Robot guide rails, external axes and ground rails are all types of robot walking axes used to expand the robot's operating radius, expand its applicability, and integrate multiple devices into this linear system to improve the efficiency of robot use. Among them, the seventh axis of the robot is also known as the external axis, walking axis, or ground rail of the robot.
The main differences of these walking axes lies in their structures and application scenarios. For example, ground rails,also called the seventh axis of robot, is one type of robot walking axis, mainly used in fields such as welding, casting, mechanical processing. The external axis, on the other hand, is a walking mechanism that can be fixed on the ground or in the air, which can cover a wider range of work or be applied to mechanical grippers.
Robot guides, external axes, and ground rails are important components in the field of industrial robots, which have different impacts on the application range and efficiency of robots.
1、 Robot guide rail
Robot guide rail is a device that can drive industrial robots to move along a designated path. It sets a series of coordinate points on a fixed path, enabling the robot to automatically track these points and perform corresponding actions. The robot guide rail is mainly composed of tracks, driving devices, control systems, and robot fixtures.
Track
The track is the core part of the robot guide rail, which is usually composed of linear guide rail, arc guide rail, cross cross cross guide rail, etc. These tracks are arranged according to the coordinate point positions that need to be designed, so that the robot can accurately reach the designated position during movement.
Drive device
The driving device is the power source of the robot guide rail, and it usually uses servo control systems such as servo motors or stepper motors to achieve precise speed and position control. The driving device will also be equipped with corresponding transmission components such as gears and racks to achieve straight or curved motion of the robot along the track.
control system
The control system is the brain of a robot's guide rail, which programs and controls the robot's motion trajectory to enable the robot to operate according to predetermined paths and actions. The control system also monitors the motion status of the robot in real-time to ensure its safety and accuracy.
Robot fixture
The robot fixture is an important component of the robot guide rail, which enables the robot to achieve precise positioning and operation on the guide rail by fixing its posture and position. Robot fixtures are usually equipped with corresponding sensors and actuators to achieve automatic recognition and docking between robots and fixtures.
The characteristic of robot guide rail is that it can expand the operating radius of the robot, expand the range of robot use, further improve the efficiency of robot use, reduce the cost of robot use, and achieve comprehensive automated production. It is mainly applied in industries such as welding, casting, mechanical processing, intelligent warehousing, automotive, aerospace, etc. It can improve production efficiency, reduce labor intensity, reduce risks caused by manual operations, and thus improve production quality and safety.
2、 External axis
The external axis is another type of robot walking axis, also known as the ground track or the seventh axis of the robot. This type of axis is mainly used to expand the operating radius of the robot and increase its range of use. The structure of the external shaft mainly includes steel structure, linear guide rail, gears, racks, servo motors, reducers, slide rail automatic oiling machines (optional), drag chains and other limiting components. Its characteristic is the ability to easily control and execute actions, achieving complex spatial trajectory control.
The design of the external shaft needs to consider factors such as ground environment, movement speed, and load capacity, so its structural form and performance requirements are different from those of the guide rail. The external axis usually uses high-strength steel frames and linear guides as support structures, while equipped with servo motors and reducers as power sources to achieve lateral or longitudinal movement of the robot on the ground. In addition, the external shaft also has an automatic lubrication system, which can regularly lubricate the sliding rail with oil to ensure the stable operation of the equipment.
The external axis is mainly used to expand the working range of robots, especially for scenarios that require operations at different positions, such as assembly, transportation, packaging, and other operations on the production line. By using external axes, robots can move between different positions, achieving more flexible and efficient automated production. It is mainly applied in industries such as automobile manufacturing, mechanical processing, and food packaging, which can improve production efficiency, reduce labor intensity, and reduce risks caused by manual operations, thereby improving production quality and safety.
3、 Ground track
The ground track is a mobile device installed on or below the ground, mainly to achieve lateral or longitudinal movement of the robot on the ground. The design of the ground rail needs to consider factors such as ground environment, movement speed, and load capacity, so its structural form and performance requirements are different from those of the guide rail. Ground rails usually use high-strength steel frames and gear racks as support structures, while equipped with servo motors and reducers as power sources to achieve lateral or longitudinal movement of robots on the ground.
The characteristic of the ground track is that it can achieve continuous movement of the robot on the ground, thereby expanding the robot's operating range. Compared to the external axis, the ground rail has faster movement speed, stronger load capacity, and higher stability. However, the design and installation of ground rails need to take into account the impact of the ground environment, such as factors such as ground flatness and strength. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct sufficient investigation and analysis of the ground during design to ensure the stability and reliability of the ground track.
In short, there are differences in structure and function between robot guides and external axes (ground rails), but their main goals are to expand the robot's operating range and improve its efficiency. Specifically, robot guides are mainly used to provide a fixed path for the robot to move, usually by installing guides in the air or on the robot arm to drive the robot to move along a predetermined trajectory; The external axis is a mobile device installed on or below the ground to achieve lateral or longitudinal movement of the robot on the ground.