Resin Robot Arm Structure With Metal Inserts for Lightweight Strength

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional industrial robot arms made of metal are heavy and costly to produce, and existing manufacturing methods struggle to efficiently create robot arms with mounting interface portions at both ends of a long cylindrical arm body using a forming mold.

Innovation Solution

A robot arm design featuring a long cylindrical arm body with mounting interface portions formed from resin, where metal members are embedded within the resin connection sections to provide a strong and lightweight structure, allowing for precise positioning and easy assembly using injection or press molding techniques, and a central tubular resin part connects the end parts to form the arm body.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If metal is used for the robot arm to maintain strength, then strength is improved, but weight increases and cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvearm strengthVSAvoidarm weight

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The robot arm uses a composite structure combining resin and metal members. The arm body is primarily formed of resin material, while metal members are embedded at critical locations (mounting interface portions) to provide localized strength. This composite approach achieves the required overall strength while maintaining lightweight characteristics, resolving the contradiction between strength and weight.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Strength

If metal is used for the robot arm to maintain strength, then strength is improved, but manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvearm strengthVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The composite structure of resin arm body with embedded metal members reduces manufacturing cost compared to fully metal construction. The resin material is generally less expensive than metal, and the selective embedding of metal only where needed (at mounting interfaces) optimizes cost while maintaining required strength.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The arm is divided into segments: a resin-formed arm body and separately manufactured metal mounting interface portions. These segments are manufactured independently and then assembled together. This segmentation allows for optimized manufacturing processes for each material type and simplifies production, reducing overall manufacturing cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Productivity

If a forming mold is used to create the robot arm with mounting interface portions at both ends, then manufacturing efficiency is improved, but the complexity of molding increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing efficiencyVSAvoidmolding complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of attempting to mold the entire complex arm structure with both mounting interfaces in a single operation, the invention segments the manufacturing process. The arm body and mounting interface portions are manufactured separately using simpler molding processes, then assembled. This segmentation of manufacturing reduces the complexity of individual molding operations while maintaining high productivity through efficient assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This design achieves significant weight reduction and cost-effectiveness by using resin for the arm body and embedding metal members for strength, while ensuring reliable fastening and preventing screw loosening, and allows for easy length adjustment and various arm configurations.

Implementation Method 1

at least sections of outer surfaces of the arm body and the mounting interface portions are formed of a resin... first part that has one of the mounting interface portions and a section of the arm body and a second part that has the other one of the mounting interface portions and another section of the arm body are joined to each other

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectInjection molding:

Implementation Method 2

allowing for precise positioning and easy assembly using injection or press molding techniques

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPress molding:

Data Source

PatentUS11926050B2Robot arm, manufacturing method therefor, and robot

Publication Date: 2024.03.12 FANUC LTD

AI summary

A robot arm includes a long cylindrical arm body and mounting interface portions fixed at both sides of the arm body and that are used to mount the robot arm to another member. At least sections of outer surfaces of the arm body and the mounting interface portions are formed of a resin. A first part that has one of the mounting interface portions and a section of the arm body and a second part that has the other one of the mounting interface portions and a section of the arm body are joined to each other.