Robotics:

Block diagram of Robotics:

Applications Of Robot :

Despite the advantages in using robots, there are lots of restrictions as well:

 Robot can be successfully applied to the process of welding.

 Robot can perform processing operation like spray painting.
 In the process of assembly and inspection.
 Loading and unloading of machine components.
 Movement of material from one location to another.

End Effectors:

 End effector is the device at the end of a robotic arm designed to interact with
the environment.
 End effectors originates from robotic manipulators (robotic arm).
 It is the last link of the robot.
 It is similar to human hand with or without finger. It incorporates various
sensors.
 The effectors are the parts of the robot that actually do the work.
  The grippers and tools are the two types of end effectors that help the robot to do
its job.
 Grippers are used to pick & place an object.
 Tools are used to carry out operations like spray painting, spot welding etc. on
work piece.

Degree of freedom (DOF):

DOF: -Degree of freedom is a term used to describe a robot’s freedom of motion in 3

Dimensional spaces specifically the ability to move forward and backward, up and
down, left and right. For each DOF a joint is required.

Significance of Degree Of Freedom in Robot:

 Degrees of freedom defined modes in which a mechanical device or system can

move.
 The number of degrees of freedom is equal to the total number of independent
displacements or aspects of motion.
 A machine may operate in two or three dimensions but have more than three
degrees of freedom.
 The term is widely used to define the motion capabilities of robots.
 Consider a robot arm built to work like a human arm. Shoulder motion can take
place as pitch (up and down) or yaw (left and right). Elbow motion can occur
only as pitch. Wrist motion can occur as pitch or yaw. Rotation (roll) may also
be possible for wrist and shoulder. Such a robot arm has five to seven degrees of
freedom.
 If a complex robot has two arms, the total number of degrees of freedom is
doubled.
 In an android, additional degrees of freedom exist in the end effectors, the legs
and the head. Fully functional androids and multi-legged mobile robots can have
more than 20 degrees of freedom.
 An example is Project No, an intelligent android designed for the consumer
market. No, which looks Superficially like a large space-age doll, has 25 degrees
of freedom.
Microcontroller based Antilock Brake System (ABS):
 An ABS is a system on motor vehicles which prevents the wheels from locking
while braking stopping safely is one of the most important functions a motor
vehicle can perform.

Fig: Block Diagram of Microcontroller based Antilock Brake System (ABS)

Explanation:-

 Failure of the brake system will almost invariably results in property damage,
personal injury or even death.
 An ABS allow the driver to maintain steering control under heavy braking by
preventing a skid and allowing the wheel to continue to roll forward and create
lateral control, as directed by driver steering inputs.
 A typical ABS is composed of a central electronic unit, four speed sensors (one
for each wheel).
 The electronic unit constantly monitors the rotation speed of each wheel. The
pulsed output from the wheel speed sensors goes to an electronic controller
which monitors each wheels speed relative to the speed of the other wheels.
  As long as the brakes are not being applied and all of the monitored wheels are
rotating at roughly the same speed, the system takes no action.
 If however the brakes are being applied and one or more monitored wheels
suddenly beings to reduce speed indicating a loss of traction with load the
controller then activates the antilock system.
 When it senses that any one of the wheels is rotating slower than the others, it
moves the valves to decrease the pressure on the braking circuit, effectively
reducing the braking force on that wheel.

Microcontroller/PLC Based Pick and Place Robot:

Need: Robotics technology has reached to a point where they have many research and
industrial applications. Robots have been used to replace people in production line and
are ideally suited for repetitive work. A powerful pick and place robotic arm which is
called gantry robot, capable of moving along X axis, Y axis and Z axis. It is designed
with base rotation and wrist motion with a functional gripper to hold objects. It
includes a PLC which is used to drive the motor according to the inputs. The gear
motor is used to control the robot. The keypad and IR sensor interfaced with the PLC is
used to give input for the movement of the arm along the axis.

Fig: Block Diagram of Microcontroller based Pick and Place Robot

  The robot has three axes about which motion can occur. The following
movements are required for this robot.

(1) Clockwise and anticlockwise rotation of the robot unit on its base.

(2) Linear movement of the arm horizontally i.e., extension or contraction of

arm

(3) Up and down movement of the arm and

(4) Open and close movement of the gripper.

 The foresaid movements can be obtained by pneumatic cylinder which is

operated by solenoid valves with limit switches.
 Limit switches are used to indicate when a motion is completed.
 The clockwise rotation of the robot unit on its base can be obtained from a piston
and cylinder arrangement during pistons forward movement.
 Similarly counter clockwise rotation can be obtained during backward
movement of the piston in cylinder.
 A robotic arm utilizing an electro-pneumatic robotic pick and place system that
mimics programmable logic controller or PLC. This type of robot falls under
closed-loop control system. The electro-pneumatic robotic arm pick and place
are powered by compressed air and controlled by a programmed or machine
language. The robotic arm is composed of pneumatic cylinders performing linear
and rotational motion, control valves that allow compressed air flows and sensor
technology that is capable of detecting the picked object. The use of pneumatics
for robotics arm is much cheaper than using servo motor.

Advantages:

(1) High efficiency: the sorting speed can be very high.

(2) High precision: the margin of error can be reduced to great extent.

(3) This type of sorter can be used for various objects or vegetables of different colors.
Also suit to select pears, orange and other fruits of this kind.

(4) High degree of intelligence if used with PLC control. The machine with a high
degree of intelligent, can control it.
(5) Good quality and low failure rate with long life.

(6) Reliable operation and maintenance.

Applications:

There are many applications in this sorting system.

(1) It finds the important application in agriculture field where it can be used to sort the
different agriculture products like grains, lemons, almonds, grapes, etc

(2) In industry it can be used for sorting of various objects, tools, with high degree of
accuracy and quality with an automation.

(3) It finds application in enormous way in agriculture, industry.

AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle):

Fig: Block Diagram of AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle)

What are automated guided vehicles?
Sometimes called self-guided vehicles or autonomous guided vehicles, automated guided vehicles
(AGVs) are material handling systems or load carriers that travel autonomously throughout a
warehouse, distribution center, or manufacturing facility, without an onboard operator or driver. In
this post, we’ll explore the various types of AGVs, the meaning of them, how they work and their
benefits.

Applications for AGVs

Automated guided vehicle systems are used for tasks that would typically be handled by forklifts,
conveyor systems or manual carts, moving large volumes of material in a repetitive manner.

AGVs are used in a variety of applications. They’re often used for transporting raw materials such as
metal, plastic, rubber or paper. For example, AGVs can transport raw materials from receiving to the
warehouse or deliver materials directly to production lines. AGVs consistently and reliably deliver
raw materials needed without human intervention, ensuring that production lines always have the
materials they need without interruption.

In addition to transporting raw materials, AGVs are used in work-in-process applications and with
finished goods to support production or manufacturing lines. According to Investopedia, the term
work-in-process describes “partially completed goods, which are typically turned from raw material
to finished product in a short period of time,” such as manufactured goods. In work-in-process
applications, AGVs move materials or parts from the warehouse to production lines or from one
workstation to another, providing repetitive and efficient movement of materials throughout the
manufacturing process. Without AGVs, manufacturing processes may come to a halt when
processing lines run out of materials. Manufacturing is then delayed while a human worker retrieves
the necessary materials from storage and transports them to the production line.

AGVs are also used in inbound and outbound handling for replenishment and for picking. For
example, AGVs may be used to transport inventory from receiving to storage locations or from long-
term storage locations to forward picking locations to replenish stock. Moving inventory from long-
term storage to forward picking locations ensures that adequate inventory is accessible to pickers,
making the order picking process more efficient. AGVs such as collaborative mobile robots assist in
the picking process by guiding warehouse associates through tasks and transporting picked orders to
packaging and shipping workstations.
Types of Automated Guided Vehicles

There are several types of automated guided vehicles. Many AGVs are similar to other human-
operated vehicles but are designed to operate without direct human intervention or guidance.

Automated Guided Carts

An automatic guided cart (AGC) is the most basic type of AGV with minimal features. Navigation
systems can range from systems as simple as magnetic tape to complex, sensor-based navigation
systems that use AI to navigate their environment. They can transport a variety of materials, from
small parts to loaded pallets, and are often used in sorting, storage, and cross-docking applications.

One example of an AGC is an automated hospital cart transporter, used to efficiently transport
compact loads throughout a hospital, such as meals and empty food trays, clean or soiled linens,
biohazard waste or sterile supplies. Without the need for a staff member to manually push the cart
from place to place, automated hospital cart transporters can help to reduce labor costs.

Forklift AGVs
Fork vehicles, or forklift automatic guided vehicles, are another commonly used type of AGV.
They’re designed to perform the same functions a human-operated forklift performs (transporting
pallets), but without the need for a human operator.

Towing AGVs
Towing vehicles, or tugger automatic guided vehicles, pull one or more non-powered, load-carrying
vehicles behind them in a train-like formation. Sometimes called driverless trains, powered towing
vehicles travel on wheels. Tugger automatic guided vehicles are often used for transporting heavy
loads over longer distances. They may have several drop-off and pick-up stops along a defined path
through a warehouse or factory.
Unit Load Handlers
Unit load handlers carry discrete loads such as individual objects, or a single unit such as a pallet or
tote that contains multiple items.

Heavy Burden Carriers

For the heaviest loads, heavy burden carriers are a type of AGV used in applications such as large
assembly, casting and coil and plate transport. Some heavy burden carriers have self-loading
capabilities and may have standard, pivot or omni-directional steering.

Autonomous Mobile Robots

Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) are typically more technologically advanced than other types of
AGVs. While many AGVs use fixed navigation systems, such as wires or magnetic tape, many
AMRs are equipped with intelligent navigation capabilities such as sensors and camera systems that
enable them to detect and navigate around obstacles. Thanks to more sophisticated technology,
AMRs can dynamically navigate a warehouse or other facility and plan the most efficient paths.

How AGVs work

AGVs are self-propelled vehicles with movement guided by software and sensors. Most AGVs move
along defined pathways, but as mentioned, AMRs typically have more advanced technology with
dynamic navigation capabilities.
AGV navigation
AGV navigation may be guided using one or more of the following mechanisms:

Magnetic guide tape — some AGVs have magnetic sensors and follow a track using magnetic tape.

Wired navigation — some AGVs follow wire paths embedded into the facility floor. The wire
transmits a signal that AGVs detect via an antenna or sensor.

Laser target navigation — with this method, reflective tape is mounted on objects such as walls, fixed
machines and poles. AGVs are equipped with a laser transmitter and receiver. The lasers reflect off of
the tape within the line of sight and used to calculate the object’s angle and distance from the AGV.

Inertial (gyroscopic) navigation — some AGVs are controlled by a computer system with the aid of
transponders embedded into the facility floor to verify that the AGV is on the proper course.

Vision guidance — No modification is required to the infrastructure for vision-guided AGVs.

Cameras record the features along the route, and AGVs rely on these recorded features to navigate.

Geoguidance — Like vision-guided AGVs, no infrastructure modifications are required for AGVs
that use geoguidance. Geoguided AGVs recognize objects in their environment to establish their
location in real-time to navigate throughout the facility.

LiDAR — LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) is a sophisticated navigation technology utilizing
sensors that transmit laser pulses to measure the distance between the robot and objects in its
environment. This data is compiled to create a 360-degree map of the environment, allowing robots to
navigate the facility and avoid obstacles without the need for any additional infrastructure. 6 River
Systems uses LiDAR navigation technology to enable their AGVs to navigate a warehouse without
requiring changes to infrastructure as well as to adapt to new environments should the layout of a
warehouse floor change.

AGV steering
AGV steering is controlled by differential speed control, steered wheel control or a combination of
the two:

Differential speed control — This is the most common type of steering control used by AGVs.
Differential speed control uses two independent drive wheels. Each drive wheel is driven at a
different speed to turn. To go forward or backwards, the two drives are driven at the same speed. The
simplest steering control option for AGVs, differential speed control doesn’t require additional
steering motors or mechanisms. It is commonly used for AGVs that operate in tight spaces or for
those that operate near machines. It is not used for towing applications, as it can cause a trailer to
jackknife while turning.

Steered wheel control — This type of steering control is similar to the steering control in a car or
truck. In steered wheel control, the drive wheel is the turning wheel. Steered wheel control is more
precise than differential speed control and offers smoother turning. It is often used for towing
applications and may also be operator-controlled.

Combination steering — This is a combination of differential speed control and steered wheel
control. AGVs using combination steering have two independent steer/drive motors on diagonal
corners of the AGV and swiveling castors on the other two corners. AGVs using combination
steering can turn in any direction like a car and also drive in differential steering mode in any
direction.

AGV traffic control

Traffic control measures include zone control, collision avoidance or a mix of both:

Zone control — Simple to install and easy to expand, zone control is a commonly used traffic control
method for AGVs. A wireless transmitter transmits signals in defined areas, and the AGV contains a
sensor that receives the signal and transmits it back to the transmitter. If the area is clear, a “clear”
signal is sent that allows the AGV to enter or pass through the area. If another AGV is in the area, a
“stop” signal is sent that alerts other AGVs attempting to enter that the area is not clear. In this case,
the waiting AGVs will stop and wait until the first AGV moves out of the zone and a “clear” signal is
sent by the transmitter. Another way zone control can be used is by equipping each AGV with its own
transmitter, allowing it to send a “do not enter” signal to other AGVs approaching the zone.

Collision avoidance — AGVs using collision avoidance zone control are equipped with sensors that
transmit a signal and wait for a reply to determine if an object is in front of it. These sensors may be
sonic, which work like radar, or optical, which uses infrared sensors. Both work in a similar manner.
Bumper sensors are another type of collision avoidance sensor. Many AGVs are equipped with
bumper sensors as a fail-safe. Bumper sensors stop to avoid a collision when they sense physical
contact.

Combination control — AGVs that use combination control are equipped with both collison control
sensors and zone control sensors in order to offer more robust collision prevention in all situations.
For instance, an AGV may use zone control as its primary traffic control system but also have
collision avoidance sensors as a backup in case the zone control system malfunctions.
Benefits of AGVs
AGVs offer numerous benefits in warehousing and manufacturing.

Increase efficiency and productivity

Because they operate autonomously, AGVs increase efficiency and productivity, and they’re
predictable and reliable for repetitive tasks. AGVs eliminate unnecessary walking and also eliminate
the physical labor of transporting materials. They set the pace for workers, as well, keeping associates
on-task. AGVs like collaborative mobile robots guide associates through each task, reducing human
error, which helps to improve order accuracy and minimize loss and misplaced products. By
leveraging AI to optimize routes and prioritize work, collaborative mobile robots improve resource
utilization.

Consistent costs
AGVs are typically acquired on a per unit or per rental period cost basis, so there’s less fluctuation in
costs compared to human labor, which can fluctuate based on market conditions and demand.

Flexibility
Some AGVs offer the flexibility of easily changing routes (compared to others which require re-
routing guide wires or other infrastructure to adjust a vehicle’s route). Automated guided vehicles are
a scalable solution, as well, with the ability to add additional units based on demand.

Less space required

Compared to other automation solutions, such as conveyor systems, AGVs require less space. Some
AGVs are smaller compared to traditional warehouse equipment, such as forklifts, which allows for
floor layouts with narrower aisles and better space utilization.

Improved safety
Finally, AGVs are a safe automation solution for warehouses, distribution centers and manufacturing
facilities. AGVs are equipped with sensors to avoid collisions. Advanced AGVs like AMRs have
intelligent routing capabilities that enable them to plan the most efficient path through a warehouse or
facility, reducing aisle congestion and preventing injuries.

Automated guided vehicles are uniquely designed to automate tasks for which humans are not
necessary. They automate long walks in warehouses, set the pace for workers, and eliminate the
physical rigors of a traditionally physically demanding job. Chuck by 6 River Systems is a flexible,
scalable and cost-effective solution for warehouses and distribution centers offering innovative
technology designed to tackle some of warehousing’s biggest challenges.
Is your operation ready for AGVs? Consult this IDC study to assess your warehouse or fulfillment
center’s maturity level. We can also discuss the solution that’s right for you. Contact us today.