ROBOTICS: ROBOT MORPHOLOGY

Josep Amat and Alcia Casals

Automatic Control and Computer Engineering Department

User
Components of a Robot
Control Unit
Programming
External
Sensors
Environment
Internal
Sensors
Actuators
Mechanical Structure
Net
Chapter 2. Robot Morphology
Basic characteristics:
- Kinematics chain
- Degree of freedom
- Maneuvering degree
- Accessibility
- Precision
- Working space
- Payload
- Architecture
Degrees of freedom correspond to the number of
actuators that produce different robot movements
D o F
A joint adds a degree of freedom to the manipulator
structure, if it offers a new movement to the end
effector that can not be produced by any other joint
or a combination of them.
Degrees of freedom
Degrees of freedom
Positioning
x
y
z
P
Reference
frame origin
Positioning the end
effector in the 3D space,
requires three DoF, either
obtained from rotations or
displacements.
Degrees of freedom
Orientation
Orienting the end effector in
the 3D space, requires three
additional DoF to produce
the three rotations.
x
y
z
P
Reference
frame origin
roll
pan
tilt
Chapter 2. Robot Morphology
Basic characteristics:
- Kinematics chain
- Degree of freedom
- Maneuvering degree
- Accessibility
- Precision
- Working space
- Payload
- Architecture
Maneuvering degree is the number of
actuators that although producing new
movements do not contribute to new degrees of
freedom.

Maneuvering degree
Degrees of maneuverability (redundant)
Forced access
(without redundancy)

Multiple access
(with redundant DoF)
Chapter 2. Robot Morphology
Basic characteristics:
- Kinematics chain
- Degree of freedom
- Maneuvering degree
- Accessibility
- Precision
- Working space
- Payload
- Architecture
Robot architecture is the combination and
disposition of the different kind of joints that
configure the robot kinematical chain.
Robot architecture
Mechanical Structure
Open:
Closed (Parallel):
Kinematics chain: Sequence of rigid elements linked
through active joints in order to perform a task efficiently
Nomenclature:
Arm
Wrist
Elbow
Shoulder
Trunk
Base
Payload
Characteristics derived from the mechanical structure:
Degrees of freedom
Work Space
Accessibility
Precision
Tridimensional positioning: (x,y,z )
Minimum: 3 Degrees of freedom
Characteristics derived from the mechanical structure:
Degrees of freedom
Positioning + orientation: (x,y,z,,,q )
Minimum: 3 + 3 Degrees of freedom


q
Architecture: Configuration and kind of
articulations of the kinematical chain that
determine the working volume and accessibility
Characteristics derived from the mechanical structure:
Degrees of freedom
Kind of possible joints:
In red, those usually used in robotics as they can be motorized without problems
Degrees of freedom:
Number of complementary movements.

Movement capability:
Working volume, Accessibility and Maneuvering

Movement precision:
Resolution, Repetitiveness, Precision and Compliance

Dynamical characteristics:
Payload, Speed and Stability
Basic characteristics. Definitions
ex
ey
Movement precision
Precision (Accuracy)
Capacity to place the end effector into a given position and orientation
(pose) within the robot working volume, from a random initial
position.

e increases with the distance to the robot axis.
Precision depends on:

Mechanical play (backlash)
Sensors offset
Sensors resolution
Misalignments in the position
and size of rigid elements,
specially the end-effector E.E.
Points reached in different tests
Coordinates
of the target
ex
ey
Coordinates
of the target
Precision
+
R
e offset
Movement precision
Precision (Accuracy)
Capacity to place the end effector into a given position and orientation
(pose) within the robot working volume, from a random initial
position.

e increases with the distance
to the robot axis.
ex
ey
Repetitiveness depends on:

Mechanical play (backlash)
Target position
Speed and direction when
reaching the target
Repetitiveness
error
Precision
+
R
Movement precision
Repetitiveness
Capacity to place the end effector into a given position and orientation
(pose) within the robot working volume, from a given initial position.

Coordinates
of the target
Movement precision (Statics)
Resolution:
Minimal displacement the EE can achieve and / or the control unit can
measure.
Determined by mechanical joints and the number of bits of the
sensors tied to the robot joints.
Error resolution of the sensor = Measurement Rank / 2
n

Mechanical Structure
Joint 1
Joint 2
Joint 4
Joint 5
Examples of Joints (movements between articulated bodies)
Joint 1
Joint 2
Joint 5
Joint 3
Joint 4
Joint 6
Joint 3

Example of a section of a working volume
Architectures
Architecture: Configuration and kind of
articulations of the kinematical
chain that determine the working
volume and accessibility
Classical Architectures: Cartesian
Cylindrical
Polar
Angular
Classical Architectures
Cartesian Work Space (D+D+D)
Example of a Cartesian Work Space Robot (D+D+D)
Classical Architectures
Cylindrical Work Space (R+D+D)
Classical Architectures
Example of a Cylindrical Work Space Robot (R+D+D)
Classical Architectures
Polar Work Space (R+R+D)
Classical Architectures
Example of a Polar Work Space Robot (R+R+D)
Classical Architectures
Angular Work Space (R+R+D)
Classical Architectures
Angular Work Space (R+R+R)
Classical Architectures
Example of Angular Work Space Robots (R+R+R)
Classical Architectures
Working space of a robot with angular joints
Inverted robot: Increase the useful working volume
Architecture SCARA
Architecture R-R-D with cylindrical coordinates
( SCARA: Selective Compliance Assembly Robotic Arm )
SCARA Robot :
examples
Resume Cartesian Robot Characteristics
Robot Joints Observations
Cartesian 1a. Linear: X
2a.
3a.
Advantages: :

linear movement in three dimensions

simple kinematical model

rigid structure

easy to display

possibility of using pneumatic actuators,
which are cheap, in pick&place
operations
Linear: Y
Linear: Z

constant resolution
Drawbacks:

requires a large working volume

the working volume is smaller than
the robot volume (crane structure)

requires free area between the robot
and the object to manipulate
guides protection
Resume Cylindrical Robot Characteristics
Cylindrical 1a. Rotation: q
2a.
3a.





good accessibility to cavities and
open machines

large forces when using hydraulic
actuators

restricted working volume

requires guides protection (linear)

the back side can surpass the
working volume
Robot Joints Observations
Linear: Z
Linear: r
Advantages:
simple kinematical model
easy to display
Drawbacks:
Resume Polar Robot Characteristics
Polar 1a. Rotation: q
2a. Rotation: j
3a. Linear: r

large reach from a central support

It can bend to reach objects on the floor

motors 1 and 2 close to the base

complex kinematics model

difficult to visualize
Robot Joints Observations
Drawbacks:
Advantages:
Angular 1a. rotation
2a. rotation
3a. rotation
q
1
q
2
q
3
:

maximum flexibility

large working volume with respect
to the robot size

joints easy to protect (angular)

can reach the upper and lower side of an object

complex kinematical model

difficult to display

linear movements are difficult


no rigid structure when stretched
Resume Angular Robot Characteristics
Robot Joints Observations
Advantages:
Drawbacks:
high speed and precision
only vertical access
:
SCARA 1a. rotation
2a. rotation
3a. rotation
q
1
q
2
q
3
Resume SCARA Robot Characteristics
Robot Joints Observations
Advantages:
Drawbacks:
Example of Map of admitted
loads, in function of the
distance to the main axis
Dynamic Characteristics
Payload:
The load (in Kg) the robot is able to transport in a continuous and
precise way (stable) to the most distance point
The values usually used are the maximum load and nominal at
acceleration = 0
The load of the End-Effector is not included.
Velocity

Maximum speed (mm/sec.) to which the robot can move the End-Effector.
It has to be considered that more than a joint is involved.
If a joint is slow, all the movements in which it takes part will be slowed down.
For shorts movements it can be more interesting the measure of acceleration.
Vmax
time
speed
Short
movements
Long
movement
Dynamic Characteristics
Architectures
- Classical Architectures: Cartesian
Cylindrical
Polar
Angular
- Special configurations
Special Configurations. Pendulum Robot GGD
Example of a Pendulum Robot RRD

Classical Degrees of freedom
Concatenated Degrees of
freedom (elephant trunk)
Special Configurations. Elephant Trunk
Special Configurations. Elephant Trunk

Classical Degrees of freedom
Concatenated Degrees of
freedom (elephant trunk)
Increase of accessibility
Special Configurations. Elephant Trunk
Distributed Degrees of Freedom.
Special Configurations. Elephant Trunk
Elephant Trunk Examples Applications
6 Displacements 6 DoF.
+ X,
+ Y, + Z
+ j,
+ f, + q
Special Configurations. Stewart Platform
Platform Stewart Example
Workspace
Example of
Stewart Robot
Robots
6 Rotations 6 DoF.
Movement capabilities
1. Working volume (Workspace):
Set of positions reachable by the robot end-effector.
Shape is more important than the volume (m
3)
2. Accessibility:
Capacity to change the orientation at a given position.
Strongly depend on the joint limits.
3. Maneuverability
Capacity to reach a given position and orientation (pose) from
different paths (different configurations).
Usually implies the presence of redundant joints
(degrees of manipulability or degrees of redundancy).
- Coupled movements
- Decoupled movements
Coupled movements
The rotation of a link is propagated to the rest of the chain
Decoupled movements
The rotation of a link is not propagated to the rest of the chain
Mechanical decoupling architectures
l
1
l
2
l
2
M

l
1
Decoupling achieved with a
parallelepiped structure
Example of a decoupled structure
with a parallelepiped structure
M

Structure decoupled with connecting rods
l
1
l
1
l
2
l
2
M

Mechanical decoupling solutions
M

Decoupling with connecting rods
By transmitting the movement with connecting rods, the
rotation of a joint does not propagates to the following.

M

M


By transmitting the movement with connecting rods, the
rotation of a joint does not propagates to the following.
Decoupling with connecting rods
M

M
j
M

M

M
j
M

Transmission with connecting rods through two
consecutive joints maintains the orientation of the E.E.
Decoupling with connecting rods
Structure decoupled with chains
Mechanical decoupling solutions
M
j M
j
Transmission movements with chains
Decoupling with chains
M
j
M
j
Transmission systems with chains
produce decoupled movements
Decoupling with chains
Points potentially weak in mechanical design
Weak points Mechanical correction
Permanent deformation
of the whole structure
and the components
Increase rigidness


Weight reduction


Counterweight
Dynamic deformation



Reduction of the mass
to move


Weight distribution
Backlash
Reduce gear clearances

Use more rigid
transmission elements
Increase rigidness
Axes clearance

Use pre stressed axes
Friction


Improve clearance in axes
Increase lubrication
Thermal effects
Isolate heat source
Bad transducers
connection


Improve mechanical
connection


Search for a better location


Protect the environment
Points potentially weak in the mechanical design
Weak points Mechanical correction