New industrial revolution - “The 4th industrial revolution” must be a remarkable milestone for the second decade of the twenty-first century. Many countries are competing to innovate their manufacturing chains for eco-friendly and energy-efficient productions. Although this green or sustainable manufacturing system evolves under the support of cyber-physical system (or digital twin) based on ICT technology, industrial robots also play important roles in this speedy, flexible and effective manufacturing chains. Recently, low-cost industrial robots or collaborative robots, are rising in a highly interactive environment with humans. Although an industrial robot consists of many important components such as mechanical parts (kinematic structure and reducer) and electric parts (servo motor, driver, sensors, and controller), precision reducer takes approximately 25% of material-cost and governs important performance indices of industrial robots. This paper presents review of high precision reducers (HPRs) for industrial robots driving 4th industrial revolution. First, we provide HPRs market along with industrial robots. According to previous studies, HPRs for industrial robots can be classified based on their principles: planetary reducer, cycloid reducer, and harmonic drive (HD). Then, principle, characteristics, and three main performances (hysteresis, rotational transmission error (RTE) and efficiency) of HPRs are discussed. In addition, compensation methods overcoming accuracy limits of HPRs are summarized. Finally, other applications of HPRs except industrial robots are presented.

High Precision Reducers for Industrial Robots Driving 4th Industrial Revolution: State of Arts, Analysis, Design, Performance Evaluation and Perspective

On the lobe profile design in a cycloid reducer using instant velocity center

Cycloid drives are compact, efficient speed reducers. In this paper, a unified set of equations is presented to optimize their design. The conceptual framework and profile design are described. Sources and effects of tolerance are then introduced, including profile reduction, backlash and torque ripple, and maximum gear-ratio. Equations for stress, efficiency, and moment of inertia are provided.

Unified Approach to Cycloid Drive Profile, Stress, and Efficiency Optimization

A new design of a two-stage cycloidal speed reducer is presented in this paper. A traditional two-stage cycloidal speed reducer is obtained by the simple combination of singlestage cycloidal speed reducers. A single-stage reducer engages two identical cycloid discs in order to balance dynamical loads and to obtain uniform load distribution. Consequently, the traditional two-stage reducer has four cycloid discs, in total. The newly designed two-stage cycloidal speed reducer, presented in this paper, has one cycloid disc for each stage, that is, two cycloid discs in total, which means that it is rather compact. Due to its specific concept, this reducer is characterized by good load distribution and dynamic balance, and this is described in the paper. Stress state analysis of cycloidal speed reducer elements was also realized, using the finite elements method (FEM), for the most critical cases of conjugate gear action (one, two, or three pairs of teeth in contact). The results showed that cycloid discs are rather uniformly loaded, justifying the design solution presented here. Experimental analysis of the stress state for cycloid discs was realized, using the strain gauges method. It is easy to conclude, based on the obtained results, that even for the most critical case (one pair of teeth in contact) stresses on cycloid discs are in the allowed limits, thus providing normal functioning of the reducer for its anticipated lifetime. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4004540]

A New Design of a Two-Stage Cycloidal Speed Reducer

Harmonic and cycloid drives are both compact, high ratio transmissions appropriate for use in anthropomorphic robots, although cycloid drives are rarely used in the field. This paper describes the design parameters for cycloid drives and shows the results of six cycloid models designed to match corresponding harmonic drives. Cycloid drive models were compared with manufacturing data from corresponding harmonic drives with respect to maximum gear ratio, transmission thickness, efficiency, backlash/gear ratio ripple, and reflected inertia. Cycloid drive designs were found to be thinner, more efficient, and to have lower reflected inertia than corresponding harmonic drives. However, the cycloid designs had larger gear ratio ripple and substantial backlash, and they could not meet the maximum gear ratio provided by the corresponding harmonic drives in two out of six models for equal applied torques. Two cycloid drives were manufactured to confirm efficiency predictions and demonstrated moderate to high efficiency across a range of output torques. Cycloid drives should be considered for robotic and prosthetic applications where smaller thickness/higher efficiency requirements dominate over low backlash/gear ratio ripple considerations.

J.G Blanche

Papers

Design and application guidelines for cycloid drives with machining tolerances