Page 218 - Robotics Designing the Mechanisms for Automated Machinery

6

Transporting Devices

6.1 General Considerations

We have already touched on the problem of the general configuration of industrial
automatic machines and robot systems. In Chapter 1 it was shown that there exist two
main options: the linear approach, schematically presented in Figure 1.23, and the cir-
cular one as shown in Figures 1.20 and 1.22. Both involve a set of functional mecha-
nisms, tools, manipulators, and a transporting device which conveys the part or product
being processed along a straight line or around a circle. In the linear arrangement the
tools and manipulators are placed along the conveyor, on one side (Figure 1.23)—(this
gives easier access to the blanks and instruments), or on both sides of the transport-
ing device (this saves room and allows the whole machine to be smaller). Analogously,
in the circular layout the tools are located around the rotating conveying device either
on its outside (Figure 1.20) or with some on the inside (Figure 1.22).
We also have to distinguish between periodically working transporters and con-
tinuous transportation. This chapter deals with some specific designs used for these
purposes and their main features and properties.

6.2 Linear Transportation

First, we consider continuous transportation, for instance, as shown in Figure 1.24,
which represents the layout of a rotary printing machine. This kind of manufactur-
ing process, as was already noted, allows continuous processing through continuous
transportation. Typical problems that arise in this kind of automatic machine (among
others) are:

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