Theoretical Framework

As technology has improved, machines have been developed.

specialized for tasks such as putting caps on bottles or pouring liquid rubber into
molds for tires. However, none of these machines had the versatility of the
human arm, and could not reach distant objects and place them in the desired position.
Most of the robots existing today are those that are used in the
industry, called industrial robots, which are constructed with one or two arms

The word robot is defined as a machine controlled by a computer and

programmed to move, manipulate objects, and perform tasks while interacting
with their environment. Robots are capable of performing repetitive tasks more quickly,
cheap and precise than humans. The term comes from the Czech word robota,
what does 'forced labor' mean. Since then, the word robot has been used to
to refer to a machine that performs tasks to help people to carry out
difficult or dangerous tasks for humans. Meanwhile, robotics is defined as the
branch of artificial intelligence that studies automatic systems capable of
establish a direct interaction with the physical world

Robots can be classified as: fixed or industrial and mobile. The fixed robot
it is used to carry out tasks that may be dangerous for humans, or
simply to improve production in the industry by performing repetitive tasks.
On the other hand, the mobile robot has the ability to move from one place to another with help.
from a locomotion system, following its path according to the information received
through a sensor system

Robotic arms have tried to mimic the movement of the human arm.
for which they have been built based on their joints. The joints of a
Robotic arms usually move using electric motors or pneumatic devices.
In most robots, the gripper moves from one position to another changing its
orientation. A computer calculates the angles of the joints necessary for
bring the gripper to the desired position, this is a process known as inverse kinematics

Inverse kinematics is the way to obtain, through mathematical processes

like formulas, laws, or theorems, the different positions that can have the
joints of a robotic arm.
 Some multi-articulated arms are equipped with servocontrols, or
feedback controllers that receive data from a computer. Each joint
The arm has a device that measures its angle and sends that data to the controller.

If the actual angle of the arm is not equal to the calculated angle for the desired position,
the servo controller moves the joint until it matches the calculated angle. The
controllers and the associated computers must also process the collected data
by cameras that locate the objects to be grabbed or the information from sensors
located in the clamps that regulate the grip strength

According to the book of Industrial Electronics by Timothy Maloney:

The most common mechanical configurations in industrial robots are: 1) the

articulated arm configuration, 2) spherical configuration and 3) configuration
cylindrical.

All configurations allow rotational movement around six axes

different (not counting the bra, if it exists). It is said that those robots have six degrees of
freedom. The phrase degrees of freedom is derived from the fact that movement with respect to an axis does not
depends, in the component, on any other axis. In other words, the device of
actuation (be it a motor or a cylinder) that produces shoulder movement, by
example, it is totally separate and independent from the drive device that
produce the waist movement. Regarding the components of the robot, the
shoulder can go freely wherever it wants to go, regardless of what it is
doing the waist, and in reverse.

Many robots are used in applications where fewer than six are needed.
degrees of freedom. For example, if a painting robot has a normal nozzle that
it emits paint in a spray cone, wrist movement is not needed; consequently
it would have five degrees of freedom. Some simple robotic applications for handling
materials do not require wrist movements. A robot that is used in those applications
it wouldn't have a wrist; it would only have a fixed support to a rigid forearm (the part that goes
from the arm to the wrist). A robot with this design would only have three degrees of freedom:
waist, shoulder and elbow/extension (the bra does not count).
Industrial robots are not mobile, unlike those in science fiction.

They are generally permanently mounted on the floor, and their work is carried out there.
through other equipment. Sometimes an application requires a robot to be mounted on a
platform that moves on rails. The traversal movement on the rails could
considered or not an additional degree of freedom, which depends on whether that movement is
controlled by the robot's microcomputer or by an automated auxiliary equipment.
 An inspection clarifies that there are mechanical restrictions in the interval of
movement, of the shoulder, the elbow/extension, the nodding of the wrist and the turning of the
doll.

There are variations from one robot to another, but in the normal case, those four
movements are limited to less than 180° of rotation relative to the axis. In the
spherical and cylindrical configurations, the extension has more linear movement than
rotational, so the constraint is a linear distance and not an angular rotation. The
the maximum extension for any spherical or cylindrical robot today is about 5 feet
1.50 m.

In principle, those two movements could continue indefinitely;

they could turn. It happens that the potential possibility of turning those axes is hardly used in the
industry. The waist rotation is limited to 330° or less. The maximum wrist twist
varies greatly among robots, and in some models it is limited to 90°, while in other models
they are capable of making two or more complete revolutions (720° or more).

The actuating devices for the various movements can be motors.

electric, fluid cylinders or fluid motors. Some robots use all the motors
electric, some others use all fluid actuators and some robots use a
combination of electric motors for some movements and fluid devices
for other movements.

Normal commitments prevail. The advantages and disadvantages of each type of

actuator is summarized in the following table:
 As stated in the table, the main disadvantage of using an electric motor for
to produce the robot's movement, the motor itself virtually has no
ability to keep a member in a fixed permanent position. When handling loads
heavy or when precise positioning is required, many robot manufacturers
mechanical brakes are installed to counteract this problem. The brakes engage in the
electric motor shaft, as soon as it stops rotating; this prevents the opposing torque from
rotation, produced by the load, turns the motor shaft, and this prevents settling. The
the settling problem is more serious for elbow and shoulder movements in
comparison with wrist movements, due to the longer moment arms
associated with the forearm and the biceps (the part that goes from the shoulder to the elbow). It does not exist

settlement regarding the waist.

 Hydraulic cylinders are champions when it comes to strength, whether during the
movement or when a fixed and permanent position is held after finishing the
movement. The unfortunate properties of hydraulic systems is that they are very
expensive in their acquisition and operation, and they always spill oil on the floor. Their costs
service costs are so high because the hydraulic pump needs to be maintained
always working, to maintain an adequate oil pressure, even during the
periods during which the robot is not moving. In contrast, an electric motor
consume energy only when it really produces movement.

Robots can perform coarse and simple manipulations, or elaborate and

complicated, depending on whether the microcomputer program for the user is simple or
complicated. The convenience of classifying the user programs that control the
robots in three categories. Here we will mention those categories by complication
growing
Positive unemployment programs.
2. Point-to-point programs.
3. Continuous trajectory programs.

When a robot operates under the control of a specific program

category, it is common to say that the robot itself belongs to that category. That is, if a
the robot is controlled by a positive stop program, it is usually said that it is a
positive stop robot.
That can be misleading because it implies that the robot itself has limitations in
its parts that make it incapable of performing more elaborate manipulations and
complicated, and that implication may not be true. Just because it happens that the robot
it is currently operating under the control of a positive stop program no
necessarily means that it cannot work under the control of a
point-to-point program, or even one of continuous trajectory.
To clarify ideas: the widely circulated classification of robots is based on complexity of
program, and not to the mechanical complexity of the robot. In other words, what is used
It is to classify a robot according to the work it is doing, and not with what it could.
to do.

Of course it would be silly and wasteful to have a large robot.

capabilities by making simple manipulations. Thus, when a user selects a
robot, it gets used to equalizing the possibilities of the components of the robot with the class of
program (or the manipulation class) that you have in mind. This is reasonable and widespread
the practice tends to establish some correlation between the category of the program and the
mechanical possibilities of the robot, but that correlation is not of absolute trust.

Industrial robots occupy a prominent place within automation

production and its prominence has been consolidating in recent years. After
a decline in sales in the 1990s, the robot market has maintained
a steady growth, especially in Europe and the United States. For its part, Asia and
particularly Japan continues to lead globally.

In Latin America, although to a lesser extent, the evolution has also been
growing, the leaders in automation are Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Chile. Meanwhile,
Colombia is in a stage of opportunities, transition, and adaptation; the country
it has an industry still in development, which alongside multiple efforts
related to robotics, especially in universities and technological centers,
they create a conducive environment to implement this technology.
However, there is still a marked skepticism regarding the benefits of the
industrial robots, the real cost and access to technology.

To make the necessary leap towards automated production, it is urgent to correct

some biases and solve the questions that arise for entrepreneurs at the time
to robotize or not. Due to the wide variety of robots that proliferate in the market, the
Selecting the most suitable option for each need can become a serious problem.
Unlike other machines, these devices are not easy to classify and evaluate, even,
There are still controversies about the exact definition of a robot.

Currently, the vast majority have different degrees of freedom, lengths of

scope and load capacity, all specifications essential for comparison and
choose.
In order to have the basic tools to make a sound decision between one and another
another team, it is advisable to start with the most basic.
Knowing the fundamentals of industrial robots and the advice of experts on the
with this, an important step will have been taken to hold an election
adequate.

It could be said that there are as many robots in the world as methods for
classify them, each international robotics association establishes different and specific
definitions to group these teams. Some classify them according to their applications and
uses, others depending on the components and technology, and there are also those who prefer
Locate them by generations chronologically, according to the construction dates.

However, for the purpose of this article, industrial robots basically

they can be classified according to their development, capacity, and application in the industry. Thus, the
the market offers from the most basic robotic arms, which perform simple tasks
from manipulation to sophisticated equipment that uses space sensors to
interact with their environment, other machines, and even humans.

Perhaps the technological feature that most identifies robotic arms is their
ability to move, which depends on the degrees of freedom they possess, that is,
number of joints they have and the movement possibility that these provide.
In this way, with more degrees of freedom, the robot is more useful and can be adapted to almost
all industrial processes, from the simplest to the most complex.
The degrees of freedom of a robotic arm can be compared to the movements of the
arm and wrist of the man. Generally, both in the arm and in the wrist, there
find a variation of seven movements, while most robots have
six types of movements or degrees of freedom.

According to the Robotics book by Aníbal Ollero Baturone, it cites the following information:

Theoretically, the use of robotic systems could extend to almost all

imaginable areas where the execution of mechanical tasks is needed; in those
activities that involve the physical presence and movement of the executor.
Some of the fields of industrial application of robotics are:

• Mold casting. Loading and unloading of machines, handling of hot materials,

mold handling, etc. The difficult working conditions in casting make it necessary
the robots.

Spot welding. Widely used in the automotive industry, on average,

this type of robot reduces the workforce needed by half.

Arc weldings. Does not require substantial modifications to the equipment.

welding increases flexibility and work speed.

• Extrusion molding. The use of thermoplastic materials is ideal for manufacturing.

of robots, due to the growing demand for highly specialized complex parts and
Precision supports the increase in production and the quality of products.

• Forged. Perhaps the main application of industrial robots is manipulation of

hot metal parts in the metal forging process.

Pressing applications. Pressing of vehicle parts and panels and structures.

airplanes, appliances, and other metalworking products, this is a rapidly growing area
development of new types of robots, as the sector demands more and more
productivity and quality.

• Paints and surface treatment. Speed and quality are two of the reasons for
the ones preferred for robots in the application of paints and surface coatings.

• Loading and unloading of machine tools. Robots increase flexibility and

versatility of machine tools and allow their articulation with each other. They contribute
to the reduction of stocks, they minimize direct and indirect labor costs, they increase the
quality of production and maximize equipment utilization.
 According to Engineer Juan Carlos Puentes, advisor to the company Mavicontrol Ltda.
authorized representative of Mitsubishi Electric Automation, the industry has a serious
deficit of automation, for two basic reasons: the first lies in the 'prejudice'
of entrepreneurs in the face of technology costs, as they assume that robotizing their
processes, involves a very high investment. Secondly, it had historically been
It is difficult to adapt robotic equipment to the national industry, as there was no
trained professionals in the area.

In order to counteract these two problems, Puentes explained that around the world,
as a result of the standardization of components and the increase in supply,
the cost of robots is falling year after year, just like the systems that
they control the software and peripheral equipment. He also said that currently the country
has direct representation from major multinational robot manufacturers
industrials, which in turn have trained Colombian engineers to provide consulting
focused on the needs of each user.

Manufacturers are not only suppliers of robots but also companions of the
automation. According to the customer's needs, the robot is suggested and developed
more suitable, just right; neither technologically oversized, so that it is
more expensive; nor too basic, so that it cannot develop the processes.”, he indicated.
About this consultancy, Diana Rojas, industrial engineer from the Industrial University of
Santander explained that the distribution companies analyze the most variables.
important aspects of the process: annual production, available machinery, accessibility
new technologies, staff competency, budget, and advantages and disadvantages of
robotization. Subsequently, based on the obtained data, the engineers choose
a robotic solution for every need.

When implementing automation, it is very important that the characteristics of the robots
match the requirements of the process. For this, it is advisable that the entrepreneur
consider the different capabilities offered by the teams and their factors
differentiators.