Friday, July 17, 2009

Robots - The Machines That Think and Work Like Humans

Robotics is being used extensively to perform the operations that are considered very hazardous for humans or are highly repetitive in nature. A Robot is 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. Some places where robots are very useful include working at high temperatures, handling hazardous materials, working in inhumane conditions, and isolated areas. Robots are programmed by using the concepts of artificial intelligence enabling them to think and act like humans.

Here are the features of a typical robot:

a) A pre-programmed circuit is placed in the robots that enable them to think like humans. Even their shape is many times like the humans, though robots are available in a wide variety of shapes.

b) Robots are equipped with sensors that help them sense the environment within the factory and interact with various things.

c) Based on their intelligence, robots can make certain choices within the atmosphere they are placed in.

d) As per the program robots can move within one or more axes of rotation. They can make well coordinated skillful movements especially of hands.

Applications of Robots

The robots can manufacture bulk jobs that have repetitions, require speed, accuracy and reliability, better than the humans. In a number of factories the human labor is being replaced by robots, which has lead to cheaper production of bulk goods like that of automobiles and electronics. Here are some examples of factories where robots are being used:

1) Production of cars: Over the last few years the automobile factories have been dominated by the robots more than any other industry. In some companies you will find hundreds of robots working on fully automated production lines with each robot replacing nearly ten human workers.

2) Welding: Perhaps the most popular application of the robots is in industrial welding. The robots can perform uniform high quality, speedy spot and arc welding as well as laser welding.

3) Spray painting: This is another area where robots are used extensively. The robots have relieved humans from hazardous, but skillful jobs, increasing the uniformity and the quality of work and cutting costs.

4) Packaging: The robots are being used extensively for packaging of manufactured goods and even loading them into vehicles for transporting.

5) Electronic goods: Printed circuit boards are usually manufactured in large quantities, which are almost exclusively manufactured by the pick and place robots. These robots can place and assemble thousands of components per hour thus far outperforming humans.

6) Hazardous working conditions: There are numerous tasks where humans have been replaced by robots because of hazardous working conditions. These conditions can be extremely high temperatures like in foundries.

There are various types of robots that are used exclusively for different applications. They have different shapes depending upon the type of work to be performed. The applications desired from the robot also decide whether it is stationary or mobile. In the future, the usage of robots will expand to replace humans in many more areas. The unemployment that the use of robots is creating has been the ethical question industry has to face and justify.

Samuel Circton knows the importance of California motion control software consultants to any manufacturing business. Samuel enlisted the help of experts at Pacific Technical Products who sourced a local California servo motor as well as proximity sensors which aided his company in running more efficiently.

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