The cylindrical robot configuration allows the robot to reach the work space in a rotary movement like a cylinder. The cylindrical arm and body configuration is shown in Fig. 1. In the cylindrical configuration, the robot arm has following movements:
- Rotational movement of the column about its axis because of one twisting joint.
- Linear movement of the assembly along the column because of one linear joint.
- Linear movement in and out, relative to the column axis because of one orthogonal joint.
Fig. 1: Cylindrical Body Configuration
Advantages of Cylindrical Robot Configuration
The cylindrical configuration has following advantages:
- It has higher load carrying capacity.
- It provides high rigidity to the manipulator.
- It is generally suitable for pick and place applications.
Limitations of Cylindrical Robot Configuration
The cylindrical configuration has following limitations:
- It requires more floor space.
- It has a reduced mechanical rigidity because robots with a rotary axis must overcome the inertia of the object when rotating.
Applications of Cylindrical Robot Configuration
The cylindrical configuration finds applications in:
- Conveyor pallet transfers,
- Machine tool loading,
- Forging applications,
- Packing operation,
- Precision small assembly etc.