Robot Reducer Lubricant Sampling for Wear Particle Diagnosis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for collecting lubricant from robot speed reduction mechanisms are inefficient, particularly for low-viscosity lubricants, as iron particles settle quickly, making it difficult to obtain a representative sample for wear diagnosis after the robot has stopped.
Innovation Solution
A robot design featuring a lubricant container with a recessed section below the liquid surface, allowing for the collection of lubricant and iron particles even after the robot has stopped, using a receiving member with a vertically upward recess shape and a collection port above the liquid surface, enabling accurate analysis of iron particle distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the robot is stopped to collect lubricant, then the operator can safely approach and collect the lubricant, but the iron particles settle out by gravity making the sample unrepresentative
Solution Approach 1:
The receiving member is positioned below the liquid surface before the robot stops, anticipating the settling issue. This preliminary positioning ensures that as iron particles settle when the robot stops, they are immediately captured by the receiving member rather than settling to the bottom of the lubrication chamber, maintaining sample representativeness while allowing safe collection
2Ease of manufacture
If general lubricant collection from the liquid surface is used, then the collection process is simple, but it is impossible to collect lubricant from where iron particles have settled
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of collecting lubricant from the liquid surface as in conventional methods, the receiving member is invertedly positioned below the liquid surface to capture settled iron particles. This inversion of the collection approach allows simultaneous simplicity of operation and accuracy of measurement by capturing particles at their settlement location
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
Enables the collection of lubricant and iron particles suitable for wear analysis, ensuring accurate representation of the wear state of the speed reduction mechanism, even after the robot has stopped, by preventing settling and allowing for precise observation of iron particle distribution.
Implementation Method 1
When the robot is being stopped, the iron particles settle out by gravity inside the lubrication chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A lubricant container part 7 is provided to a robot arm drive unit 5 pertaining to a first arm 2, 2a and a second arm 3, 3a which displace relative to each other via a reduction mechanism 4, and a receiving member 9, 9a having a recess 10 forming a concave shape facing vertically upward is provided below the liquid level 8 of a lubricant 6 inside the lubricant container part 7, and through this configuration, even when time elapses after stopping of the robot, the lubricant can be extracted from the receiving member 9, 9a in a manner suitable for observing the state of iron powder included in the lubricant 6.