In modern robotics technology, robot movement and function implementation are inseparable from its basic hardware system. The basic components of a robot hardware system include a perception layer composed of cameras, chips, and sensors; a joint drive system composed of various motors, sensors, and bearings; and an overall body layer composed of battery packs, sensors, cooling systems, and FSD systems.
Robot Modular Systems
Robot component integration modules can be divided into six major systems: mechanical system, control system, drive system, perception system, human-machine interaction system, and environment interaction system;
Mechanical System: The mechanical system is the foundation of the robot system and includes the main transmission system.
Control System: The control system is the "brain and nerve center" of the robot, mainly including system software and application software, controlling the robot's degrees of freedom, accuracy, working range, speed, and load capacity.
Drive System: The drive system, also known as a servo system, is an automatic control system that uses mechanical position or angle as the control object.
Perception System: The perception system mainly includes machine vision. Compared with foreign countries, there is great potential for development and utilization in lenses, industrial cameras, vision algorithms, and software platforms in China.
Human-Machine Interaction System: This is the device that allows operators to interact with the robot.
Environment Interaction System: This is a system that allows modern industrial robots to exchange information and coordinate with equipment in the external environment.
Robot Key Components
The core components of a robot include reducers, servo motors, and controllers. These core components represent the core barrier to entry in the entire robotics industry. Robot sensors are devices that transform physical quantities perceived by the robot from its internal and external environment into electrical output. The information provided by sensors is used to make corresponding adjustments to speed, task planning, and path planning. System integration uses structured cabling systems and computer network technology to integrate various separate devices, functions, and information into an interconnected, unified, and coordinated system, enabling full resource sharing and achieving centralized, efficient, and convenient management.
Reducers
The development of emerging industries such as aerospace, robotics, and medical devices requires high-performance precision reducers with simple and compact structures, high power transmission, low noise, and stable transmission. Among these, RV reducers and harmonic reducers are two important types of precision reducers. Reducers are mainly used in various joints of robots, responsible for converting the high-speed rotational power output of the servo motor into low-speed, high-torque motion, determining the accuracy and load capacity of industrial robots. According to different transmission principles, robot-specific reducers can be divided into RV reducers and harmonic reducers. Currently, my country's precision reducers are heavily reliant on imports, and domestic manufacturers are still in the stage of continuously maturing and improving their production technology. According to MIR DATABANK data, approximately 75% of the global precision reducer market is currently occupied by Japan's Nabtesco and Harmonic Drive. Among them, Nabtesco produces RV reducers, accounting for about 60% of the market share; Harmonic Drive produces harmonic reducers, accounting for about 15% of the market share. Among domestic reducers, leading RV reducer manufacturers such as Nantong Zhenkang and Zhongdali, as well as high-quality harmonic reducer manufacturers such as Lude Harmonic and Laifu Harmonic, are continuously improving their production technology and accelerating their efforts to catch up with international advanced levels.
Servo Motors
The servo system is responsible for driving the robot's movement and consists of a servo driver and a servo motor. Among these components, the servo drive is responsible for controlling position, speed, torque, and other parameters; the servo motor is the engine that controls the operation of mechanical components in the servo system, converting the received voltage signal into torque and speed to drive the controlled object. Domestic servo manufacturers are striving to catch up with international advanced levels in terms of product performance and size, while domestic brands offer lower sales prices, making their cost-effectiveness increasingly prominent.
Controller
As the heart of the robot, the controller is responsible for planning the robot's movement, issuing and transmitting motion commands through hardware and software, controlling the robot's movement position, posture, trajectory, and operation sequence, ensuring the normal operation of the robot system, and enabling the robot to achieve the required technical indicators. Currently, the controllers of major domestic and international robot manufacturers such as ABB, KUKA, Siasun, and Estun are all independently developed based on a general multi-axis motion controller platform.
Sensors
As robot applications become more sophisticated, intelligence is becoming a new trend. Robots, through sensors, are beginning to possess perceptual capabilities, moving towards a new stage of "empathy" with humans. Robot sensors can be divided into internal and external sensing. Internal sensing refers to measuring the robot's own state, including position sensors, speed sensors, acceleration sensors, force and pressure sensors, etc.; external sensing refers to measuring the external environment related to the robot's operation, including vision sensors, tactile sensors, ultrasonic sensors, infrared sensors, etc. Two-dimensional (2D) vision sensors in robots primarily use a single camera for perception, enabling functions such as object motion detection and positioning. Many smart cameras can coordinate with industrial robots' movement paths, adjusting the robot's behavior based on the received information. Three-dimensional (3D) vision sensors require a vision system with two cameras shooting from different angles, allowing the three-dimensional model of the object to be detected and recognized. Compared to two-dimensional vision systems, three-dimensional sensors can more intuitively represent objects. For example, the widely used LiDAR sensor is an active modern optical detection technology and an extremely advanced environmental sensing sensor.
Multi-sensor fusion will become the mainstream solution, including vision sensors, torque sensors, position sensors, inertial sensors, image sensors, temperature sensors, etc.
Protective Suit Installation Procedure
1. Turn off the robot's power supply, ensuring the robot is in a safe state.
2. Clean the robot's surface, removing dust and dirt to ensure the protective suit fits the robot properly.
3. Open the protective suit packaging and check that the protective suit is intact, without damage or cracks.
4. First, install the base part. Wrap the base part of the protective suit directly around the robot's base and fasten the Velcro closures. Installation is complete.
6. Next, install the main body. Drape the main body over the robot from the side without Velcro closures, and then fasten the zippers and Velcro closures on the main body to complete the installation.
7. After the robot protective suit is installed, confirm that there is no friction or interference between the protective suit and the robot body. Restart the robot's power supply and perform simple operation tests to ensure that the robot's operation does not damage the protective suit structure.
Please note that when wearing the robot protective suit, you must follow the product manual and safety operating procedures to ensure correct and safe operation. The protective suit also needs regular cleaning and maintenance to maintain its good protective performance.
The development of robot technology is progressing rapidly, from the construction of basic hardware systems to breakthroughs in key components, and the continuous upgrading of intelligent sensors. Each step is driving robots towards greater efficiency, intelligence, and reliability. The proper wearing and maintenance of robot protective suits provide a solid guarantee for the stable operation of robots. In the future, with continuous technological innovation and integration, robots will undoubtedly play a crucial role in more fields, creating a better life for humanity.
