Glossary

An actor in drive technology is a component that converts control signals into mechanical motion, such as electric motors, pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders.

With the calibration system "advintec 6D Laser Measurement", inline measurements, i.e. directly in the production process, part location, grippers and fixtures are measured in robot-supported applications. This extends the possibilities of machine perception, which is particularly in demand in the automotive, machine and plant construction, aviation and metalworking industries.

advintec TCP is a fast and precise robot tool calibration system, which can be used stationary as well as on the robot. It can also be used for the measurement of rotationally symmetric components. It is manufacturer-independent and can be used for all robot types and enables tool calibration in up to six dimensions. The aim is to ensure the continuous correct working position of different robot tools. The robot program is automatically corrected for the tolerance deviation and ensures that the robot tool always works at the correct position.

BizLink is a member of the North American Automated Imaging Association (AIA). The leading association in the field of machine vision certifies that engineers are qualified at the Advanced Level of the AIA and meet the highest requirements for an integrator in the field of machine vision.

Air-cooled jumper cables belong to the secondary welding cable family and are used on separate transformers for spot welding applications to transport power from the source (transformer) to the tool (welding gun). The air-cooled secondary welding cable is single-pole.

In the cable industry, armor refers to a layer of protective material that is wrapped around the outer jacket of a cable to provide additional mechanical protection. Armor can be made from various materials, such as steel, aluminum, or copper, and is designed to protect the cable from physical damage, such as crushing, abrasion, or impact. Armored cables are commonly used in harsh environments, such as construction sites, mining operations, or oil and gas facilities, where the cables are exposed to rough handling or extreme conditions. The armor layer also provides protection against rodents and other animals that may chew through the outer jacket of the cable.

Bus system for the lowest level of automation. Allows easy connection of sensors, actuators and integrated systems to the first control level.

Assemblies are combinations of components that ensure optimum mounting and energy and media supply to the robot. Assemblies can be holders on the robot axis 1 to 6, mounting plates for the LSH 3 retract system, additional cantilevers, round baskets and many other interfaces.

In both manual and automatic assembly, the assembly check shows whether an object exists in a particular area. The objects to be inspected can be very dirty, and changing lighting also makes inspection difficult. The use of vision systems is therefore helpful in assembly inspection and increases quality.

Expression for wire diameter. The smaller the AWG number, the larger the wire diameter. The actual diameter depends on various factors such as the material, coating, insulation, and manufacturing technique

AWG is an abbreviation for American Wire Gauge and is the American term for electrical conductor diameters or conductor cross-sectional areas. A wire is a single conductor, while a strand consists of many, sometimes several hundred thin individual wires. Stranded wires are mainly used in the cable industry, especially for UL cables and data cables.

AWM UL Style is a cable and wire specification standard that defines electrical properties, materials, and requirements.

The ball joint termination is the central component on axis 6 of an industrial robot. It is located at the end of the dresspack and fixes the individual components of the corrugated hose with the integrated strain relief. The ball joint termination is mounted in a cable clamp and serves to accommodate the strain relief and for axial positioning of the corrugated hose. The ball joint fixed in the cable clamp ensures the necessary freedom of movement during robot movements. This rotational freedom of movement prevents tension in the corrugated tube.

The base is a user-defined coordinate system and can be freely positioned in the room. The Base can be used as a workpiece or workpiece carrier coordinate system.

Number of repeated bends in a trailing chain.

BizLink B-Flex Cobot is a flexible and non-slip solution for fastening dresspacks and components such as individual cables or hoses for lightweight and collaborative robots.

BizLink B-Flex P³ is a practical solution for the assembly of individual hoses, cables or dresspacks on robots. BizLink B-Flex P³ can be installed almost completely without tools when used for order picking, packaging and palletizing tasks.

When braiding, a machine attaches a braid of metallic wires or yarns to the cable. This supports the mobility of the robot cable and protects it from electromagnetic radiation.

Bulkhead connections are fittings that serve as connecting elements between hoses at the robot interfaces. Bulkhead couplings are suitable for gaseous and liquid media and allow optimised and improved flow behaviour.

Bus cables are used in industrial communication for digital signal transmission between individual bus stations and are characterized by a high transmission speed and a high data flow rate. The bus cables produced withstand the heavy demands of robotic applications and thus ensure reliable and error-free signal transmission.

Cable assembly involves assembling control cables from a cable, a plug and possibly other individual parts, such as protective hoses. All common assembly processes such as soldering, crimping, screwing, plugging and stripping are used.

The cable clamp is the connecting assembly with which the cable management system can be fixed to the robot. The hinged cable clamp is used to adapt half-shells, ball joint terminations and, if necessary, other shaped parts for fastening the cable package according to the required degrees of freedom.

During calibration, a deviation of an object from a previously referenced position is corrected. The advintec TCP tool measuring system ensures automatically and during operation that the robot program is corrected for the tolerance deviation and that the tool always works at the correct position.

The mobile measuring case enables a fast and cost-effective automated absolute initial measurement for plant extensions or commissioning. Only the tolerance field in which the tool may move and the starting position of the measurement must be defined beforehand. The tool is then moved once to the center of the light barrier and tool data is generated. The robot then moves the tool within the defined tolerance field and measures itself automatically using the supplied programs. The advantages are the high accuracy and the automated, standardized and reproducible sequence.

Codable connectors for primary welded joints are used in particular on hand-held and robot-guided welding guns and are used for connecting cables from the voltage source to the welding robot.

A collaborative robot is a robot that can work side-by-side with humans because it has no sharp edges or corners and stops immediately if it touches an obstacle. This means that there is no risk of injury when working together directly. Technically, this is made possible by built-in sensors. Thus, when using collaborative robots, no protective fences are necessary as is the case with other industrial robots.

Collisions between objects are one of the most common causes of robot failure. Gripper measurement and part location represent possibilities for avoiding such collisions by eliminating position-related malfunctions.

In certain cable management systems, a compression spring is positioned over the corrugated hose and provides the necessary energy to retract the dresspack.

The rivet hose connector allows a simple and quick exchange of individual parts of rivets or rivet hoses. It is not necessary to dismantle additional system components. 

The Construction Products Regulation (CPR) regulates the marketing of construction products in the EU, and CPR sets out performance requirements and the CE marking.

Controllers are electronic units for controlling various processes and are a central component of measuring systems or calibration systems. The sensors record the measured values and the controller uses these recorded values to calculate measurement results, e.g. tool coordinates or correction values.

Corrugated hoses are used in industrial robotics as a guide and protection medium for dresspack components. Corrugated hoses are made of specially modified plastics. They are particularly suitable for dynamic movements, which require increased abrasion resistance, torsion resistance and yield strength.

The corrugated hose adapter is mounted on the corrugated hose and serves to accommodate the compression spring within the LSC. System preloads can be realized by different positions.

The corrugated hose end termination is pressed into the end of the corrugated hoses. The corrugated hose end termination serves to stabilise the mould and reduces wear on the internal components.

Cycle time in the manufacturing industry means the average time in which a unit of measure leaves a production process. By reducing the cycle time, the productivity of automation systems can be significantly increased. To achieve this, initial analyses of the robots, controllers and production systems are carried out and optimisation measures and correction plans are defined and implemented.

In the field of machine vision, defect detection involves checking the surface quality of an object for e.g. cracks, porosity, gaps, etc. With defect detection, the quality of a product can be considerably improved.

A dimension is the number of degrees of freedom of a movement or a position in a given space. Six dimensions are specified in tool measurement or laser measurement: X, Y, Z and A, B, C. A is rotation around the Z axis, B is rotation around the Y axis, and C is rotation around the X axis. This can be used, for example, to determine the machining point of the robot tool in space.

During robot tool calibration with the advintec TCP measuring system, the robot moves two identical full circles within the sensor plane during the "double circle" measuring movement. The start and end points of the circles are located on the same spatial coordinate and on the open side of the sensor at approximately the same distance from the light barriers.

Energy supply systems ensure a reliable data and media supply for robots through optimum cable management, which is indispensable for the entire production process. Energy supply systems can be cable packages for robots or also for special machines. The individual components, i.e. robot cables and/or hoses, are used depending on the robotic application or customer requirement, protected in corrugated or smooth tubes. This enables ideal cable routing and robot equipment overall.

During extrusion, the extruder melts PVC granulate and presses it. The extruder then injects the resulting mass through the extruder head, e.g. onto strands or wire ropes. This creates the sheath of the cable. Extrusion is a complex part of cable production in which material, pressure, temperature and external conditions must be perfectly matched to each other in order to produce a faultless cable. A distinction is made between pressure extrusion and hose extrusion.

In feeding applications, water, air and other gases are transferred. The transport and positioning of rivets, screws, etc. can also be part of the application. The required profile hoses have individually adapted inner and outer profiles. Technical properties for operating pressure, min. burst pressure and vacuum are adapted to the customer's individual requirements.

AIDA Profinet LWL is a fiber optic cable manufactured according to the Profinet specifications of the "Automation Initiative of German Automobile Manufacturers" (AIDA). The fiber optic cables produced by BizLink withstand the high demands of robotic applications and thus ensure reliable and error-free signal transmission.

The Final Check confirms that a system is operating in accordance with its specification and in the correct position and function. The Final Check includes, for example, the improved positioning and displacement of fastening components on the robot or the adjustment of the optimum component length on the tool on axis 6 and at the interface on axis 3. A Final Check is required for the validation of the statutory country-specific warranty scopes and is part of the range of services for energy supply to the robot.

Gripper measurement enables precise 6D laser measurement of grippers or gripped parts in the field of precision handling, e.g. for powertrain applications. The system detects changes in the part location at an early stage and corrects them while production is running.

The half shell is used for axial fixation in the robot equipment. It can fix the corrugated hose in the cable clamp and is also used to fix the strain relief. This allows the dresspack to be rotated.

A hose is an elongated hollow body with a mostly round cross-section and differs from a classical pipe in particular in its mobility. There are a large number of hoses: Corrugated hoses, media hoses, smooth tubes, profile hoses and many more. Some provide protection for internal components, others transport air, gas, liquids or solids such as rivets and bolts.

Various hose nozzles are available to suit media hoses, e.g. made of brass or other materials with a union, straight, 45° or 90° angled. These hose nozzles are pressed into hoses and form a positive connection to them. For this purpose, there are aids in the form of press-in tools. Hoses can be attached to fittings and threads with the aid of this connection.

Hose packages are generally used for cable routing on industrial robots. They are known as dresspacks, cable assemblies, cable management systems or generally as robot equipment. They supply industrial robots with everything they need for a smooth workflow and follow the fast movements of the robots. Equipped with the appropriate robotic cables, they ensure the energy supply to the robot. Various components and techniques are used to ensure that the hose packages are subjected to comparatively little stress, are intelligently fastened and fixed.

Electromagnetic waves in the spectral range between visible red light and longer wavelength microwave radiation are called infrared radiation. The advintec TCP infrared sensor operates in a wavelength range of 880nm and is insensitive to separating agents, as the sensor operates in the invisible infrared range.

During an initial measurement, the coordinates of an unknown object, for example a robot tool, are determined for the first time. The tool is moved once in the center of the light barrier and the tool data is generated. The tolerance field must be defined for this purpose, in which the tool is allowed to move. Furthermore, the starting point of the measurement must be taught. The robot then moves the tool within the tolerance range and measures itself automatically.

Installation and assembly services for cable management systems represent an important service in industrial robotics to ensure smooth operation. The service personnel professionally assemble and install the dresspacks and fixation parts on the industrial robot.

Robots that are ready for integration include optimized dresspacks, installed tools, welding controls and connection boxes. In addition, there is the configuration, installation, calibration and testing of the tool, software, Tool Center Point and logistics performance for the robots, which are thus ready for integration into the manufacturing process.

Jumper cables belong to the family of secondary welding cables and are used on separate transformers for spot welding applications to transport the current from the source (transformer) to the tool (welding gun). The secondary welding cable is single-pole.

Kickless cables belong to the family of secondary welding cables and are used on separate transformers for spot welding applications to transport the current from the source (transformer) to the tool (welding gun). The Kickless cable is bipolar. "Kickless" stands for reduced impact under current load.

The laser scanner is a component of measuring systems and can be used for electronic part measurement. With the laser scanner, for example, 6D measurement of the component position in translation and rotation is possible. The laser scanner can, for example, be integrated into grippers.

The LSC is a retraction system for dresspacks on industrial robots. This return system is ideally suited for use in dirty environments, such as sandblasting applications or milling machines, as it is easy to clean. In addition, the LSC is an optimal solution for processes where the components are exposed to a large bending radius, e.g. where rivet or stud feed hoses are used.

The LSH 3 is a retraction system for use in industrial robotics. As a compact and flexible solution, the interference contours are reduced. This reduces the risk of collision, one of the most common causes of errors in cable management systems. Resistant materials and components enable tight cable routing on the robot arm and at the same time allow maximum free space.

Maintenance covers the entire life cycle of a cable management system and includes both failure analyses for long-term monitoring and system audits. Regular maintenance visits with modern equipment are carried out by service technicians. Support in the factory can also take place. During the maintenance of energy supply systems, optimisation potentials or wear are also checked. The right spare parts are selected and quickly replaced.

The marking rings are optical aids for the fast identification of concise positions on the corrugated hose for various attachments such as half-shells. Marking rings can also be used to indicate the maximum pull-out position of retract systems.

Measuring systems for machines and robots correct the respective control program when necessary, ensuring that each workpiece is correctly machined by the calibrated robot tool. The advintec TCP measuring system is used for the calibration of robot tools.

Media hoses are used in many industrial applications, such as industrial robots. They are ideally suited as a transfer medium for water, air and other gases, or as profile hoses for conveying and positioning solids such as rivets, screws, etc.

An offset is a displacement of a starting position by a previously defined value. The offset can be set in translational and/or rotational direction.

The optimization of cable management systems and robot trajectories includes, among other things, the optimization of the motion sequence with regard to freedom from interference, the coordination of the optimal cable length at the tool and at the robot axis 3 interface, optimized positioning and displacement of fastening components as well as an acceptance protocol.

To determine the tool displacement perpendicular to the sensor plane, the robot must perform a pendulum movement. In the pendulum movement, the tool moves three times perpendicular to the sensor plane. The measuring movement takes place at the intersection of the two light barriers.

The jacket protects the elements underneath against moisture, thermal, chemical or mechanical damage or influences. It is usually made of plastic.

In the field of machine vision, part recognition ensures that the correct part is present and tracks the article through the assembly process for comprehensive monitoring of the production/assembly process. Character recognition, data matrix, 1D barcode etc. are used, which are recognized or read out by the corresponding vision system.

Part location serves to determine the correct machining position of fixtures and parts for precision applications such as handling, welding, gluing, milling, etc. Any deviations from the target position are corrected accordingly, thus ensuring that the industrial robot always works at the correct position. advintec 6D laser measurement ensures this process.

Connectors disconnect or connect electrical cables. After individual consultation, the most suitable assembly method is selected together with the customer, depending on whether the connection is to be quickly detachable or well fixed. All prefabricated components are then completely checked for functionality and customer specifications.

Primary connectors are used for connecting cables between voltage source and transformer and are used in particular on hand-held and robot-guided welding guns.

POF cables consist of polymer optical fibers. They are fiber optic cables made of plastic, which are primarily used for data transmission, especially on short distances. The simple assembly of POF cables makes them an alternative to fiber optic cables.

Power cables are available as simple power connection cables for the power supply or with distributed signal pairs for controlling thermal sensors or brakes. They are highly flexible, highly EMC compatible and immune to electrical interference. The cables are suitable for flexible and drag chain applications.

Profile hoses are used in feeding applications. These hoses made of polyurethane are used, for example, for rivet and weld nut transport systems in the automotive and aerospace industries. However, they can also be used for any other feeding application. The profile hoses have individually adapted inner and outer profiles, have a long service life, are scratch-resistant and resistant to oils, oxygen, ozone, diluted alkalis, weak acids, etc. The profile hoses can be supplied in a wide range of sizes.

The programming of robots or PLC is an essential task for a successful production process. Programming means that the motion sequence is entered into the robot controller. If programming is carried out on the switched-on robot using its controller, this is referred to as online programming. In offline programming, the program is not copied to the controller until later. A manual programming device, also known as a teach pendant, is often used for robot programming. Good programming allows optimization potentials to be exploited, e.g. as cycle time optimization. Programming makes an important contribution as production start-up support.

The protections, or abrasion protection sleeves, are attached to the dresspack at potential points of contact with the robot. The protections serve to protect against wear and increase the service life.

During the modernization of cable management systems, existing plants are revised. This procedure is also known as retrofitting. It includes the dismantling and professional disposal of parts or the entire old system as well as the new installation taking into account the latest state of the art. Often, low-wear attachments can be reused. An economic consideration is made in advance with a recommendation as to whether repairing the old system is worthwhile. This includes checking whether the existing dresspack can be reused or whether a new cable package is required.

If an energy supply system is defective, it must be repaired or replaced. Defective components are replaced and faultless components from a complete system that can no longer be used are reused or newly integrated.

The movements of a robot are complex depending on the application. The more the robot arm moves and rotates, the more component length is required. With minimal movements, however, this extra would be left on components and would hang down on the robot. Retraction systems ensure that the dresspack is guided close to the robot during every movement. The cable management system does not restrict the robot in its movement or, in the worst case, blocks the trajectory. The LSH 3 is a compact, versatile retraction system that can be used for all robots.

In robot guidance, the multidimensional position of parts and workpieces is detected and the piece itself is identified using systems for machine vision. The data is transferred to the respective robot controller, which positions the robot correctly thanks to the image recognition solution. This reduces both the use of tools and all labour costs. The robot guidance is typically used for unloading or loading, palletizing and depalletizing, assembly of parts, etc.

Robotic cables have to meet the highest demands on mechanical, chemical and thermal product properties and must be able to withstand high acceleration and deceleration, tensile stress, compression and torsion as well as millions of bending cycles. Robot cables must also be resistant to high temperatures, welding spatter, oil and various chemicals. Coordinated standard and special insulation materials make the cables particularly resistant to abrasion and media while maintaining the highest degree of flexibility.

Objects in space have three degrees of freedom of translation and three degrees of freedom of rotation. During rotation, all points of the object move in a circle around a common axis.

Screw connections are one of many variants for connecting cables. After individual consultation, the most suitable assembly method is selected in consultation with the customer. All assembled components are then completely tested for functionality and customer specifications.

Secondary welding cables are used in the industry for robot and manual welding guns. Secondary welding cables are also used as ground cables for stationary guns and for the power supply in mechanical engineering. Specially stranded copper wires and crimped eyelets give them a high degree of flexibility. Further features of secondary welding cables are good heat dissipation, which is achieved by a perforated inner sheath, and effective cooling. A distinction is made between water-cooled secondary cables and kickless cables: Both separate transformers are used for spot welding applications. This transports the current from the source (transformer) to the tool (welding gun).

A sensor converts a measured physical quantity into an analog electrical signal. Sensors are used, for example, for tool calibration as infrared sensors or laser sensors.

In industrial robotics, signal cables are used to request and transmit states and commands for robot tools. This command can be, for example, the closing of a welding gun. The trouble-free transmission of such commands or queries is essential for a smooth production process.

A further option in the robot equipment is the yellow, smooth tube system, which is used as a cable management system on the robot. It does not require a retract system, is wear- and maintenance-free, as the smooth tube does not touch the robot during operation. This cable system is characterised by the extreme robustness of the external PUR hose. The desired components are drawn into the PUR hose using a special manufacturing process. The advantages of this energy supply system are its long service life and the fact that it can be used without a retraction system. Special attachments are required for this variant of the cable system in order to achieve the larger bending radius required on the system side. The smooth tube package is ideal for areas with a high degree of contamination.

If standard cables cannot be used, customer-specific special cables are required. Depending on the application, various conductor materials, number of cores, sheaths, outer diameter, flexibility, media resistance and shielding techniques must be taken into account. Standard cables can be modified or a completely new development can take place.

The spring end piece adapts the compression spring of the dresspack and thus forms the counter bearing for the necessary preload of the cable management system.

In the standardization of bulk cable products, concepts are developed with the customer to reduce the number of variants used within the product portfolio. The aim is to optimize internal expenses and reduce capital commitment.

Strain reliefs are mechanical protection devices on flexible hoses that fix the components at the transition points and secure the defined component length in the dresspack even during extreme movements. Strain reliefs provide the required holding forces for each individual component in the dresspack and in the overall system.

In a stranding system, the cores of a cable are twisted together. The system connects the cores to form a compact strand which makes these cores and the cable robust and flexible for the respective application, e.g. in a robotic energy supply system. For maximum mobility, the stranded cores are finally wrapped in fleece or foil. The stranding can take place e.g. as pair stranding or as star-four stranding. At the end, a different cable is produced depending on the number of stranded cores.

The swivel plate is a rotatable adapter plate. This allows additional freedom of movement for the cable management system, e.g. at the clamp on axis 6 of the robot. An application is also possible at the cantilever on axis 1 of the robot, if an external dresspack is used and finally everywhere, where one needs this additional degree of freedom.

Teaching refers to a procedure for programming a robot. The programmer uses a control console to move the robot to the desired position. All coordinates reached in this way are stored and thus taught.

The quality of the cables and cable systems must be tested in various tests. Different methods are used. These include the drag chain test centre for securing dynamic requirements and cable assembly including various tests such as tensile strength testing. Continuous process monitoring is carried out in cable production. Finally, each cable is checked for its functionality and compliance with the respective customer specifications. Typical test procedures for robot cables include bending cycle tests, flexlife tests and torsion tests.

The tolerance is the difference between the maximum permissible upper dimension and the maximum permissible lower dimension. During calibration, the robot program automatically corrects for the tolerance deviation and ensures that the tool always works in the correct position.

The Tool Center Point (TCP) determines the exact working point of the tool in robot tool measurement.

Objects in space have three degrees of freedom of translation and three degrees of freedom of rotation. During translation, all points of the object move in parallel by the same displacement.

As attachments to the robot, tube clamp pieces are connecting aids between pipes and other components such as the adapter plate and the wrist support on axis 6 or the additional conveyors. They are also used as support parts for smooth tube packages and external stands.

When components are removed from containers, industrial robots automatically remove the components from the respective containers and make them available for further processing. Components can be, for example, body covers, car roofs, engine hoods and similar parts. Industrial robots can only continue their workflow if the part is exactly at the desired position. advintec 6D laser measurement ensures this process.

Water-cooled jumper cables belong to the secondary welding cable family and are used on separate transformers for spot welding applications to transport power from the source (transformer) to the tool (welding gun). The water-cooled secondary welding cable is single-pole.

Welding cables are used for industrial use on robot and manual welding guns and as ground cables for stationary guns as well as for power supply in mechanical engineering.

The validation system for wheels and tires is an intelligent complete solution for the quality inspection of wheels and tires. The inspection system ensures the correct wheel and tire combination by means of a 3D analysis, carries out a multitude of inspections according to differentiated criteria, such as design, diameter, colour, profile recognition and tire dimensions as well as tire certificates. Checks of balancing marks and other individual features and functions, such as the degree of surface gloss, are also achievable with the validation system. Over 100 wheel and tire models and combinations can also be stored and intelligently evaluated.

During cable production, strands are insulated with a sheath. This process turns them into cores. PP, PE or PVC are common plastic insulating materials used for extrusion.

The DIN 47100 standard specifies the colour coding for the identification of the cores in a cable. The first colour is the basic colour of the wire. In the case of multicoloured cores in the cable, the marking consists of a basic colour and another colour that has long been printed on the cable.

Wrist-supports are mounted on the outside diameter of the hand flange on the robot axis 6. The dresspack is fixed to the cantilever tube of the clamp by means of appropriate assemblies. The size of the clamp depends on the robot type and manufacturer.