Introduction to Industrial Robots Landstown High School Governor’s STEM Academy Robotics Pathway

Early Robots Automaton This term was originally used for what we now consider to be a robot. Was a human-made object that moved automatically. The first automatons were clockworks introduced during the middle ages.

Robots in Literature Karel Capek Was a Czech dramatist who wrote a play titled R.U.R (Rossum’s Universal Robots) Coined the word “Robot”, which was derived from the Czech word “Robota” which means forced labor Isaac Asimov Wrote a story titled “Runaround” and established the 3 laws of Robotics: Law 1 A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. Law 2 A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the first law. Law 3 A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the first and second laws.

The advent of computers Later Asimov added a 4 th law called “zeroth” A robot may not injure humanity or, through inaction, allow humanity to come to harm During World War II “thinking machines” came into existence. Scientists combined the self guided control systems developed during the war with computers. This development was nicknamed “Artificial Intelligence”.

Evolution of Industrial Robots Industrial Robots The first “industrial robot” was a multifunction manipulator that was programmed to perform various tasks. Early Industrial Robots George C. Devol, Jr. patented the first industrial robot in 1954, He formed Unimation in 1958, Unimation created their first robot called “Unimate” which was sold to General Motors. During the 1960’s a company called Asea develops a robot that they call a “anthropomorphic” robot. Anthropomorphic robot is humanlike in form. During the 1970’s robots move to the manufacturing assembly line, Unimation creates “PUMA” which is a Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly.

Japan Enters the Market Japan copies the American Model In 1966 Japan sent representatives to the U.S. to see how the U.S. was developing Robots. Japan developed it’s first robot in Japanese company embrace robot technology and the Japanese market for producing and using robots explodes. In 1978, SCARA (Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm) is developed a t Yamanashi University. Based on these standards, Japan becomes the largest user of robots.

What is an Industrial Robot? “A reprogrammable, multifunctional manipulator, designed to move material, parts, tools, or specialized devices through various programmed motions for the performance of a variety of tasks”. This definition contains several important points: The robot is a machine The robot is reprogrammable The robot has a multifunction manipulator The robot is flexible (can perform a variety of operations).

Types of Automation Hard Automation Refers to machinery that has been specifically designed and built to perform a singular task on an assembly line. Flexible Automation Includes machines that are capable of performing a variety of tasks, and can be reprogrammed.