Technical Documents

6-Axis Robot 9V​



Discover the world of industrial robotics

The 6-axis robot from fischertechnik enables learners to get to grips with industrial robotics and prepare themselves practically for the 
demands of the modern working world. The realistic six-axis robot is supplied fully assembled. It can be equipped with both a vacuum suction gripper and a gripper and can be converted quickly and easily. Both end effectors are supplied. Three of the six axes are controlled by encoder motors, three others by digital servos. Programming is carried out using either Python or ROBO Pro Coding. A teach-in interface in ROBO Pro Coding also makes it easy to train different positions. The TXT 4.0 Controller serves as the robot controller. This hands-on experience makes it possible not only to acquire theoretical knowledge, but also to develop practical skills. Through the accompanying didactic material and interaction with our models, learners develop not only technical know-how but also analytical thinking, problem-solving skills and practical teamwork. A 9V power supply (power supply unit 505287) is also required



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Product information

Introduction to industrial robots

Didactic accompanying material

 

Introduction to industrial robots

 

Industrial robots have become an integral part of the modern manufacturing industry. They are mostly used in factories to carry out repetitive tasks quickly and with high precision. In this introduction, we will look at their structure and basic functionality. We take a look at the history of their development and find out why industrial robots have become indispensable in many industries today.

 

Structure Functionality of an industrial robot 

 

Industrial robots consist of a robot arm with various joints. A movement that is simple for us humans requires highly complex programming and control of several axes in a robot. In principle, the number and arrangement of joints can vary depending on the robot model. However, articulated robots with six axes or degrees of freedom are the most common. The number of degrees of freedom indicates how many independent movement options the robot arm has. With six degrees of freedom, the robot can reach any point in space with any orientation. Reaching the point requires three degrees of freedom (namely the x, y and z coordinates) and reaching any orientation requires three further degrees of freedom (namely tilting in the x, y and z directions). We will also get to know the structure and programming of such a 6-axis robot in this construction kit.  

 


 

Figure 1: Industrial robot with axes


The joints of an industrial robot are usually driven by powerful electric motors, as industrial robots often lift heavy components or tools. The current position of each individual joint is recorded via a position measuring system and a special control system controls the electric motors so that the robot moves to the desired target point at the desired speed. In addition, industrial robots are equipped with a large number of sensors so that they can perceive their surroundings and carry out their tasks safely and precisely. Depending on the application, cameras, tactile sensors, force sensors or distance measurement sensors are used.

The tool, which can vary depending on the application, is located at the end of the robot arm:

  • Moving components: Mechanical grippers, vacuum grippers

  • Joining of components: Punching pliers, welding pliers, glue gun

  • Assembly: Screwdriver

  • Measurement of components: Laser measuring system, camera

Figure 2: Industrial robot tools


Some robots are even able to change their tools automatically and independently. To supply the tools with energy, industrial robots typically provide electrical connections or a connection to the compressed air system. The industrial robot in the modular system has a vacuum gripper and can also be converted to a pneumatic gripper. 

Depending on the respective application, industrial robots can perform various movements, from linear movements and rotary movements to complex movement patterns. The so-called path, i.e. the position of the tool over time, and the speed are determined when the robot is programmed.  

Industrial robots are controlled by pre-programmed instructions called robot programs. These programs are developed by technicians and engineers and contain a sequence of commands that control the robot arm and other components. Programming can take place at different logical levels: In low-level languages such as G-code, the individual target coordinates are programmed in, which the robot moves to one after the other. Teach-in programming simplifies robot programming in that an employee first moves the robot to the desired positions using a remote control and saves them ("teaches"). The robot can then repeat the learned sequences of positions independently. With modern software, industrial robots can also be simulated and programmed in a virtual world and the program only loaded onto the robot later. This so-called offline programming offers the advantage that the robot can carry out another task at the same time and thus remain productive. In this accompanying material, we will get to know the individual steps from controlling a single axis to teach-in programming. 

Figure 3: TeachIn control
Areas of application for industrial robots

A wide variety of industrial robots are used in many different areas: 

  • Automotive industry: Thanks to industrial robots, body shell construction and painting in car manufacturing is almost completely automated. They are used, for example, for welding body parts, applying seals or painting. The use of robots increases the efficiency, accuracy and speed of production, thereby improving product quality and production capacity. At the same time, industrial robots relieve the burden on human workers by relieving them of lifting heavy loads and preventing people from being directly exposed to toxic fumes during welding. 
  • Electrical industry: In the electrical industry, industrial robots are used to manufacture electronic components or assemble circuit boards. Their use enables fast and precise handling of tiny components, which leads to increased productivity and quality. Robots can also be used for automatic testing and quality assurance of electronic components. 
  • Food industry: Industrial robots are used in the food industry for processing and packaging food. This allows a sterile and contamination-free working environment to be created, which improves hygiene and therefore the product quality of the food. 
  • Medical technology and pharmaceutical industry: They eliminate the risk of microbial contamination and radiation exposure for employees and streamline processes in pharmaceutical and drug development environments. 
  • Logistics and warehousing: In the logistics and warehousing sector, industrial robots can be used for picking, packing and transporting goods. Robots can lift and move heavy loads, which reduces the workload for employees and reduces the risk of injury. They can also increase efficiency in warehouses and shorten delivery times through automated processes. 
 
Let's summarize the reasons why industrial robots have become indispensable in so many industries today: 
 
  • Improved productivity: Industrial robots can perform repetitive tasks faster and more continuously than humans. They do not exhibit fatigue decisions and their operation is possible around the clock, increasing the production speed and overall performance of a production line. 

  • Precision and quality: Industrial robots are able to perform tasks with exceptional precision, resulting in improved product quality. Their movements are reproducible and accurate, resulting in lower error rates and rejects. 

  • Safety: The use of industrial robots can take over dangerous or unhealthy tasks from humans. This includes, for example, lifting heavy loads or handling hazardous substances. This relieves the physical strain on employees, reduces accidents at work and improves safety in the workplace. 

  • Flexibility: Industrial robots can be adapted to different tasks and production requirements. By changing the programming and exchanging tools, they can also handle new tasks efficiently, which enables a high degree of flexibility in production. 

  • Cost savings: Although the initial cost of industrial robots can be high, investing in an industrial robot can lead to significant cost savings in the long term. Industrial robots reduce the need for human labor and their precision reduces potential error costs. Due to these factors, the use of an industrial robot in a company can pay for itself. 
The history of industrial robots
We can look back on 70 years of development before industrial robots have become an indispensable part of today's modern factory.  

Industrial robots were born in the 1950s, when George Devol and Joseph Engelberger founded the world's first robotics company "Unimation" and developed the first industrial robot called "Unimate". Unimate was used in 1961 in an automobile factory in the USA to remove and separate injection molded parts. With this breakthrough, Unimate revolutionized automotive manufacturing and opened up new possibilities for the automation of production processes.  

In the following decades, industrial robots were continuously developed and used worldwide. In the 1970s, more advanced control systems based on microprocessors emerged, which still form the basis of modern robot control today. Over the course of the 1980s, industrial robots became more flexible and have since been able to take on a wide range of tasks such as assembly, painting and material handling. 

As technology has advanced, industrial robots have become increasingly intelligent and powerful. Advanced programming options enable them to perform more complex tasks and adapt to changing production requirements. The further development of industrial robots is driven in particular by the use of advanced sensors to perceive the environment and artificial intelligence. 

The research field of human-robot collaboration deals with the question of how robots can work safely with humans. While industrial robots have so far mostly worked in closed-off areas, the use of touch-sensitive sensors and cameras is intended to reduce the distance to their human colleagues. Workplace safety is of course a top priority. 
 


Another field of research is concerned with the question of how industrial robots can learn to move independently and become less dependent on pre-programmed patterns. Despite their superiority in terms of speed, precision and reliability, industrial robots have so far been dependent on exact programming of the motion sequence and consequently fail at supposedly everyday problems for which they do not know a program. A well-known example of this is "reaching into a box", in which a robot with grippers has to pick any object out of a box. 

 

  • How does the robot recognize where the individual objects are located without the positions being programmed in advance? 
  • How can the robot grip the objects securely without dropping them when lifting them?
  • How hard can the gripper be squeezed without breaking the object? 

A human would solve these tasks with their sensitive hands, intuition and experience. Researchers want to transfer this principle to industrial robots: they are investigating how robots can perceive their environment and react to changing requirements with the help of additional sensors and the use of artificial intelligence. The aim is to make industrial robots even more intelligent in the future and enable them to perform complex tasks independently. 

Further information 

For a comprehensive understanding and a rigorous mathematical derivation of the concepts for control and regulation (at university level): 

  • Weber, Wolfgang; Koch, Heiko: Industrial robots. Methods of control and regulation. Carl Hanser Verlag Munich. 2022. 

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