Kinematic and Parametric Modeling of 6DOF(Degree-of-Freedom) Industrial Welding Robot Design and Implementation

Abstract

The increasing demand for automated equipment for precision and versatility requires innovative methods in manufacturing. Despite the high demand, the design and development of industrial robot systems are costly, showing the importance of improving design conceptualization phase. Therefore, this study aimed to address the need by developing an industrial welding robot using a parametric and kinematic modeling method. The investigation focused on the design of six degree of freedom (6DOF) industrial robotic arm for arc welding, exploring kinematic model and dimensional parameters of robotic structure. Computer-aided design (CAD) was applied for modeling and analysis, using Denavit-Hartenberg (DH) convention for mathematical analysis of link and frame movements. This study introduced forward kinematic simulation, which included exploring the position and orientation of the end effector regarding the joint angular values and link parameters. Furthermore, the development of kinematic model of robotic mechanism was proposed to describe the behavior of the physical system compared to an actual robot assembly. Due a reduction ratio of 80 from a rated torque of 22 Nm at a 2000r/min input harmonic drive, the system mechanism was fabricated and assembled. The results showed that robot successfully performed welding process, as indicated by tests carried out using a four-point movement. Moreover, further separate studies should be conducted to assess the quality of welds.

Keywords

• industrial robot design
• kinematic model
• parametric modelling
• robotic simulation