Just pressing the required button,
• we can transmit command to the robot to make it move in any direction to achieve
our task.
• Moreover this can be achieved using simple wireless communication.
Let’s see how this actually works:
• The transmitter part consists of the keypad interfaced to the microcontroller.
• Any button number in decimal format is converted to 4 digit binary by the
microcontroller and the parallel output at one of its port is applied to the encoder.
• The encoder converts this parallel data to serial data and this is fed to the
transmitter, fitted with an antenna to transmit the serial data.

Block Diagram Showing Transmitter

of a Pick N Place Robot
• The receiver side consists of a decoder interfaced to the microcontroller.
• The decoder converts the received command in serial format to the
parallel form and gives this data to the microcontroller.
• Based on this command the microcontroller sends the appropriate input
signals to the motor drivers to drive the respective motors.

Block Diagram Showing Receiver of a Pick N Place

Robot
• The system consists of two motors for providing motion to the whole
robot and two other motors to provide the arm motion.
• The end effector or the gripper needs to be controlled to apply proper
pressure on the object to handle it effectly, to give it a soft grip.
• This is ensured by controlling the arm motors through proper command.
• The output from the arm motors is connected to a 10Ohms/2W resistor
and at the time of motor over load or locked condition, a high voltage is
developed across the resistor, which causes a logic high level at the
output of the optoisolator and the interrupt pin of the microcontroller
connected to the optoisolator output through a pnp transistor gets logic
low signal, which halts all other operations of the gripper.

Thus through simple RF communication, we can actually control a pick and

place robot.
 Practical Applications of Pick and Place Robot
•Defense Applications: It can be used for surveillance and also to
pick up harmful objects like bombs and diffuse them safely.
•Industrial Applications: These robots are used in manufacturing, to
pick up the required parts and place it in correct position to complete
the machinery fixture.
•It can be also used to place objects on the conveyer belt as well as
pick up defective products from the conveyer belt.
•Medical Applications: These robots can be used in various surgical
operations like in joint replacement operations, orthopedic and
internal surgery operations.
•It performs the operations with more precision and accuracy.