Lesson 06 – Robotics and Robotic Logistic Applications

Question 1

What is a kinematic in robotics?
What is a joint ?
Link?

Answer 1

• Kinematics: consists of joints and links
• Joints: provide relative motion
• Links: rigid members between joints

Question 2

Make examples of type of joints. What is the difference?

Answer 2

-Linear (L), Orthogonal (O), Rotational (R), Twisting (T), Revolving (V)

Question 3

What is an End-of-Arm? When do we talk about gripper and tool?

Answer 3

• End-of-Arm: final link of kinematic chain

- Gets in contact with the part to manipulate (tool-production) or handle (gripper-logistics) –> very task-specific

Question 4

What is a robot control and why is it needed?

Answer 4

• Powerful real-time computer able to communicate with all robot sensors and actuators
• Embedded the inverse kinematic of robot, so that given a point in space, can actuate the joints in the right order

Question 5

What is the payload of a robot?

What is the workspace of a robot?

Answer 5

• Payload: how much weight it can lift

- Workspace: space in which robot can work and maximal reach

Question 6

What is the difference between repeatability and accuracy ?

Answer 6

• Accuracy: indicates how close measurements are to actual quantity being measured
• Repeatability: indicates how close together repeated measurements of the same quantity are to each other

Question 7

Make examples of standard robotic applications in logistics

Answer 7

• Palletizing of known boxes
• Feeding of production lines
• AGVs: for warehouses, assembly, healthcare
• 3D goods-to-men warehouses: Kiva system, autostore system

Question 8

What is the Kiva system?

Answer 8

-Amazon: manufactures mobile robotic fulfillment system

Question 9

What is a vision system and when is it needed?

Answer 9

• Needed in order to sense dynamic environment

- Sensors producing an output, whose analysis is more complex that other sensors

Question 10

What are the main applications for autonomous robots in logistics?
Why are they needed ?

Answer 10

• 3D mixed palletizing: Distribution centers, Warehouses
• Container unloading: Truck unloader, Parcel Robot, Sack unloader
• Container loading: for parcels and tires

Question 11

What is the challenge in applying autonomous robotic systems to the logistic branch?

Answer 11

• Unconstrained environments require high flexibility
• High flexibility requires vision systems and decision making ->autonomous systems
• Autonomous systems are complex and often not high performing
• Logistics often seen as a cost