Robot outside

[Robo Guru]

Guys,

How do I put a typical industrial robot outside?  For this application, it would be attached to a mobile rig and the trickiest part, (in my mind) is that it could be exposed to the heat from the sun or the cold, wet and rain.

- What type of robot would you consider. ( electric/servo driven or other energy sources such as Hydraulics)
- How do you protect it from the elements ?


Thoughts?  Opinions???

RoboGuru

[TygerDawg]

It would be required to work out a few critical design issues:

• water & humidity environment:  there are a few "washdown duty" arms on the market that attempt to do this
• temperature extremes:  arms & controllers are built to survive factory environments, not desert heat or snowfall.  The arm, seals, mechanical parts, electrical parts must be re-specified for outside temperature extremes.  That would be difficult and quite expensive to retrofit existing models.  For example, if new more robust motors were used instead of typical motors, then a new proof of design and engineering development program must be implemented.
• shock & vibration effects of a mobile unit must be addressed
• dust, grit
• maintenance
• what new repeatbility specs would be necessary due to all of the extra / added design changes?
• finally, how big & robust would your mobile carrier be in order to make a unit even usable?

[Jim Tyrer]

There was a video on the web of a Kuka carving marble out in the open for temple facades in India. Not easy to find again using a mobile phone.....
Should still be out there. Was powered by Diesel alternators.

[Robo Guru]

Not easy either on my laptop !!!

[Jim Tyrer]

I have my laptop now and I can't find it either. It was about 3 years ago that I saw it...somewhere. Sorry.