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Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly

Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly is a engineering topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly rather than just read about it. In short: The PUMA (Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly, or Programmable Universal Manipulation Arm) is an industrial robotic arm developed by Victor Scheinman at pioneering robot company Unimation. Initially developed by Unimation for General Motors, the PUMA was based on earlier designs Scheinman invented while at Stanford University based on sponsorship and mentoring from robot inventor George Devol.

Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly — main illustration
Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly — illustration

Key takeaways

  • Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly belongs to engineering; place it in that map before memorising details.
  • Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
  • Connect Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
  • Reproduce the core statement of Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The PUMA (Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly, or Programmable Universal Manipulation Arm) is an industrial robotic arm developed by Victor Scheinman at pioneering robot company Unimation. Initially developed by Unimation for General Motors, the PUMA was based on earlier designs Scheinman invented while at Stanford University based on sponsorship and mentoring from robot inventor George Devol. Unimation produced PUMAs for years until being purchased by Westinghouse (ca. 1980), and later by Swiss company Stäubli (1988). Nokia Robotics manufactured about 1500 PUMA robots during the 1980s, the Puma-560 being their most popular model with customers. Some own Nokia Robotics products were also designed, like Nokia NS-16 Industrial Robot[link removed] or NRS-15. Nokia sold their Robotics division in 1990. In 2002, General Motors Controls, Robotics and Welding (CRW) organization donated the original prototype PUMA robot to the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History. It joins a collection of historically important robots that includes an early Unimate and the Odetics Odex 1. The essence of the design is represented in three categories; 200, 500, and 700 series. The 200 series is a smaller desktop unit. Notably, this model was used for the first robotic stereotactic brain biopsy in 1985. The 500 Series and can reach almost 2 meters up. This model is the more popular design and is the most recognizable configuration. The 700 series is the largest of the group and was intended for assembly line, paint, and welding work. All designs consist of two main components: the mechanical arm and the control system. These are typically interconnected by one or two large multi-conductor cables. When two cables are used, one carries power to the servo motors and brakes while the second carries the position feedback for each joint back to the control system. The control computer is based on the LSI-11 architecture which is very similar to PDP11 computers. The system has a boot program and basic debug tool loaded on ROM chips. The operating system is loaded from external storage through a serial port, usually from a floppy disk. The control unit also contains the servo power supply, analog and digital feedback processing boards, and servo drive system. The arm appears in the film Innerspace. An arm was displayed in the "Bird And The Robot" attraction at the World of Motion pavilion of EPCOT.

Model 260 Six-axis arm with 3 axis making up a spherical wrist Maximum reach 400 mm from center axis to center of wrist Maximum payload: 2.2 kg Arm weight: 13.2 kg Repeatability ±0.05 mm max velocity: 1245 mm/sec straight line moves

Model 560 C

6 Axis arm with 3 axis making up a spherical wrist. Maximum reach 878mm from center axis to center of wrist Software selectable payloads from 4 kg to 2.5 kg Arm weight: 83 kg (approximate) Repeatability ±0.1mm 2.5 kg max velocity: 500mm/sec straight line moves 4.0 kg max velocity: 470mm/sec straight line moves

Model 761 and 762

6 Axis arm with 3 axis making up a spherical wrist. Maximum reach 761: 1.50m from center axis to center of wrist 762: 1.25m from center axis to center of wrist

Arm mass: 761: 600 kg 762: 590 kg

Payload: 761: 10 kg 762: 20 kg

Repeatability ±0.2mm max velocity: 1000mm/sec straight line moves

Control system Variable Assembly Language

References

Books that Reference the PUMA design "Essentials of Mechatronics" Billingsley, John. John Wiley & Sons. Hoboken, NJ. 2006 ISBN 978-0-471-72341-7 Ch.9 "Robot Modeling and Kinematics" Manseur, Rachid. DaVinci Engineering Press. Boston, MA. 2006 ISBN 1-58450-851-5 Ch.4-5 "Robotics Technology and Flexible Automation 2nd Edition" S.R. Deb. McGraw Hill. New Delhi. 2010 ISBN 0-07-007791-6

External links

Stäubli Robotics Film from 1981 titled 'PUMA...The Leading Edge in Robotic Technology' produced by Unimation, Inc.

Illustrations

Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly: Unimate 500 PUMA (1983), control unit and computer terminal at Deutsches Museum, Munich
Unimate 500 PUMA (1983), control unit and computer terminal at Deutsches Museum, Munich
Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly: PUMA arm at NASA
PUMA arm at NASA
Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly: PUMA 560 C robot arm segment measurements.[4]
PUMA 560 C robot arm segment measurements.[4]
Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly: Physical measurements of the 761 and 762 PUMA arm segments. Both arms are identical for these measurements so only one image is needed.[9]
Physical measurements of the 761 and 762 PUMA arm segments. Both arms are identical for these measurements so only one image is needed.[9]
Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly: Physical measurements of the 761 and 762 PUMA arm segments, contrasting the lengths of the two forearm segments.[9]
Physical measurements of the 761 and 762 PUMA arm segments, contrasting the lengths of the two forearm segments.[9]

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In engineering, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly

In research
Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly appears in engineering research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry
Engineering practice reuses Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom
Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1975 robots, Industrial robots, Robotics at Unimation, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life
Look for Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly in 20 minutes

  1. Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
  2. Close the page and write down what Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly means in your own words.
  3. Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
  4. Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
  5. Explain Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly in simple terms?

The PUMA (Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly, or Programmable Universal Manipulation Arm) is an industrial robotic arm developed by Victor Scheinman at pioneering robot company Unimation. Initially developed by Unimation for General Motors, the PUMA was based on earlier designs Scheinman i…

Why does Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly matter?

Because it connects several engineering ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Programmable Universal Machine for Assembly.

Tags

  • 1975 robots
  • Industrial robots
  • Robotics at Unimation

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