Types of industrial manipulators
1. According to the range of use
(1) Special manipulator it is attached to the host machine, with fixed (sometimes adjustable) program without independent control system of the mechanical device. The special manipulator has the characteristics of less movement, single working object, simple structure, reliable work and so on, which is suitable for mass automatic production. It is widely used in light industry and electronic industry.
(2) Universal manipulator it is a kind of manipulator with independent control system, variable program, flexible and diverse action. The general manipulator has a large working range, high positioning accuracy and strong versatility. It is suitable for medium and small batch automatic production of constantly changing production varieties, and has been widely used in flexible automatic production line.
2. According to the drive mode
(1) Mechanical transmission manipulator it is driven by mechanical transmission mechanism (CAM, connecting rod, gear, rack, etc.) actuator motion manipulator. Its main characteristics are accurate and reliable movement, high frequency of action, but the size of the structure is large, the action program is immutable. Generally used as a loading or unloading device for automata.
(2) Hydraulic transmission manipulator it is the pressure of oil to drive the movement of the actuator manipulator. Large grasping capacity, compact and light structure, smooth transmission, easy movement, stepless speed regulation, continuous trajectory control. But because the oil leakage has a great influence on the working performance, it has strict requirements on the sealing device, and is not suitable for working at high or low temperature.
(3) Pneumatic transmission manipulator it is the use of the pressure of compressed air, to drive the movement of the actuator manipulator. Its main characteristics are convenient medium source, rapid pneumatic action, simple structure, low cost, can work in high temperature, high speed and dust environment. However, due to the compressible characteristics of air, the stability of the working speed is poor, and because of the low pressure of the air source, it is only appropriate to work under light load.
(4) Power transmission manipulator it is a specially designed motor, linear motor or stepper motor directly drive the movement of the actuator manipulator. Because there is no need for intermediate conversion mechanism, the structure is simple, and the linear motor manipulator has fast movement speed, long stroke, easy to use and maintenance. Mechanical design is developing towards the direction of "mechatronics", and the use of electric power directly driven manipulator will be increasing.
