PRESTIGE INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT & RESEARCH

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DEPARTMENT OF AUTOMATION AND ROBOTICS ENGINEERING 1

EX NO: 02
INTRODUCTION TO DEGREES OF FREEDOM AND CLASSIFICATION OF ROBOTS
DATE : 08-06-23
AIM: To study robot classification, degrees of freedom, and different joint types.

Objective:
To study classification of robots based on workspace.
To study degrees of freedom of robots.
To study various robot joints.

Description:
Robots can be classified in various ways, depending on their components, configuration, and use. Three
common methods of classifying robots are by the shape of the work envelope, types of control system
used, , and the type of actuator drive used.

Based on work envelope:

Robots come in many sizes and shapes. The type of coordinate system used by the manipulator also varies.
Work envelopes vary from one manufacturer to another, depending on the exact design of the
manipulator arm. Combining different configurations in a single robot can result in another set of possible
work envelopes. Before choosing a particular robot configuration, the application must be studied carefully
to determine the precise work envelope requirements. Some work envelopes have a geometric shape;
others are irregular. One method of classifying a robot is by the configuration of its work envelope. Some
robots may be equipped for more than one configuration. The four major configurations are: Articulated,
Cartesian, cylindrical, and spherical. Each configuration is used for specific applications.

Cartesian Three linear movement

Cylindrical - two linear and one revolute joint
Spherical one linear and two revolute joint
Articulated - all three revolute (human arm)

Cartesian Configuration:
The arm movement of a robot using the Cartesian configuration can be described by three intersecting
perpendicular straight lines, referred to as the X, Y, and Z axes .Because movement can start and stop
simultaneously along all three axes, motion of the tool tip is smoother. This allows the robot to move
directly to its designated point, instead of following trajectories parallel to each axis. The rectangular work
envelope of a typical Cartesian configuration is illustrated in figure. One advantage of robots with a
Cartesian configuration is that their totally linear movement allows for simpler controls. They also have a
high degree of mechanical rigidity, accuracy, and repeatability. They can carry heavy loads, and this weight
lifting capacity does not vary at different locations within the work envelope. As to disadvantages,
Cartesian robots are generally limited in their movement to a small, rectangular work space. Typical
applications for Cartesian robots include the following:

Assembly
Machining operations
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Adhesive application
Surface finishing
Inspection
Water jet cutting
Robotic X-ray and neutron radiography
Automated CNC lathe loading and operation
Remotely operated decontamination
Advanced munitions handling.

Fig 2.1 Cartesian configuration

Cylindrical Configuration
A cylindrical configuration consists of two orthogonal slides, placed at a 90° angle, mounted on a rotary
axis. Reach is accomplished as the arm of the robot moves in and out. For vertical movement, the carriage
moves up and down on a stationary post, or the post can move up and down in the base of the robot.
Movement along the three axes traces points on a cylinder.

A cylindrical configuration generally results in a larger work envelope than a Cartesian configuration. These
robots are ideally suited for pick-and place operations. However, cylindrical configurations have some
disadvantages. Their overall mechanical rigidity is reduced because robots with a rotary axis must
overcome the inertia of the object when rotating. Their repeatability and accuracy is also reduced in the
direction of rotary movement. The cylindrical configuration requires a more sophisticated control system
than the Cartesian configuration.
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DEPARTMENT OF AUTOMATION AND ROBOTICS ENGINEERING

Typical applications for cylindrical configurations include the following:

Machine loading and unloading

Investment casting
Conveyor pallet transfers
Foundry and forging applications
General material handling
Meat packing
Coating applications
Assembly
Injection molding

Fig 2.2 Cylindrical configuration

Spherical Configuration (Polar)

The spherical configuration, sometimes referred to as the polar configuration, resembles the action
of the turret on a military tank. A pivot point gives the robot its vertical movement, and a telescoping
boom extends and retracts to provide reach. Rotary movement occurs around an axis perpendicular to the
base. Fig illustrates the work envelope profile of a typical spherical configuration robot. The spherical
configuration generally provides a larger work envelope than the Cartesian or cylindrical configurations.
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The design is simple and provides good weight lifting capabilities. This configuration is suited to
applications where a small amount of vertical movement is adequate, such as loading and unloading a
punch press. Its disadvantages include reduced mechanical rigidity and the need for a more sophisticated
control system than either the Cartesian or cylindrical configurations. The same problems occur with
inertia and accuracy in this configuration as they do in the cylindrical configuration. Vertical movement is
limited, as well.

Fig 2.3 Spherical configuration

Typical applications of spherical configurations include the following:

Machine tool loading

Heat treating
Glass handling
Parts cleaning
Dip coating
Press loading
Material transfer
Stacking and un stacking

Revolute Configuration (Articulated)

The revolute configuration, or jointed-arm, is the most common. These robots are often referred to
as anthropomorphic because their movements closely resemble those of the human body. Rigid segments
resemble the human forearm and upper arm. Various joints mimic the action of the wrist, elbow, and
shoulder. A joint called the sweep represents the waist. A revolute coordinate robot performs in an
irregularly shaped work envelope. There are two basic revolute configurations: vertically articulated and
horizontally articulated. The vertically articulated configuration has five revolute (rotary) joints.
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A vertically articulated robot is depicted. The jointed-arm, vertically articulated robot is useful for painting
applications because of the long reach this configuration allows. The horizontally articulated configuration
generally has one vertical (linear) and two revolute joints. Also called the SCARA (selective compliance
assembly robot arm) configuration, it was designed by Professor Makino of Yamanashi University, Japan.
The primary objective was a configuration that would be fairly yielding in horizontal motions and rather
rigid in vertical motions. The basic SCARA configuration, is an adaptation of the cylindrical configuration.
The SCARA robot is designed for clean-room applications, such as wafer and disk handling in the
electronics industry. SCARA robots are ideally suited for operations in which the vertical motion
requirements are small compared to the horizontal motion requirements. Such an application would be
assembly work where parts are picked up from a parts holder and moved along a nearly horizontal path to
the unit being assembled.

The revolute configuration has several advantages. It is, by far, the most versatile configuration and
provides a larger work envelope than the Cartesian, cylindrical, or spherical configurations. It also offers a
more flexible reach than the other configurations, making it ideally suited to welding and spray painting
operations. However, there are also disadvantages to the revolute configuration. It requires a very
sophisticated controller, and programming is more complex than for the other three configurations.
Different locations in the work envelope. can affect accuracy, load-carrying capacity, dynamics, and the
he arm
approaches its maximum reach.
Typical applications of revolute configurations include the following:

Automatic assembly
Parts and material handling
In-process inspection
Palletizing
Machine loading and unloading
Machine vision
Material cutting
Material removal
Thermal coating
Paint and adhesive application
Welding
Die casting

Degrees of Freedom
Although robots have a certain amount of dexterity, it does not compare to human dexterity. The
movements of the human hand are controlled by 35 muscles. Fifteen of these muscles are located in the
forearm. The arrangement of muscles in the hand provides great strength to the fingers and thumb for
grasping objects. Each finger can act alone or together with the thumb. This enables the hand to do many
intricate and delicate tasks. In addition, the human hand has 27 bones. Figure shows the bones found in
the hand and wrist. This bone, joint, and muscle arrangement gives the hand its dexterity. Degrees of
freedom (DOF) eedom of motion in three-dimensional space
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specifically, the ability to move forward and backward, up and down, and to the left and to the right. For
each degree of freedom, a joint is required. A robot requires six degrees of freedom to be completely
versatile. Its movements are clumsier than those of a human hand, which has 22 degrees of freedom. The

For example, many simple applications require movement along three axes: X, Y, and Z. These tasks require
three joints, or three degrees of freedom. The three degrees of freedom in the robot arm are the
rotational traverse, the radial traverse, and the vertical traverse. The rotational traverse is movement on a
vertical axis. This is the side-to-s
is the
extension and retraction of the arm, creating in-and-out motion relative to the base. The vertical traverse
provides up-and-down motion. For applications that require more freedom, additional degrees can be
obtained from the wrist, which gives the end effecter its flexibility. The three degrees of freedom in the
wrist have aeronautical names: pitch, yaw, and roll. The pitch, or bend, is the up-and-down movement of
the wrist. The yaw is the side-to-side movement, and the roll, or swivel, involves rotation.
A robot requires a total of six degrees of freedom to locate and orient its hand at any point in its work
envelope. Although six degrees of freedom are required for maximum flexibility, most applications require

become more complex. Some industrial robots have seven or eight degrees of freedom. These additional
degrees are achieved by mounting the robot on a track or moving base.

Fig 2.4 Joint and links of human arm Fig 2.5 Degrees of freedom
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Robot Joints

Fig 2.6 Joint type

The joints in robots are categorized into two types. They are,
linear and
rotary

Linear joints provide motion along a straight line; they extend or retract their attached loads.
Rotary Joints provide rotation, moving their loads in an arc or circle. Rotary motion can be converted into
linear motion using a lead screw or other mechanical means of conversion. These types of actuators are
also used outside the robot to move work pieces and provide other kinds of motion within the work
envelope.

Conclusion:
Thus the classification of robots based on work space, degrees of freedom of robots and Robot
joints were studied.