MONITORING AND TESTING END-EFFECTORS FOR ROBOTS

摘要

When using robots in automated production it is necessary to use different end-effectors (grippers, tools, measuring units) built in the last robot wrist for handling, welding, machining, assembling, etc. the workpieces. The end-effector is one of the main parts of the robot, which connects the robot with the working environment and gives the possibility to make manufacturing more flexible. It is necessary to replace the manned inspection with sensors to increase the quality of the products and the reliability of the robotized operations. To eliminate the disturbances during monitoring the sensors give information about the end-effector to the robot control. The end-effectors should be tested either after the development of prototypes or before their selection for application. The measuring test gives the most important technical data about the end-effectors, such as position accuracy, static and dynamic stiffness, load capacity, etc., which show whether they are suitable for the given tasks, operations or not. The authors give a short overview about the grasping force monitoring of the grippers, the monitoring of end-effectors using a 6D-force-torque sensor built in the last robot wrist and the measuring tests of an end-effector changer and a RCC-unit.