Robotics - total control on repeatability and accuracy


High-accuracy encoder technologies are vital in robotics, where accuracy, repeatability, and control are critical requirements. Encoders track motor shaft rotation in order to calculate real-time position with pinpoint accuracy and high resolution, thereby guaranteeing the accuracy of your robot's every movement.

The vital role of encoders in robotics

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1. Surgical robotics

In medical robotics, such as robot-assisted surgery (RAS), encoders enable surgeons to control robotic arms with precision during delicate procedures, ensuring accurate movements and minimising risks.

The RM08 miniature rotary magnetic encoder and AksIM-2™ off-axis absolute rotary magnetic encoder are commonly used in surgical applications due to their high levels of reliability and compact design.

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2. Wafer handling in semiconductor industry

A wafer ultimately becomes multiple integrated circuit (IC) units in a series of complicated processes, where wafers rely on a wafer-transfer robot to perform fast and accurate transfers between process stations. Wafers are valuable and break easily, meaning that stability and reliability are critical for the robot's effectiveness. 

The semiconductor manufacturing process involves handling wafers with extreme care. Encoders are used to control robotic arms that manipulate wafers during various stages of fabrication, ensuring alignment and preventing damage.

The AksIM-2™ is a non-contact off-axis absolute rotary encoder designed to provide high-performance assembly with unrivalled repeatability, even for applications with limited installation space.

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An automate robot arm handling silicon wafers and microcircuits during fabrication.



3. Pick-and-place robots

Used to accurately pick up components from one location and place them in another. Encoders ensure that the robot arm moves precisely to the correct positions, allowing for efficient and error-free assembly.

The LinACE™ is an extremely robust absolute linear cylindrical encoder system designed for integration into the servomechanism as a transducer, providing accurate measurements with excellent resolution and repeatability. It can be used as a control device or integrated directly into hydraulic, pneumatic, electromechanical actuators and linear motors as a position or velocity feedback element.

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4. Microelectronics assembly

When assembling small electronic components or microchips, the tolerances are extremely tight. Encoders are needed to position the robotic arms with micron-level accuracy to ensure proper alignment and connection of tiny components.

Renishaw's ATOM™ series of non-contact optical incremental encoders combine miniaturised design with leading-edge signal stability and reliability, representing a significant advance in the performance and reliability of miniature encoders.



5. High-speed packaging

Robots are used to pick products off conveyor belts and place them into packaging with high speed and accuracy. High-precision encoders ensure that the robotic arms can perform these tasks quickly and reliably.

The AksIM-2™ is a non-contact off-axis absolute rotary encoder designed to provide high-performance assembly with unrivalled repeatability, even for applications with limited installation space.



Where design flexibility meets energy efficiency

Renishaw's wide range of reliable encoders offer precise feedback, even in extreme conditions. Their compact and lightweight construction supports flexible system designs and seamless integration into a variety of robot types. The low energy requirements of our encoders makes them ideally suited to the needs of battery-powered robotics.

For high-performance position measurement and motion control of robotics, Renishaw has a high-quality encoder to suit your requirements.


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What to consider when selecting encoder systems for robotics?


Robotics

Performance

✔ Resolution
✔ Rotary range
✔ Sub-divisional error
✔ Controller input frequency
✔ Speed
✔ Readhead mass
✔ Cable flex radius
✔ Cable flex life

Environment

✔ Temperature
✔ Humidity
✔ Vibration
✔ Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC)
✔ Cleanliness (particle, fluid)
✔ IP rating
✔ Vacuum / exposure to X-ray radiation / lighting

Installation

✔ Size
✔ Ride height tolerance
✔ Yaw / pitch / roll
✔ Connectors
✔ Cable extension
✔ Mounting method

Others

✔ Analogue / digital
✔ Interpolation clock frequency
✔ Reference limit
✔ Protocol


Success stories: robotics

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Biped robot control - a quest for balance

One of the challenges for PAL Robotics was maintaining balance while walking, which humans take for granted. There are strict space and weight constraints in the design of joints for humanoid robots to keep robot volumes and inertias as low as possible.



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To keep balance is a difficult task as we use reduction gears that introduce some elasticity or non-linearity; so for us, it's really important to get both the position of the motor and position of the joint.

PAL Robotics (Spain) Close quotation mark


High-quality encoder feedback is required for the servo-control of each joint in terms of applied torque, velocity and position. Non-contact magnetic encoders, including the AksIM™ and Orbis™ non-contact magnetic encoders, were integrated into knee, wrist and elbow joints of the robot.

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Universal Robots - the role of AksIM™ in maximising robot performance


Universal Robots (UR) is one of the most successful, high-profile robot manufacturers in the market. Its multi-axis collaborative robots employ the AksIM series magnetic rotary absolute encoder which offers outstanding performance, system safety and stability.


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UR robot series - the multi-axis collaborative robots employ the AksIM™ magnetic rotary encoder.

The AksIM™ series magnetic rotary encoder is attached to the reducer's end to directly monitor the actual rotating angle of the UR robot's joint. Compared to some of the robot designs where the encoder is attached to the reducer's front, this approach eliminates system error, resulting in a robot repeatability of ±0.1 mm. UR robots achieve a significant enhancement in overall performance.


The AksIM™ encoder has an outstanding performance specification to satisfy the most demanding robotic application requirements. Resolution is up to 20 bit, with system accuracy up to ±0.1° and repeatability better than the unit of resolution. It features excellent dirt immunity with an IP64 rating to allow operation in harsh industrial environments.




Exoskeleton - aid mobility for spinal cord injury (SCI) patients


Exoskeletons designed to assist those with mobility challenges are in close contact with the human body. Their performance is influenced by factors such as mechanical structure, actuators, and feedback devices, as well as the human-machine interface.

Precise control of joint angles is required to ensure pilot stability and safety, and this is achieved by using position feedback from high-quality rotary encoders.




Open quotation mark

Renishaw and RLS did not try to sell us something we did not need. They thought about what it is that we needed and how they could help us with that.


Project MARCH (The Netherlands)  Close quotation mark

The MARCH IVc exoskeleton integrates the AksIM-2™ absolute encoder for high-resolution (17-bit) rotational joint feedback and the miniature RM08 absolute rotary encoder for linear joint feedback.


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Self-balancing robotic vehicle

Engineering students from Tokyo Denki University were tasked with solving the classic 'inverted pendulum' control theory problem. The challenge is to create a two-wheeled, self-balancing robotic vehicle.


To achieve the required level of motion control performance, a high-resolution position encoder was a crucial part to enable monitoring and regulation of the motor output. It also had to be small and light enough to be accommodated within the vehicle's slim vertical structure.


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Exoskeletons - reliable feedback even after a power failure

Exoskeletons can give those with physical disabilities the potential to stand, move and interact with their environment. These complex robotic systems must have a lightweight and compact structure and they must be easy - even for physically weakened patients - to use, and all while implementing a physiologically complete biomechanical model.


Open quotation mark

We needed encoders that met our performance criteria without adding excess weight and volume, as any excess in the structure could be detrimental to the user's mobility and might hamper the walking movement.

Marsi Bionics (Spain) Close quotation mark



Recommended solutions

Robotics

For electric vehicles (EVs)

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AksIM™ absolute magnetic encoder

A non-contact high performance off-axis absolute rotary encoder designed for applications with limited installation space. The compact, low profile readhead detects and evaluates the magnetic field of a thin, axially magnetized ring.

True absolute, single track

Non contact, no hysteresis

High speed

Low profile

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AksIM-2™ absolute magnetic encoder

A non-contact high-performance off-axis absolute rotary encoder designed for applications with limited installation space. The compact, low-profile readhead detects and evaluates the magnetic field of a thin, axially magnetised ring.

True absolute

Improved repeatability

Built-in self-monitoring

Immunity to external magnetic fields


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Orbis™ absolute magnetic encoder 

An through-hole rotary encoder suitable for applications where a typical encoder cannot be mounted at the end of the rotating shaft due to space constraints. The through-hole measuring principle allows customization, with various board and magnet sizes to suit your application.

✔ True absolute encoder

Fixable mounting along the shaft

Optional self-calibration

Wide installation tolerances

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RM08 miniature magnetic encoder

A compact, super small high-speed rotary magnetic encoder designed for use in harsh environments. The noncontact two part design removes the need for seals or bearings ensuring longterm reliability and simple installation.

✔ Miniature

Non-contact, frictionless design

Industry standard analogue sinusoidal, incremental, SSI and linear voltage output formats

✔ RoHS compliant

RESOLUTE™ true-absolute encoder 

The true-absolute encoder with a high-speed fine-resolution position measurement system. Position is acquired immediately on start-up without requiring any motion, offering smooth velocity control and dependable positional stability. Available with linear and rotary scales with a variety of serial interfaces.

High speed

Excellent dirt immunity

Low SDE

Low jitter

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LinACE™ absolute magnetic encoder

An extremely robust absolute linear cylindrical encoder system designed to be integrated into the servomechanism as a transducer, providing accurate measurements with excellent resolution and repeatability.

✔ Built-in self-monitoring

Integral bearings

Small footprint

Suitable for highly dynamic control loops

Speak to out manufacturing consultants

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Case Studies

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