Everything You Need To Know To Find The Best industrial robotic arm

Robotic arms are the most common form of robot technology in the industry. Read on to learn the benefits of this technology and see if it is right for you.

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Robotic arms are one of the most identifiable pieces of robotic machinery in industrial settings. They tend to fascinate with their impressive feats of speed and strength, but their uses and how to apply them can be a mystery. This article will broadly describe the place of robotic arms in industrial applications to give you a better understanding of if they might be the right choice for you.

Topics discussed in this article include:

• Types of robotic arms
• Industries and Applications for robotic arms
• When to (and not to) use robotic arms
• Cost considerations

Types of robotic arms

The term &#;robotic arm&#; broadly describes a group of robotic mechanisms. These different robot types tend to have similar applications. However, each type has distinctions that typically lead to it being optimized for certain tasks over other robotic arms. Types of robotic arms include:

• Articulated arm
• Six-axis
• Collaborative robot
• SCARA
• Cartesian
• Cylindrical
• Spherical/Polar
• Parallel/Delta
• Anthropomorphic

Articulated arms are general-purpose robotic arms with 5 or more joints or degrees of freedom. The articulated arm is an umbrella term for many other robot types. For instance, a six-axis robot is an articulated arm with six degrees of freedom. Articulated arms cover the broadest range of robot types used in industry and include six-axis and collaborative robots. You will find an example of this robot type in the banner image of this article.

Six-axis robots are the most common articulated arm. This also makes them the most common robotic arm used in industry today. Thanks to their flexibility, they are a great general-purpose robotic arm. This gives the six-axis an impressive list of uses. The six-axis robot is the most easily identified industrial robot.

The collaborative robot is a robotic arm purpose-built for hybrid work. This means it is designed to work near humans. Certain safety features allow for significant risk reduction in hybrid work environments. This is a relatively new robot type and its uses are still being explored. Collaborative robots are becoming more prominent in the industry as more manufacturers are being exposed to their benefits. The future is exciting for collaboratives. 

SCARA robots are selectively compliant robot arms. This means they don&#;t have the same flexibility afforded to articulated arms. This limits them in some respects but gives them certain advantages over articulated arm types. 

Cartesian robots are rigid systems that move around in a 3D coordinate plane. These robots are typically constructed of 3 linear actuators. One actuator moves left and right in the x-axis. An additional actuator is attached to the x-axis actuator. This actuator moves up and down in the y-axis plane. A final actuator is attached to the y-axis member and moves back and forth in the z-axis plane. Cartesian robots are positioned for small applications.

Cylindrical robot arms are designed around a single arm that moves up and down a vertical member. This vertical member rotates the arm horizontally. The arm can extend and retract to perform its task. These robots are very compact and are deployed for small and simple tasks.

The first modern industrial robot was a spherical (polar) robot. This robot type has a simple design that isn&#;t as common today as it once was. Spherical robots are similar to cylindrical robots except they swap the vertical linear axis with an additional rotary axis. This axis allows it to rotate vertically. It was designed for simple tasks that don&#;t require high speed or complex motion.

Parallel/Delta robots are high-speed options for robotic automation. These robots&#; unique design allows them to reach incredible rates of speed. The delta robot is a great choice for high-speed and lightweight tasks.

Anthropomorphic robots are a rare sight in industrial settings. These robots boast two or more arms and a friendly face. They are often deployed in collaborative environments where they are working in near proximity to human operators.

Robotic automation has found a foothold in a record number of industries. Robotic arms are one of the most common and iconic types of robots found on factory floors. Yet, it&#;s just a few key, innovative companies responsible for making most of those machines. Here are ten of the best industrial robotic arm manufacturers in the industry and what makes them stand out above the rest.

FANUC Robotics

FANUC Robotics offers over one hundred models of industrial robots. Renowned for their easy-to-use, versatile products, FANUC is a leader in innovation.

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Recently FANUC unveiled their new CRX series of cobots. These collaborative robotic arm units are streamlined with smart programming and highly-sensitive safety protocols, ensuring risk-free and straightforward
programming and operation.

FANUC is also well-known for their large and powerful M-iA series robotic arms. This &#;Ultra Heavy Payload&#; class has a working capacity of up to kg! Of course, they make arms of all sizes in between as well. Their Paint Series robotic arm uses a top-of-the-line hydraulic system that is powerful enough for automobile painting but delicate enough for smaller powder-coating jobs. Finally, their mid-range arms can do everything from pick-and-place to welding and machine tending. FANUC has a robot for virtually every automation need.

Universal Robots

Cobots are more popular now than ever, and they are quickly becoming a ubiquitous fixture in many factories. When you look back at cobot evolution, you will find Universal Robotics at the start of it all. Universal Robots introduced cobots to the industrial market. If you&#;re searching for a robotic arm for your factory, cobots may be on your list. If they are, it&#;s worth taking a look at the creator of these revolutionary and now commonplace machines.

Yaskawa Electric

Almost one hundred years ago, Yasakawa Electric was producing basic induction motors and magnetic conductors. Today, their U Industrial Matrix inverter drive is revolutionizing the industry. Additionally, Yasakawa offers several welding robots, cobots, and a variety of material handling robotic arms. Today, Yawaska is known for its high-quality and energy-efficient designs. Their Motoman line, in particular, is one of the most versatile lines of robot arms available. Available for everything from the assembly line to the food industry, these arms have reaches ranging from less than a meter to well over three meters. Customers can also choose between multi-axis, cobot, and delta robots.

ABB

Swiss-based ABB has over 130 years of technological innovation. With a foothold in more than 100 countries, ABB has sold over 400,000 robots worldwide. Today, ABB is a leader in industrial digitization and a forerunner in Industry 4.0. ABB specializes in single-arm and dual-arm designs that make their robots versatile, adaptable, and durable.

Omron Adept Technologies

Intelligent automation products have made Omron the largest US-based industrial robotics manufacturer and supplier. They have a portfolio full of smart mobile robots, industrial robots, advanced software, and machine vision tools. Omron is especially well known for their TM series cobots and the 6-axis Viper robotic arm.

Kuka Robotics

When Kuka&#;s Quantec robotic arm came out, it went viral with commercial videos of it playing ping-pong. It&#;s an impressive machine that showcases unparalleled speed and precision. Since then, anyone who didn&#;t know the Kuka brand is now sure to be familiar with their line-up. From the small and quick Agilus line to the KR Titan (with a kg payload capacity and 3.6 m reach), Kuka produces a wide range of robotic arms. Start here, and you may not need to look any further.

UC Berkley

UC Berkley produced one of the hottest robotic arm designs in the last couple of years. Blue, as the model is known, is not designed for warehouses and factories&#;at least not yet. Currently, it is a fully functional robotic torso with z-axis motion and dual-arms. It has 7-degrees of freedom and can reach a peak velocity of just over 2 m/s with a 2 kg continuous payload. At $, Blue is designed to be an affordable testbed for companies who develop robots. It is also great for factories that may want a cheap and versatile solution that isn&#;t limited by lots of proprietary constraints.

Stäubli

Stäubli is an economical choice for factories in need of SCARA, six-axis, and fast-picker robotic arms. They are also well known for their end-effectors and connectors. Stäubli markets its products as fast and lightweight. They are ideal for lighter applications, like plastics, but also suitable for heavier jobs. If you&#;re just starting and want to make a smaller investment, Stäubli might be a great place to start.

DENSO

For fifty years, DENSO has been a leader in manufacturing. They are the world&#;s biggest manufacturer of automotive parts. While DENSO is their own biggest client, employing over 27,000 of their own units to make automotive parts, over 130,000 DENSO robotic arms are hard at work in factories worldwide. From SCARA to six-axis to pharmaceutical robots, DENSO has provided robotic arms and automation solutions to some of the most important industries for the past century.

EVS Tech Co. LTD.

EVS makes tough, durable robotic arms for demanding jobs in harsh environments. These arms can handle the toughest welding jobs, high temperatures, and payloads up to kg. EVS robotic arms are designed for welding, painting, polishing, stamping, and machine tending. When you need a robotic arm that is rugged but also has a small footprint, you&#;ll want to make sure EVS Tech is on your list.

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