
188 Make: Robotic Arms
POPULAR ROBOTIC-ARM DESIGNS
SCARA AND PARALLEL SCARA ROBOTIC ARMS
The first robotic arm we constructed was a
variation of a popular industrial robotic arm
known as a SCARA (Selective Compliance
Articulated Robot Arm) robot (Figure
10-1
).
Companies use robotic arms just like the ones
from our first and second chapters to move
objects, interact with conveyer belts, and complete
all sorts of other industrial tasks. The biggest
difference between these industrial robots and the
ones we built is the addition of a z-axis.
A SCARA robot is typically constructed using
two or three rotational axes and a vertical z axis
mounted either ...