What are the different types of robots used in manufacturing?

Manufacturing robots are categorized based on their design, movement, and application. The most common types include articulated robots, SCARA robots, Cartesian robots, delta robots, collaborative robots (cobots), and mobile robots. Each type is optimized for specific tasks, such as assembly, welding, material handling, or precision operations. Understanding their differences helps developers choose the right system for a given workflow.

Articulated robots, which resemble human arms with rotary joints, are highly flexible and used for tasks requiring complex motion, like welding or painting. For example, automotive manufacturers use Fanuc or ABB six-axis articulated robots for precise spot welding on assembly lines. SCARA (Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm) robots excel at high-speed pick-and-place or assembly tasks due to their rigid vertical structure and fast horizontal motion. A SCARA robot from Epson might assemble circuit boards by placing components with sub-millimeter accuracy. Cartesian robots, also called gantry robots, move linearly along three axes (X, Y, Z) and are ideal for applications requiring straight-line precision, such as CNC machining or 3D printing. A Cartesian system might stack boxes in a warehouse with repeatable positioning.

Delta robots, characterized by parallel arms connected to a base, are optimized for ultra-high-speed operations in food packaging or pharmaceuticals. For instance, a delta robot from Festo could sort pills into blister packs at hundreds of units per minute. Collaborative robots (cobots), like those from Universal Robots, are designed to work safely alongside humans, using force sensors and motion control to prevent collisions. They’re often deployed for tasks like quality inspection or small-parts assembly. Mobile robots, including autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), navigate factories using sensors or pre-defined paths to transport materials. An AMR from Omron might autonomously deliver components between assembly stations. Developers integrating these systems often use APIs or vendor-specific SDKs to program tasks, such as defining motion paths or integrating vision systems for object recognition.