Industrial Robots : Design, Applications and Technology

This is an essential reference source that explores the fundamentals of kinematics, dynamics and industrial robot control as well as a new generation of industrial robots, the collaborative robots or cobots. The tendency in Industry 4.0 towards the mass customisation of products, shorter product cycles and quality demands has led to the introduction of collaborative robot''s systems capable of learning and working hand-in-hand with humans. Collaborative robots in the industry target the enhancement of production efficiency by combining the best of human operators and the industrial robots'' accuracy, speed and reliability. The advances in smart sensors, artificial intelligence, digital twin, cyber-physical systems and the adoption of exoskeletons in industrial applications have opened new possibilities for technological progress in manufacturing, which led to efficient and flexible factories. This requires individuals to be educated in trends that are now focused on the design, monitoring and control of smart production processes. Featuring coverage on a wide range of topics such as new trends in human-robot collaboration, advanced vision technology and artificial intelligence, as well as application of industry robots in metal and wood industry, this book is ideally designed for electrical engineers, mechanical engineers, manufacturers, supply chain managers, logistics specialists, investors, managers, policymakers, production scientists, researchers, academicians and students at the postgraduate level.