Roboterarms

Roboterarms, or robotic arms, are programmable mechanical manipulators designed to replicate the movement of a human arm. They consist of a sequence of rigid links connected by joints that are actuated by electric motors, hydraulic cylinders, or pneumatic actuators. The end effector at the tip interacts with the environment and can be a gripper, welding torch, soldering iron, cutting tool, suction cup, or other specialized device. Through the arrangement of joints and actuators, the arm can position and orient the end effector in three-dimensional space.

Most robotic arms provide multiple degrees of freedom, commonly six, enabling both translational and rotational motion of the end effector. Common configurations include articulated robots with rotary joints, Cartesian robots with three orthogonal linear axes, cylindrical and spherical designs, polar configurations, and parallel robots that offer high stiffness and speed for certain tasks but typically smaller work envelopes.

End effectors and actuation define the capabilities of a Roboterarm. End effectors perform manipulation or processing tasks, while actuators convert electrical or fluid power into motion. Sensing components such as joint encoders, force/torque sensors, and vision systems provide feedback for precise control and interaction with the environment.

Control systems vary from simple, teach-and-repeat setups to complex, closed-loop autonomous controllers. Roboterarms may be programmed offline, taught via a control pendant, or integrated with higher-level software frameworks such as ROS. Safety considerations and interoperability are guided by standards and guidelines.

Applications span manufacturing and assembly, welding, painting, packaging, laboratory automation, medical robotics, and service robotics. The development of Roboterarms has evolved from early industrial machines to versatile systems capable of interacting with humans and dynamic environments.