robotic arm

[tomloewen]

This isn't directly related to plasma, so if suggested, I'll delete the post. But does someone know anything about robotic arms? If they're still useful and what the value is?
Thanks,
Tom

[_Ogre]

looks like a nice little 6 axis arm, but without controller, programmer and programming knowledge it is pretty much worthless
thou i see you have the ability to move the arm

[Simko]

thou i see you have the ability to move the arm

That was the first thing that I noticed looking through the pics. Not sure if it is the same as an ABB robot, but if so he would have had to put 24v on the brake to release it and get the arm to move.

Robot arms are immensely useful if you have a use for them. We use them to move thousands of metal oxide varistor blocks 24 hours a day. Not sure how useful one would be in a home shop unless you want to program it to open the fridge, grab a beer, and open it.

[tcaudle]

I missed a larger 6 axis robotic arm WITH controller at a local auction. it went for 130.00 and weighed 1500 lbs . Some guy with a LOT of time and knowledge in robotics might be able to back engineer the hardware and build a controller and use something like LINUXCNC to control the motion. It also looks like its missing the lower arm attachment (Gripper?). Then you have to figure out something for it to do. a stationary robot arm makes a good production welder, machine loader, product mover or something that uses the same movements thousands of times a day. For years I used to by industrail surplus at weekly auctions and ended up with all kinds of neat "machines" with linear motion stuff , motors , bearings,. I spent hours taking them apart and "saving " the parts I have used a few things over the years but all of the electronics were old technology and just ended up in a drawer. Lately the biggest advantage was I saved trays full of fasteners (mostly metric) and it has come in handy building some prototypes without running to the local Fastenall every 15 minutes. I have a hard time looking at equipment that must have cost 6 figures at one time and scrapping it out. Now I just walk past the neat stuff and buy things that can be used in a manufacturing shop.

[Rodw]

looks like a nice little 6 axis arm, but without controller, programmer and programming knowledge it is pretty much worthless
thou i see you have the ability to move the arm

Its my understanding that LinuxCNC supports robotic arms like this. I believe you have to write a formula for each joint in the machine that describes the movement.

If you want to take it on as a project, your best bet would be to ask on the LInuxcnc forum. https://forum.linuxcnc.org/forum/index

[jimcolt]

Among the biggest issues with use of industrial robots for cutting, welding or pick and place jobs that vary from day to day.....is with the difficulty to "teach" the robot each job. If your robot does the exact same process every shift (such as high volume automotive welds) then you teach it once and it repeats thousands of times a shift. If the job constantly changes (like plasma cutting different parts every day), then the teaching process (which is actually jogging a 6 axis robot arm through the exact job process and saving every location and move) is too time consuming to be productive. Hypertherm bought a company a couple of years ago called Robotmaster, they produce and support offline CAD/CAM robotic software that allows for easy, short run programming for robots, saving the time typically required for teaching.

You can buy robots relatively cheap, but you should ensure that the cnc controller is included....or it probably won't be so cheap! Jim Colt

[tomloewen]

Thanks for the info Jim
Tom

[mrd0477]

I work with robots on a daily basis and I will say they are never the problem. Dead nuts exactly where you want it. Outside conditions are always our issues. I have some old servos and i am not against the idea of building a SCARA for plasma cutting. Thought of using some scrap metal i have laying around and make one with what I have available. The idea of being able to home an arm out of the way and essientially have an infinite space to cut in makes it very desirable. A 4th axis wouldnt even be needed for cutting.