Robot chores
Article Abstract:
Robots were first used in a UK patent for a programmable manipulator arm in 1957. Later, they were used in other countries and in different sectors of industry. The automotive market was one of the first to adopt robots in their manufacturing processes, using them in areas such as vehicle testing when human testers refused to perform the experiment. Robots are currently being used for an increasing number of tasks in assembly operations. Some of these set-ups consist of several stages, such as the robot installation of Land Rover and Range Rover fixed front, side and rear windscreens.
Publication Name: Engineering
Subject: Science and technology
ISSN: 0013-7782
Year: 1998
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Bending the knees: Knee joints have to work hard over a lifetime. Studying the loads they undergo will help produce longer-lasting artificial joints
Article Abstract:
Knee joints have an average stress of nearly three times body weight imposed on them 2 million times a year. Replacement knee joints must perform like a real joint and have similar wear resistance. An instrumented artificial knee has been developed, and an instrumented total knee replacement is under development. The design features transducers that will measure different forces and the data can then be used in knee-simulating machines, to test artificial knee-joints.
Publication Name: Engineering
Subject: Science and technology
ISSN: 0013-7782
Year: 1999
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Robot calibration: robots are consistent rather than accurate, unless they are properly calibrated
Article Abstract:
Robots perform complex and repetitive machining, welding and handling operations to a high degree of consistency but off-line programming of their movements mean that errors occur over time. To eliminate such errors, robots must be accurately calibrated to ensure that machine and software match precisely. Cranfield University's Dr Bob McMaster has designed a mechanical calibration system, known as Robotrack, which will speed up and simplify the calibration process.
Publication Name: Engineering
Subject: Science and technology
ISSN: 0013-7782
Year: 2000
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