About the book

It is obvious that automation in the main areas of industry is the key to meeting the demand for more products of improved quality and lower cost, increasing the productivity, and improving the standard of living. Today‘ s market requirements can only be met through radicals re-equipment of enterprises using highly productive manufacturing systems, industrial robots, and computers. In this respect, integrated automation in mechanical engineering is the most vital problem since it is this branch of industry that predetermines the rates of modernization of the entire national economy.

Today robot technology plays an increasingly important part in the conversion to more advanced manufacturing practices. Industrial robots can serve as building blocks of versatile work cells which, in turn, can form flexible manufacturing systems and transfer lines.

At present, robots are invading the factories. They are effective tools for automation of both the main and auxiliary operations in small-lot, batch, and mass production. Experience shows that the use of robots, coupled with advanced machinery, increases the productivity on the average 1.5-2 fold, raises the running efficiency of equipment 1.5-1.8 fold, enables the factories to be run at a steady pace, improves the technological culture, and opens the ways for conversion to new forms of production processes at unmanned factories where robots can relieve humans of dirty, dangerous, and difficult jobs.

The aim of the book is to acquaint the reader with the basic information on practical application of robots. It provides insights into robot capabilities and includes up-to-date coverage of many areas where robots successfully perform the assigned tasks, namely, foundry practice, heat treatment, press work and forging, welding, painting, material handling and warehousing. It also considers the aspects of safety engineering, steps of developing the proposals for use of robots, and also describes the methods of evaluating the noneconomic and economic factors in the selection and implementation of robotic technology.

CONTENTS

Preface

Introduction

Chapter 1. Robot Work Cells and Flexible Manufacturing Systems

Chapter 2. Robot Applications in Foundry Practice

Chapter 3. Automation of Heating and Heat Treatment Processes

Chapter 4. Automation of Forging

Chapter 5. Robots in Sheet Presswork

Chapter 6. Robot Applications to Machine Tools

Chapter 7. Robots in Arc Welding

Chapter 8. Robot Application to Assembly Work

Chapter 9. Robots in Electroplating

Chapter 10. Robots in Painting

Chapter 11. Automated Material Handling and Storage Systems

Chapter 12. Safety Engineering

Chapter 13. Implementation of Robot Technology

Chapter 14. Justification for the Use of Robots

References

Index