Global robotics landscape · Family 01
Industrial robot arms
A practical map of robot cells for welding, assembly, machine tending, inspection and material handling—from arm specifications to verified production performance.
FUURAA thesis
The useful unit of analysis is the complete robot cell, not the arm alone.
How to use this page
Move from what it is to how to judge it—without being misled by one specification or demo.
Separate embodiment, sensing, control, tooling and operations.
Open in-depth topic →02WorkRead value through the complete task and environment, not movement alone.
Open in-depth topic →03EvidenceTest claims with repeatable metrics, failures and human intervention.
Open in-depth topic →04BoundaryKeep standards, regulation, site and research-stage limits visible.
Open in-depth topic →System anatomy
A working robot is the result of several engineering layers holding together.
Each layer explains its job and the signal most worth verifying next.
Manipulator and drives
Kinematics, payload, reach, speed, repeatability, stiffness and duty cycle define the physical work envelope.
Open in-depth topic →02End effector and process
Grippers, welding torches, dispensers, tools and automatic changers turn motion into a production process.
Open in-depth topic →03Sensing and control
Vision, force sensing, encoders and process feedback handle variation and close the quality loop.
Open in-depth topic →04Cell and operations layer
Guarding, fixtures, conveyors, PLCs, safety controllers, MES links and maintenance processes make the system operable.
Open in-depth topic →Real-work map
Form factor is an entry point; the complete workflow is the unit of value.
These are not capability guarantees; they frame the task boundaries and evidence a reader should seek.
Joining and finishing
Welding, dispensing, painting, polishing and deburring require process control, extraction and quality evidence beyond motion programming.
Open in-depth topic →02Assembly and insertion
Part tolerance, force control, feeding and error-proofing determine whether a laboratory sequence survives production variation.
Open in-depth topic →03Machine tending
Value comes from reliable loading, unloading, gauging, tool-life coordination and safe access for human intervention.
Open in-depth topic →04Palletising and inspection
High-volume handling and visual inspection are strong fits when packaging, lighting and exception paths are engineered together.
Open in-depth topic →Evaluation checklist
Five questions turn product claims into testable deployment judgements.
Procurement, replication, pilot design and policy review should record success, failure and human cost together.
- 01
Production rate
Test cycle time across the real product mix, including tool changes, replenishment and inspection.
Open in-depth topic → - 02
Quality capability
Link robot performance to process capability, rework and traceable quality outcomes.
Open in-depth topic → - 03
Availability and recovery
Record mean time between intervention, fault categories and time to safe restart.
Open in-depth topic → - 04
Changeover
Measure engineering hours and lost production for a new part, tool or recipe.
Open in-depth topic → - 05
Whole-cell economics
Include tooling, fixtures, guarding, integration, training, energy, maintenance and decommissioning—not only arm price.
Open in-depth topic →
Scope boundaries
Make explicit what is unknown and what cannot be generalised.
- 01
Repeatability describes returning to a pose; it does not automatically establish absolute accuracy or process quality.
Open in-depth topic → - 02
Safety is an application property: tooling, workpiece, layout and foreseeable misuse can create hazards absent from the arm specification.
Open in-depth topic → - 03
A successful pilot does not establish multi-shift availability until recovery, maintenance and operator workflows are measured.
Open in-depth topic →
Sources and evidence status
Return to the original record before deciding how far a conclusion can travel.
Each source carries a publication or review date, evidence status and the conclusion it cannot support alone.
ISO 10218-1:2025 — Safety requirements for industrial robots
Defines safety requirements for the robot as partly completed machinery; integration and application risks sit with the complete cell under Part 2.
Grasping, manipulation and contact-safety measurement
Develops performance metrics and test methods for dexterity, control and contact safety rather than relying on demonstration videos.