Hi,
Which metal, from the shoulder to the upper arm, do the large robotics companies use?
Steel or Aluminium? If it is steel, what type?
Hi,
Which metal, from the shoulder to the upper arm, do the large robotics companies use?
Steel or Aluminium? If it is steel, what type?
Typically steel castings for the major axes, and aluminum for the minor axes. This question really depends on the robot load rating though. Small, all aluminum. Large, all steel.
KUKA arms are cast aluminum - even the large ones. there are also special purpose arms that are stainless steel.
generally, steel is stringer but alu has better strength to weight ratio and that means - lower inertia.
Thanks for the response.
Say the payload is 25KG, which would be better aluminium or steel?
Say the payload is 25KG, which would be better aluminium or steel?
That's an overly binary question. Either works for that payload. An aluminum arm to carry that payload might be bulkier and slightly less rigid than a steel equivalent, but if you need to optimize for weight rather than bulk and rigidity, then aluminum is fine.
OTOH, if you need really high accelerations with minimal vibrations or flexing, you might want to look at steel instead.
In the end, it's all an exercise in engineering tradeoffs.
Usually it's a variety of steel alloys commonly known as spheroidal graphite cast irons
Thanks for the response.
Say the payload is 25KG, which would be better aluminium or steel?
Honestly that is not how you can approach that question.
I mean, people literally study mechanical engineering, use advanced FEM tools and bright engineering ideas to optimise the topology for a set of use cases and laods you might apply on it.
Additionally the drive configuration obviously puts more strain and stress on the load.
Force = mass x acceleration
So, sometime alluminium is more optimal since the mass reduction pays more into it, sometimes it is not. Steel has still a higher young module (E-modul) than most payable alluminium alloys so there's also $ for the buck, consideration. Additionally as Skyfire commented, weaker material means you need mor of it to carry the same.