Robot Casing with Embedded Metal Members for Weight Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial robot casings made of metals like aluminum alloys face challenges in achieving weight reduction while maintaining sufficient strength, and existing designs often compromise on strength due to the need for multiple openings for attachment and maintenance, which can lead to reduced durability and increased manufacturing costs.
Innovation Solution
A robot casing design featuring a hollow resin body with embedded metal members at attachment openings and a central work opening, allowing for secure attachment and maintenance while minimizing the need for metal, using insert molding to precisely arrange metal plates and reduce machining requirements, and incorporating reinforcing metal members for enhanced rigidity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If metal is used for robot casing to ensure strength, then structural strength is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite structure combining resin material as the main casing body with embedded metal members at critical attachment locations. The resin provides overall structural integrity and weight reduction, while the metal members reinforce areas requiring high strength for component attachment, creating an optimized composite material solution.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using metal throughout the entire casing, the patent applies metal members locally only at specific attachment openings where high strength is required. The resin constitutes the majority of the casing structure, providing sufficient strength for general purposes while the localized metal reinforcement ensures durability at critical attachment points.
2Ease of operation
If multiple openings are provided for attachment and maintenance, then ease of operation is improved, but structural integrity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the casing into functional sections with dedicated openings: attachment openings for component mounting and a separate work opening for maintenance access. This segmentation allows each opening to serve its specific purpose while the overall casing structure maintains its integrity through the embedded metal members and reinforced resin construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The embedded metal members act as intermediaries that bridge the resin casing and the components to be attached. These metal members provide secure attachment points that maintain structural integrity while enabling easy operation, serving as a mediator between the resin body and attached components.
3Manufacturing precision
If extensive metal machining is performed, then manufacturing precision is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The metal members are embedded into the resin casing during the molding process, performing the attachment preparation action in advance. This preliminary action eliminates the need for subsequent extensive metal machining operations, reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining precision through the integrated design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional metal machining processes with a resin molding process that incorporates metal members. Instead of machining metal components to precise dimensions, the resin is molded around embedded metal members, substituting mechanical machining with a more cost-effective molding process while achieving the required precision.
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
The design achieves significant weight reduction, maintains structural integrity, and simplifies manufacturing by eliminating the need for extensive metal machining, while ensuring reliable attachment and preventing screw loosening through precise metal plate placement and reinforcement, thus enhancing the robot's operational reliability and cost-effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
a hollow resin body portion (2)
Implementation Method 2
a metal member (3) constituting an attachment surface is embedded in a resin constituting the body portion (2)
Data Source
AI summary
A robot casing includes, in a hollow resin body portion, two attachment openings and one work opening that communicate between an inside and an outside of the body portion. The two attachment openings are respectively provided in both end portions of the body portion; a metal member constituting an attachment surface is embedded in a resin constituting the body portion at a periphery of the attachment opening; the metal member is provided with attachment holes that allow attachment screws, which are used for attachment to the attachment surface, to penetrate therethrough or to be fastened thereinto, and is also embedded in the resin in a state in which the attachment surface is exposed; and components can be respectively attached to the two attachment openings by utilizing the work opening.