Direct answer
Select the kinematic type from the task, size payload and reach including tooling and inertia, and treat end-of-arm tooling as a design project in its own right.
What this discipline delivers
- Kinematic selection: articulated, SCARA, delta or cartesian
- Payload, reach and inertia including tooling
- End-of-arm tooling design and changeover
- Programming and path optimisation
- Safety concept and validation of the cell
Method and stages
Articulated robots
General purpose, high flexibility, six or seven axes.
SCARA
Fast planar pick and place with vertical insertion.
Delta
High-speed light picking, typically with vision.
Collaborative
Shared workspace with speed and force limits, subject to risk assessment.
Engineering and project considerations
- Inertia, not just payload, determines achievable speed
- Tool changeover for variants must be designed early
- Vision-guided picking depends on lighting and part presentation
- Programming method affects who can support the cell later
- Cell safety validation is a formal exercise with documentation
What to prepare before engaging engineering companies
- Part data: weight, dimensions, grip surfaces, orientation
- Cycle-time requirement and variant mix
- Available footprint and access
- Internal robotics support capability
What to measure
Cycle timePick success rateCell availability
Frequently asked questions
Why do robot projects overrun?
End-of-arm tooling and part presentation. The robot itself is rarely the problem.
Related engineering knowledge
Independent, buyer-side and supplier-neutral
Global B2B Group does not sell machines and does not represent equipment manufacturers. This material is published to help industrial organisations define the problem, prepare the specification and structure the investment before engineering partners are selected.
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