Yamaha Robotics Industrial Robots and Controllers

What is the SCARA robot

SCARA stands for Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm. As may be known from the name, the robot has compliance only in specific directions (X and Y directions) and has high rigidity in other direction (Z direction), and thus, has been designed mainly for automation of assembling works. At present, it is used in various production sites as a robot that is very effective not only in assembling works but also in component carrying works (pick & place works) because of its outstanding speed. Although SCARA robot is examined by comparing with cartesian coordinate robot in many cases owing to its operating range, it can be said that SCARA robot is suitable for works requiring speeds on three axes or four axes motions because of its excellent cost-performance ratio. The features of this robot include its small installation area that provides higher degree of freedom in design of a system, and in addition, provides an advantage that, in case the system is disused in the future, the robot can be installed easily on other system.

Cartesian coordinate robot
Consists mainly of axis structure with cartesian coordinate system. The robot scarcely requires conversion of coordinate by using control unit. Owing to its low cost, it is used in many cases for building into system.

SCARA robot (horizontal multi-joint robot)
Has a joint structure mainly for operations in horizontal direction. This robot is given a high rigidity in vertical direction, and thus are adopted to move relatively heavy objects in horizontal direction. The features of this robot include very high speed in horizontal movement resulting in making the cycle time shorter.

Vertical multi-joint robot
Has a joint structure mainly for operations in vertical direction. Since the robot has the structure that is similar to the arm of men, it provides a flexible motion. However, the robot executes complex coordinate conversion processing, and thus requires a high performance control unit.

Measurement conditions: Alternating motion with vertical and horizontal travels of 1 inch and 12 inches respectively (2 kg load, rough positioning arch motion).