Hostname: page-component-7f64f4797f-7vqc4 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-11-04T15:57:26.998Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A study of application areas for modular robots

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2009

R. Harrison ,
R. H. Western ,
P. R. Moore  and
T. W. Thatcher
R. Harrison
Affiliation:
Department of Engineering Production, Loughborough University of Technology, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU, (U.K.)
R. H. Western
Affiliation:
Department of Engineering Production, Loughborough University of Technology, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU, (U.K.)
P. R. Moore
Affiliation:
Department of Engineering Production, Loughborough University of Technology, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU, (U.K.)
T. W. Thatcher
Affiliation:
Department of Engineering Production, Loughborough University of Technology, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU, (U.K.)
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

The paper describes a study of potential industrial applications where modular robots can be used in preference to conventional pedestal mounted robots and/or specially designed automatic machines. The study was conducted with reference to a particular family of pneumatically actuated robot modules.

The paper also describes a modular robotic system which was designed to automate assembly processes in the manufacture of a family of egg coddlers. The manipulator comprises multi-axis groups of modules which operate concurrently to perform the assembly operations. Flexibility is incorporated through the use of a hierarchical control system architecture.

Information

Type
Article
Information
Robotica , Volume 5 , Issue 3 , July 1987 , pp. 217 - 221
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1987

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

1.Weston, R.H., Moore, P.R., Thatcher, T.W. and Gascoigne, J.D., “Design of a Family of Modular Robots” Procs, of 7th Int. Conf. ICPR (Windsor,Canada 1983) pp. 235–267.Google Scholar
2.Moore, P.R., Weston, R.H., Thatcher, T.W. and Gascoigne, J.D., “Modular Robot Systems” Procs. of 2nd IASTED Int. Sym. on Robotics and Automation (Lugano, Switzerland, 06 22–24, 1983).Google Scholar
3.Weston, R.H., Moore, P.R., Thatcher, T.W. and Morgan, G., “Computer-controlled Pneumatic Servo-drives” Procs. of Inst. of Mech. Engs. 198B, No. 14, 275–281 (1984).Google Scholar
4.Riley, F., “The Use of Modular Flexible Assembly Systems as a Halfway Path between Special Design and Robots” 3rd Int. Conf. on Assembly Automation (05, 1982).Google Scholar
5.Kozyrev, Y.G., “Constructing a Standard Series of Industrial Robots” Machines Tooling 49, No. 7, 3–10 (1978).Google Scholar
6.Surnin, B.N. et al. , “Design Features of Modular Type Robots” Machines Tooling 49, No. 7, 17–20 (1978).Google Scholar
7. Martonair Modular Handling Units 6.2.11, Publication S/l/138, Issue 3, 10 1984 (Martonair Ltd., Twickenham, England).Google Scholar
8.Weston, R.H. and Morgan, G., “A New Family of Robot Modules and Their Industrial Application” Procs. of IMechE. Conf. on UK Robotics Research (4–5 12, 1984).Google Scholar
9.Morgan, G., “Programmable positioning of Pneumatic actuators” J. Applied Pneumatics 11, No. 82 (05, 1985).Google Scholar
10.Thatcher, T.W., Weston, R.H., Moore, P.R. and Harrison, R., “Supervisory Control of Single Axis Controllers for Modular Robotic Systems using a Serial Interface” National Conference on Production Research,Nottingham (09, 1985).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11.Thatcher, T.W., Weston, R.H., Moore, P.R. and Harrison, R., “Single Axis Controllers for Modular Work-handling Systems” Procs. of 4th IASTED Int. Symp. on Robotics and Automation (Lugano, Switzerland, 06, 1985).Google Scholar
12.Thatcher, T.W., Weston, R.H., Moore, P.R. and Gascoigne, J.D., “Software Design for Modular Robots” Int. J. Prod. Res. 22, No. 1, 71–84 (1984).CrossRefGoogle Scholar