When we see industrial robots at work, they are usually connected to a large box located next to them, which is commonly referred to as an electrical control box. However, it is not just about providing energy; it is also the external brain of the robot and the host of the industrial robot. It refers to the control cabinet or host box, which is the core part responsible for electrical control and driving in the entire robot system.
What is the host of industrial robots?
The industrial robot host is a core component of the robot system - the control system. The industrial robot system mainly consists of the industrial robot body, control cabinet, teaching pendant, distribution box, and connecting cables.
The control cabinet (i.e., electrical box) of industrial robots contains multiple key modules, such as controllers, servo drives, power modules, I/O modules, etc. These modules work together to ensure the precise and efficient operation of the robot.
The 'brain' of the control cabinet is responsible for parsing and executing instructions from the upper computer or operator. The control cabinet is equipped with components such as motor drivers, safety modules, power modules, motion control modules, etc., and provides connection interfaces with the robot body and other external devices.
Front of the electrical box
① Power switch: After connecting the correct power source externally, turn the switch upwards to start the robot. The power supply voltage of different models may vary, such as the electrical box configured by BORUNTE's robot, which includes 220V and 380V. But it is further divided into different types.
② Indicator light: The indicator light is used to display the current status of the robot. The light is green during normal automatic operation, yellow during manual or pause mode, and red during alarm mode.
③Emergency stop: The external emergency stop button is a normally closed signal. When pressed, it will cut off the servo enable and immediately stop the robot from running. The emergency stop button is usually located on the teaching box and control cabinet, and can also be triggered by external devices such as safety barriers and safety doors.
④Power input: The power input should be connected according to the information on the electrical box nameplate to ensure correct wiring. The power cord is usually led out from the inside and needs to be connected to an external power source.
⑤ Electric box nameplate: Consistent with the robot body nameplate, it displays information such as machine name, production number, machine number, production date, voltage, current, power, load, arm span, machine weight, etc.
The back of the host usually has multiple plug-in interfaces, as robots and other devices are separate parts that need to be connected through a series of wires.
The key connection parts of industrial robot host hardware include external IO interface, CAN interface, Monitor network port, teaching pendant interface, as well as encoder and power line outlets. These connecting parts play an important role in industrial robot systems, not only ensuring communication and control between robots and external devices, but also providing necessary physical connections for robot motion control and signal transmission.
① External IO interface: The external IO interface is used to connect external input/output devices, such as sensors, relays, solenoid valves, etc., to achieve control and status monitoring of the robot. For example, there are two spare IO interfaces and an external IO interface behind the electrical control cabinet of BORUNTE, which are external serial ports used for online production using robots.
② CAN interface: used for communication between robot controllers and peripheral devices.
③ Monitor network port: used to connect monitoring devices or networks for real-time monitoring of the robot's operating status. These interfaces can be used to connect Ethernet devices and extend EtherCAT devices.
④ Teaching pendant interface: A teaching pendant is a human-machine interaction interface for robots, allowing operators to teach or manually move the robot.
⑤ Encoder line: The encoder line is used to connect the motor of the robot body to provide position feedback information.
⑥ Power line outlet: The power line is used to provide electrical support for the robot body. It is a "high-voltage wire" that transmits power to the robot body through an electrical control cabinet. The wiring must be disconnected.