Stepper motors in industrial robots

一、industrial robots have become an important part of the modern industrial production line.

With the arrival of the industry 4.0 era, industrial robots have become an important part of the modern industrial production line. As the core drive device of industrial robots, the development of motor technology directly affects the performance and efficiency of industrial robots. Stepper motors, as a type of motor that can precisely control position and speed, play a crucial role in industrial robots. In this paper, we will start from the definition and characteristics of stepper motors, discuss its application in industrial robots in detail, and analyze it with relevant cases, in order to provide a reference for the development of industrial robot technology.

二、 the definition and characteristics of stepper motor

Stepper motor is a kind of motor that converts the electrical pulse signal into angular displacement or line displacement. It is based on the most basic electromagnet principle, and by controlling the frequency and number of pulse signals, it realizes the precise control of the motor rotation angle and speed. Stepper motor has the following characteristics:

Precise control: Stepping motor can realize precise position control by precise pulse control, and the positioning accuracy can reach 0.001°.

Simple control mode: the control of stepping motor is relatively simple, only need to control the frequency and direction of pulse signal to realize motion control, no need to carry out complex feedback adjustment.

High reliability and stability: stepper motors have high reliability and stability, and can work for a long time without easy damage or failure. Compared with other types of motors, stepper motors do not have brushes and commutators and other wear parts, so the life is longer, maintenance and repair costs are lower.

Low-speed, high-torque characteristics: Stepper motors have a high torque output capability at low speeds, which allows them to be used in scenarios that require a high torque output.

Low power consumption: stepper motors usually consume energy only when they are needed for movement, and consume almost no energy when they hold position, so they have low power consumption.

三、 the application of stepper motors in industrial robots

Precise positioning and motion control

Industrial robots need to accurately control the position and attitude of their end-effector to complete a variety of complex tasks. Stepper motors can realize high-precision positioning and motion control of the end-effector of industrial robots through precise pulse control. For example, during assembly, stepper motors can precisely control the motion of the robot's arms and fingers to ensure that parts are accurately placed in their designated locations. This precise control improves the efficiency of the industrial robot and the quality of the product.

Robot Joint Control

The joints of industrial robots are often driven by multiple motors to achieve complex motion trajectories. Stepper motors are an option for joint drive motors, and their high precision and simple control methods make joint control easier to realize. By controlling the rotation angle and speed of the stepper motors, the joint movements of industrial robots can be precisely controlled to realize a variety of complex movements and postures.

End-effector control

End-effector is the direct tool for industrial robots to accomplish tasks, such as gripper, welding gun, etc. Stepper motors can be used to drive the motion of the end-effector to realize precise clamping, releasing, welding and other operations. Due to the high reliability and stability of stepper motors, it can ensure the stability and reliability of the end-effector in long-time work.

Motion platform control

In the industrial robot system, the motion platform is used to carry the robot body and end-effector to realize the overall motion and positioning. Stepping motors can be used to drive the movement of the motion platform to realize the overall high-precision positioning and movement of the robot. By controlling the trajectory and speed of the stepper motors, the stability and accuracy of the robot can be ensured.

Practical application cases

Taking the welding robot of an automobile manufacturer as an example, the robot adopts stepper motors as joint drive motors. By accurately controlling the rotation angle and speed of the stepper motor, the robot is able to accurately move the welding gun to the specified position and perform precise welding operations. Compared to conventional servo motors, stepper motors not only offer higher positioning accuracy and stability, but also lower cost and simpler control. This makes this welding robot achieve remarkable results in improving productivity and reducing production costs.

四、Conclusion

Stepper motors are widely used in industrial robots for their precise control, simple control methods, high reliability and stability. By accurately controlling the rotation angle and speed of the stepper motor, it can realize high-precision control of the end-effector, joints and motion platform of industrial robots, and improve the working efficiency and product quality of industrial robots. With the arrival of the industry 4.0 era and the continuous development of intelligent manufacturing, the application of stepper motors in industrial robots will have a broader future.