Robotics

A robotic hardware design can look complete in CAD and still be far from ready for manufacturing. The geometry may fit together. The joints may move through the required range. The assembly may look structurally substantial. But CAD alone does not tell an engineering team whether the arm will withstand…

A robotic mechanism can look correct in CAD and still fail to perform as expected once it is built. The structure may be too flexible. A joint may see higher loads than expected. An arm may vibrate at a particular operating speed. A bracket may pass a basic static load…

A robotic arm can pass a static strength analysis and still have a serious mechanical design problem. The structure may withstand the required payload. Stress may remain within acceptable limits. Static deflection may be manageable. Then the robot starts moving at production speed. The end effector begins to oscillate. Settling…

A robotic arm is often caught between two competing requirements: it needs to be stiff enough to carry its payload accurately, but light enough to move quickly without placing unnecessary demand on its actuators. Adding material can make a structure stronger and stiffer, but it also increases mass. That additional…

Designing a robotic arm is not simply a matter of creating links, joints, motors, and an end effector in CAD and sending the design for manufacturing. The structure has to carry payloads, accelerate and decelerate repeatedly, withstand bending and torsional loads, maintain sufficient stiffness, and operate reliably over a large…