Tasks and performance of articulated robots

Abstract

Although a task can be described accurately, in practice it is difficult to achieve precision. There are only a limited number of factors that can be accurately specified. These include the average and maximum operational speeds, positional precision, useful load and attainable reach. It is clear that versatility, cost, sensitivity to external factors and other characteristics should be taken into account when assessing performance. With this in mind, it would be useful to consider the elements which should be considered when purchasing a robotic system.