Different Types of RObot

There are six main types of industrial robots: Cartesian, SCARA, Cylindrical, Delta, Polar and Vertically articulated

Articulated - This robot design features rotary joints & ranges from 2 joint structures to 10 or more joints.
Each joint is called an axis and provides an additional degree of freedom, or range of motion. Industrial robots commonly have four or six axes.

Cartesian - These are also called rectilinear or gantry robots. Cartesian robots have three linear joints that use the Cartesian coordinate system (X, Y, and Z).
They also may have an attached wrist to allow for rotational movement. The three prismatic joints deliver a linear motion along the axis.

Cylindrical - The robot has at least one rotary joint at the base and at least one prismatic joint to connect the links.
The rotary joint uses a rotational motion along the joint axis, while the prismatic joint moves in a linear motion.

Polar - Also called spherical robots, in this configuration the arm is connected to the base
with a twisting joint & a combination of two rotary joints and one linear joint.  
The axes form a polar coordinate system and create a spherical-shaped work envelope.

SCARA - Commonly used in assembly applications, this selectively compliant arm for robotic assembly is primarily cylindrical in design. It features two parallel joints that provide compliance in one selected plane.

Delta - These spider-like robots are built from jointed parallelograms connected to a common base. The parallelograms move a single EOAT in a dome-shaped work area. Heavily used in the food, pharmaceutical, and electronic industries, this robot configuration is capable of delicate, precise movement.

Typical industrial robots are articulated and feature six axes of motion (6 degrees of freedom). This design allows maximum flexibility. Six-axis robots are ideal for:
* Arc Welding
* Spot Welding
* Material Handling
* Machine Tending
* Other Applications