The component departments of the robot, what are the applications of CNC in the robot

2023-07-18

Robots typically consist of five main components:
Robotic arm
End effector
motor
controller
sensor
Robotic arm

Robotic arms vary greatly in form and function, so many different components can be used. However, one thing they have in common is their ability to move or perform operations on objects – unlike a human arm! Different parts of the robotic arm are even named after ourselves: shoulder, elbow and wrist joints rotate and control the movement of each part in between.

Robotic arm

The structural parts of the robot arm need to be hard and strong so that they can lift objects or apply force. CNC Machining is the right choice due to the materials used to meet these requirements (steel, aluminum, and certain plastics). Smaller parts, such as gears or bearings in joints, or shell sections around arms, can also be CNC machined.

End effector

An end effector is an attachment attached to the end of a robotic arm. End effectors allow you to customize the functionality of your robot for different operations without having to build an entirely new bot. They can be grippers, grippers, vacuum cleaners or suction cups. These end effectors typically have parts CNC machined from metal (usually aluminum) (more on material selection later). One of the components is permanently attached to the end of the robot arm. The actual gripper, suction cup, or other end effector (or array of end effectors) mates with this component, so it can be controlled by a robotic arm. This setup with two different components makes it easier to replace different end effectors, so the robot can be adapted to different applications. You can see this in the image below. The bottom disc will be bolted to the mating part on the robot arm, allowing you to connect the hose that operates the suction cup to the robot's air supply. Top and bottom discs are examples of CNC machined parts.

This end effector involves many Cnc Machining Parts

motor

Every robot needs motors to drive the movement of arms and joints. The motor itself has many moving parts, many of which can be CNC machined. Usually, the motor has some kind of machined housing for the power supply, as well as a machining bracket for attaching it to the robotic arm. Bearings and shafts are also often machined by numerical control. Shafts can be machined on a lathe to reduce the diameter, or on a milling machine to add features such as keys or slots. Finally, gears that transmit motor movement to robot joints or other parts can be CNC machined by milling, EDM or gear hobbing.

Servo motors can be used to power robot movements.

controller

The controller is basically the brain of the robot, and it will do what you think it will do – it usually controls the precise movements of the robot. As a robot's computer, it takes input from sensors and modifies the program that controls the output. This requires a printed circuit board (PCB) to house the electronic components. Before adding electronic devices, this PCB can be CNC machined into the desired size and shape.

sensor

As mentioned above, the sensor receives information about the robot's surroundings and feeds it back to the robot's controller. The sensor also needs a PCB that can be CNC machined. Sometimes, these sensors are also installed in CNC machined housings.

Custom fixtures and fixtures

Although not part of the robot itself, most robot operations require custom jigs and fixtures. When the robot is working on a part, you may need a fixture to secure the part. You can also use the fixture to precisely position the part each time, which is often necessary for the robot to pick up or drop the part. Because they are usually one-off custom parts, CNC machining is ideal for fixtures. Lead times are short, and CNC machining is usually easily done on a single piece of stock material, usually aluminum.

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