Robot Drive Section Temperature Control for Low-Temperature Operation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robot arms operating in low-temperature environments face issues with prolonged low joint temperatures leading to increased power consumption and potential motor failure due to lubricant hardening and dew condensation, as existing heating methods do not effectively manage temperature fluctuations.
Innovation Solution
A control method that includes measuring the temperature of drive sections at regular intervals, heating them as needed, stopping operations when the temperature falls below a preset stop temperature, and resuming when it reaches a preset resume temperature, thereby preventing lubricant hardening and dew condensation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the robot arm operates continuously in low-temperature environments, then productivity is maintained, but the joints experience lubricant hardening and increased power consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The heating section activates the heating element before the temperature reaches the critical lower limit, pre-heating the drive section to prevent lubricant hardening and maintain operational efficiency, thereby avoiding sudden temperature drops and associated energy penalties
Solution Approach 2:
The temperature measurement section continuously monitors the drive section temperature and provides feedback to the control section, which adjusts heating activation and operation stop/resume decisions based on real-time temperature data, optimizing energy consumption while maintaining productivity
2Reliability
If heating is activated to maintain joint temperature, then reliability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating section provides partial heating action by activating only when temperature approaches the lower limit threshold, rather than continuous heating, sufficient to prevent dew condensation and motor failure while minimizing unnecessary energy consumption
Solution Approach 2:
The control section uses temperature feedback from the measurement section to dynamically control heating activation, ensuring heating is applied only when needed to maintain reliability, thereby optimizing the balance between reliability and power consumption
3Productivity
If operation continues at low temperatures, then productivity is maintained, but dew condensation causes motor failure
Solution Approach 1:
The heating section initiates heating before the temperature reaches the critical lower limit, pre-preventing the conditions that lead to dew condensation and motor failure, allowing continuous operation without reliability risks
Solution Approach 2:
The heating section applies preliminary anti-action by counteracting temperature drop before dew condensation can occur, preventing the harmful effect rather than correcting it after occurrence, thus maintaining both productivity and reliability
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 method effectively suppresses unnecessary power consumption and motor failures by ensuring the robot arm operates within optimal temperature ranges, maintaining smooth operation and preventing hardening and condensation issues.
Implementation Method 1
a heating step of heating the plurality of drive sections using the heating section
Implementation Method 2
a measuring step of measuring a temperature of a measurement target drive section from among the plurality of drive sections, at a predetermined time interval using the temperature measurement section
Data Source
AI summary
A control method for controlling a robot includes a measuring step of measuring a temperature of measurement target of drive mechanisms from among a plurality of the drive mechanisms at predetermined time intervals by a temperature sensor included in a temperature control device, a heating step of heating the plurality of the drive mechanisms by heaters included in the temperature control device, a stopping step of stopping an operation of the plurality of the drive mechanisms by a robot controller, when the temperature of the measurement target falls below a set stop temperature, and a resuming step of resuming the operation of the plurality of drive mechanisms when the temperature of the measurement target is equal to or higher than a set resume temperature after the robot controller 500 has performed the stopping step.