Engineering is divided into many streams and Robotics is just one of them. Robotics is that part of engineering where mechanical robots are prepared for various uses following a design prepared by the expert engineers of this field. The application of this field is increasing with every passing year in multiple industries.
The field of robotics is a conglomeration of science, technology, and scientific experiments. The product of robotics, the robots are capable of reducing the human workload by replicating the actions performed by humans.
Main Characteristics of Robots Developed by the Robotics Industry
All the robots are almost similar in their characteristics. The outside part of a robot requires a metal body and it helps the robot to perform the designated task. The electrical component is mainly the rechargeable battery that powers the robot to perform the machinery. There is a need for artificial intelligence and coding done by different programming languages in a robot to make the robot function properly.
Various Types of Robots
Mechanical bots are responsible and the driving force behind the creation of various types of robots. The robots can be classified into the following categories. They are –
- Humanoid robots: This type of robot mostly mimics human behaviour and the ability to perform human activities. The prime example of a humanoid robot is ‘Sophia’.
- Pre Programmed Robots: The robots which fall in this category work mostly in a particular environment and most of their works are based on simple commands. They are capable of performing tasks faster than humans and also in a more efficient manner.
- Augmenting Robots: The products prepared in this particular field of robotics either enhance the existing human abilities or in some cases helps the human being to regain the abilities that they have lost once.
- Autonomous Robots: As the name suggests this type of robot is completely independent of humans. No supervision is needed and the robots mostly perform activities outdoors.
- Teleoperated Robots: Humans usually have full control over teleoperated robots. They contain a mechanical bot that usually helps them to function in the extreme geographical conditions
Innovations and Ongoing Trends in the Robotics Industry
The first robot was invented in the early 1950s by Ben Skora. Since then the designs of the robots have improved beyond expectation. Robots are introduced in several industries and they are changing the industries sooner than expected. The contribution of these robots increases the sale of industries like Pharmacy, Automobile, etc, and the CGPR is expected to grow beyond expectation.
The product quality and the number of defective manufactured pieces have also been reduced to a significant amount. The first question that might be coming into the mind is, ‘Why has the dependency on robots increased?’. Well, the answer is pretty simple, the robots are less prone to commit any kind of error. The biggest development that has been seen in the robotics industry is that the products of the robotics industry started to help the other industries positively.
How the Combination of 3D Printing and Robotics is Changing the Digital Industry?
3D printing technology in modern days can create wonders. Just like robotics the advancements and progress in this industry can influence several other industries. There is more than one way to use this technology and nowadays people related to these fields are trying to collaborate to create magic. 3D technologies and especially 3D printing and robotics complement each other well.
Robotics is a budding industry and the 3D printing industry which is in the business for a longer period can take this business industry to new heights.
The first thing that is needed to make a perfect design for a robot is accuracy because a small mistake in the design can destroy the whole project. Using the almost 100% accurate 3D printer little effort needs to be put on the materials and the body parts making. Before printing a body part of a robot by using a 3D printer one scientist or designer can have a clearer idea about the design beforehand. The use of this technology not only saves time but also saves money. After having one 3D printer in the lab the designers need not spend a huge amount of money trying different designs before starting the final preparation.
The robot developers are using 3D printers more and more in the making process and in the present time almost every single developer has one 3D printer in his developing laboratory. The printer is capable of saving a lot of time and allows the developmental team to try more and more ideas.
There are two ways by which the combination of Robotics and 3D printing can take place. First and the easy way of achieving the said combination is by creating a material deposition head by 3D printing and then by attaching that with a robotic arm. The other one and the hard way of achieving this is the creation of integrated solutions where a robot helps in various stages of 3D printing.
Once the processing is done the 3D printed products can be assembled automatically with the help of robotic models. This can save both manpower and time. 3D printing is a renowned way of creating parts having complex geometrical shapes in a fast and errorless manner. When these two technologies are combined it can create products with difficult designing on a large scale with a very small amount of investment.
Technology is continuously changing the industry and the field of robotics is improving by these changes and the relationship between the two industries is not parasitic, rather it can be called mutual. The 3D printing industry is also getting benefitted by the robotics industry. Once these two different fields mix perfectly the human race will find a whole new level of creativity everywhere from the office to the place called home.
Predicted Future
In simple words the future of this combined industry is bright. Let’s dig deeper into some of the possibilities.
Freeform Marketing: A 3D printer can print more effortlessly if it is used along with a multi-axis robotic arm that gives the printer the flexibility to print at different angles and also in different directions. In this way, more complex shapes can be formed more easily. The area required to put the whole thing is very less and as there is no automated support system the robotic 3D printers need to be self-supportive. The technology is known as freeform manufacturing.
Low Amount of Material Waste: To create something, it is very hard to predict how much material will be required for the production of the product. 3D printing helps in managing the materials in a far better way than the traditional production method. When robotics joins forces with 3D printing technology it offers the creators a sustainable and money-saving approach. Robotic methods prove to be a great help in additive manufacturing. The use of Robots can give a new solution by using various permutations and combinations of various materials and technologies in different industries. When the demand is high and the time to provide the supply is low, the use of robotic 3D printing can produce products faster and will help significantly in matching the demand of the market. Robots with artificial intelligence combined with additive machines can help to repair a product smartly and automatically without any human involvement.
Industries Impacted by 3D Printing and Robotics
The use of 3D printing technology along with Robotics affects almost every single industry. Among all the industries construction industries is the one that gets the most benefits with 3D printed models prepared with the help of robotics.
If artificial intelligence (AI) is mixed with the modern technology of 3D printing, it can create huge structures on a large scale. The AI will check all the possibilities with the help of its algorithms and also with the help of sensors and cameras attached to it with the help of robotics. If everything goes alright the process will go on smoothly without any interruption and if there is any issue related to the printing process AI will automatically detect those issues and will try to correct them.
Final Words
After all the discussion one thing is clear that the combination of robotics and additive manufacturing tools like 3D printers is highly beneficial. It is because by this combination of products large-scale 3D printed products can be prepared and besides that, it also enhances the industrial roots and reduces the dependency on the conventional production method. The introduction of integrated technology will eventually change the industry in the upcoming future and will lead to smart manufacturing. In other words, the developments in the field of robotics and not to forget in the field of 3D printing will bring a better future for all the industry and will significantly improve the business overall.
