Robotics Automation and Acceleration of Cobots

Introduction – Autonomous vs. Cobots

For the past few decades, robotic systems have played a crucial role in the field of manufacturing thanks to their ability to rapidly perform menial repetitive tasks, effortlessly coordinate with other robotic systems, and reduce the need for human labor (which can otherwise be used for more important tasks). In fact, it is because of robotics that countless sectors have seen substantial growth, including automotive, medical, and agricultural industries.

But a common misconception is that robotic systems are preferred over humans because they are able to do tasks faster. While this may sometimes be the case, there are plenty of examples where robots are actually slower than humans. What makes robotic systems valuable in these applications is that they are able to operate in all temperatures, don’t require holidays, and don’t need a salary.

Robotic systems found in production lines (such as welding systems used in automotive industries) are commonly referred to as being autonomous, but in reality, these machines are anything but. As they follow strict program code with no room for deviation, learning, or ability to respond to changing environments, they are as rigid as any basic logic circuit.

For a robotic system to be considered “autonomous”, it would need to be able to observe its environment, interact with its surroundings, and make decisions in real-time to improve their operation. A good example of what such a robot would look like are the numerous systems developed by Boston Dynamics, including Spot and Atlas. While these have commands regarding where to go, they are able to observe their environment and respond to ensure that they get to their destination.

Another emerging family of robotic systems are cobots, whose name comes from co-operative robots. These systems either operate with or alongside humans, which makes them fundamentally different to autonomous robots in that they do not need to have the ability to move around and be aware of everything, but instead, must be able to recognize the presence of humans so that they can operate safely.

Trends in Robotics

While robotics have been used in countless numbers of sectors, a few are worth mentioning due to the obscene amount of change that they have ushered in.

The first notable mention is the farming industry, which is seeing a surge in robotic use. One such use case for robots in this field (if you’ll pardon the pun), is the deployment of automated tractors that are not only able to navigate across fields of crops autonomously, but also apply water and fertilizer in the exact spots needed. This targeted application of consumables helps to reduce the amount of water needed to produce high yields, reduces the impact of excess fertilizer in the environment, and also eliminates the need for herbicides as weeds struggle to grow.

In the semiconductor industry, robots play an important role in the transportation of wafers under fabrication between different production stages. Despite the use of overalls, decontamination stations, and laminar air flow, humans walking through a clean room can produce tens of thousands of dust particles, and it only takes a single particle to damage a processor during its fabrication stage. To eliminate this generation of dust, robots move between stations via overhead rail systems.

But when looking at the trends in autonomous and cobots, it is hard to judge which one has more prevalence across all industries. For example, autonomous robots that move goods between warehouses already exist, but because they work in close proximity to humans, they could be considered cobots.

Cobots that work inside human environments (such as robotic arms operating next to people) don’t currently exist in a major capacity due to the many safety concerns that cobots present, but that isn’t to say that cobots aren’t being rapidly developed. If there is one trend that can be identified, it is that there is a growing demand for both autonomous and cobot systems.

Components of a typical robotic systems

When looking at the components that make up a typical robotic system, many would argue that the motor and frame of the robot is the most fundamental. However, considering that almost all systems these days are highly dependent on electronic systems, it can be said that the most important component of any modern robotic system is the central processing unit.

Central Processing Unit

The central processing unit is responsible for all sensor reading, data processing, decision making, and resultant actions by a robotic system. Without this controller, a robot is as intelligent as a car from previous decades, with no ability to perform any action without explicit control from a human.

Sensors

In order for a robotic system to understand its surroundings, it needs to be able to sense its surroundings, and this is where sensors come in. Such sensors can include cameras, microphones, LiDAR, radar, sonar, chemical, temperature, and humidity.

Motors, motor controllers, and actuators

Next on the list of system components are the motor controllers, motors, and actuators. These allow for the central processing unit to perform actions in the real world by converting electrical signals into mechanical motion.

Structural frame and joints

The fourth major system component found in robotics is the skeletal frame and joints that connect to motors and actuators. Not only does this give the robot structure, but also provides leverage, allowing arms and joints to lift immense loads. Such components can also include slip rings which are essential for connecting two electrical systems together across a rotational joint without needing to use wires or restricting rotational movement.

Power systems

Finally, the last system component worthy of mention is power management and distribution. A robot without a power management and conditioning system is as worthless as a car with no engine; no power equals no action.

The role of connectors in robots and cobots

While not often considered to be an interesting area of electronics, connectors play a vital role in every single electronic circuit ever manufactured, and the same is true for robotic systems. Connectors are essential for connecting all the subsystems of a robot together, being used to transfer data between sensors and the processor, connecting the processor to motor controllers, and providing power to all subsystems.

But connectors are also important for system expansion, something that is essential for future-proofing designs and providing end users with maximum flexibility. For example, PCIe edge-connectors can provide hardware expansion, while USB ports enable external HID devices to be connected.

In some cases, connectors can even be found inside individual systems, such as the main logic controller. The move towards upgradable hardware and System-on-Modules is seeing a rise in the use of removable miniature boards that can allow for future upgrades while leaving the majority of the circuitry intact.

Design Considerations

When selecting connectors for use in robotic systems, it is essential that numerous considerations are made, otherwise incorrectly chosen connectors will not only lead to eventual failures, but could result in significant damage to the robotic system itself, or worse, those nearby. As such, almost every aspect of the design and the environment that the robotic system will be deployed in need to be considered.

Mechanical

While robotic systems can vary a great deal between designs, they fundamentally have to incorporate a high degree of safety. As such, connectors used in such applications must be mechanically reliable and provide protection against accidental disconnects (imagine the situation that could unfold with a cobot if a proximity sensor was accidentally disconnected).

Furthermore, as connectors used in power and motor systems are unlikely to be serviced frequently, engineers should select connectors with threads, fittings, and keyed designs. However, connectors used in arms and other detachable addons (another trend in the field of robotics), will likely be serviced often. As such, the use of mechanically reliable yet easy to disconnect connectors should be used.

Environmental

While robotic systems can be used in just about any environment, the vast majority are used in industrial and warehouse applications. As such, they can be exposed to large temperature variations, dust, dirt, humidity, and in some more extreme cases, explosive and corrosive atmospheres.

Because of these potential conditions, engineers should choose connectors that provide a high IPxx rating at the very least. If a suitable connector cannot be found with a sufficiently high IPxx rating, then the connector system should be housed in a sealed environment, such as inside a robot arm casing, or logic board enclosure.

Chemical resistance in a connector can also be important, especially in corrosive environments. A great example of such environments are PCB fabrication facilities, where strong acid and alkali solutions are present, and robotic systems are needed to move PCBs between processing tanks.

Finally, robotic systems used outdoors will also be exposed to sunlight, and by extension, UV light, which can degrade plastics over short periods of time. Thus, engineers will need to pick connectors that incorporate UV-resistance and can withstand full exposure to sunlight.

Electrical

While electrical considerations would be the most important to an electronic engineer, in actual reality, it is far more important to ensure that the mechanical and environmental conditions are addressed first. This is because it is easier to find a connector that meets the mechanical and environmental requirements first before looking at the electrical considerations.

The first electrical considerations that need to be made are the voltage and current requirements of the circuit being connected to. This is especially true for power delivery and those that connect to high-power devices such as motors and actuators.

The second electrical consideration for engineers to note is the shielding requirements of their circuit. As robotic systems integrate a large amount of electronics while utilizing digitally controlled motors via PWM, noise and EMI are likely to be major concerns. If cables are not shielded adequately, it is possible for motors to experience glitches, while sensors may record invalid data, or worse, inaccurate data.

In cases where noise may be a concern, engineers should also consider the use of differential signals between boards. As differential signals effectively eliminate common-mode noise, any sudden bursts of EMI can be mostly negated via differential pairs. This also allows sensors, processors, and controllers to be separated from each other by a substantial distance.

Finally, the use of continuity connectors can be massively beneficial. Simply put, should a connector accidentally be disconnected, a continuity contact in the connector can be used to trigger an error, and thus, prevent a robotic system from operating.

How can EDACs solutions help?

It is clear that choosing the right connector for robotic systems can be challenging, but luckily for engineers, EDAC has a wide range of options that can be leveraged to create safe autonomous and cobot robotic systems.

For those involved with networking (something which most robotic systems require), EDACs range of RJ45 solutions can help engineers provide their robotic systems with high-speed ethernet connectivity. For example, EDACs magnetic range of RJ45 connectors not only offer engineers a multitude of options, but come with EMI shielding, which makes them ideal for an environment subject to significant electrical noise.

In designs where expandability and module interchanges are required, EDACs range of card edge connectors provide engineers with a high degree of flexibility. For example, EDACs range of high-speed edge connectors are ideal for AI and ML robotic applications, while the high-temperature are ideal for robotic systems operating in elevated temperatures.

Applications that require a high-degree of mechanical stability and waterproofing can benefit from EDACs range of waterproof D-Subs. Not only are these great for environmental sealing, but can be used for connecting sensors across large distances.

Finally, EDACs line of waterproof inline connectors are ideal for those needing a connector solution for power delivery. Their waterproof design resists the ingress of water, dust, and dirt, and the ability to support up to 8A and 300V per contact allows for significant power delivery across an entire robotic system.

Conclusion

There is no doubt that robotic systems are quickly becoming popular amongst all industries, including automotive, manufacturing, agricultural, and medical. The introduction of autonomous robots offers human-free operation for continued use, and the rise of cobots helps to create human/robot hybrid environments where the two can help each other to maximize performance.

However, these new developments require an extremely high degree of reliability to provide the safety necessary for robots and humans to work in the same space, especially in cobots. As such, connectors used in these designs not only need to be suitable for their application, but ensure good contact, be easy to use, and above all else, ensure reliable operation.

For those looking to develop the next generation of robotic systems, EDAC offers a diverse range of connector solutions that can target all systems components of most robotic designs, including processing units, motor controllers, and power conditioning.

Contact an EDAC representative today to find out more…