BEARINGS
ROBOTICS ADOPTION
SMB BEARINGS
BEARINGS FOR ROBOTICS
Robotics adoption is growing at an
unprecedented rate.
To advise manufacturers on best practice
methods for selecting components for
robots, SMB Bearings has published a
whitepaper on Bearings for Robotics. The
whitepaper is available to download on the
SMB Bearings website.
Industrial robots are deployed on the
production line for their precision and
repeatability. This means that every
component inside these machines has to
contribute to maintaining this precision,
something that is often overlooked.
Consider a six-axis robot as an example.
These articulated robot arms require high
levels of accuracy from their rotary joints
to perform assembly processes correctly.
Without the correct bearings, this precision
cannot be maintained.
SMB Bearings has been supplying
bearings for robotics for over 30 years and
recommends that customers opt for thin
section, stainless steel bearings in robotic
applications.
Because there is very little difference in
size between the internal and external ring
of these bearings, they do not drastically
increase the weight of a robot and can
therefore maintain the accuracy of the
machine.
The whitepaper also advises on lubrication
requirements for robot bearings. Due to the
thinness of these bearings, the ring not only
needs to be manufactured in such a way
that ensures it is as round as possible but the
shaft and housing should be made to the
same levels of roundness to avoid distorting
the bearing rings.
To keep the ring continually running
smoothly, a low viscosity grease is required
as an overly sticky grease could increase the
bearing torque to unacceptable levels.
The whitepaper also details a case study
with the Shadow Robot Company, where
SMB Bearings supplied specialist bearings to
help create a grasping robot hand.
The company supplied EZO bearings from
Sapporo Precision for this project.
“These bearings were very easy to install
in our Smart Grasping System,” explained
Luke Moss, robot engineer at the Shadow
Robot Company. “This is a direct result of
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the quality, tolerance of consistency of these
bearings, something that is essential for
repeated assembly and high precision across
multiple robots.”
SMB Bearings is the official UK distributor of
EZO Bearings from Sapporo Precision and
often recommends this brands for robotic
applications.
“The EZO range of thin section bearings is
produced to an incredibly high standard,”
explained Chris Johnson, managing director
of SMB Bearings. “All bearing components
are checked during the manufacturing
process and every assembled bearing
that comes off the EZO production line is
individually tested.
Any deficiencies are rejected. These high
standards ensure that even the millionth
bearing produced is as high quality as the
first — with EZO, you will never get an
ineffective bearing.”
Investments in industrial robots are
showing no signs of slowing down. If you
are investing in robotics for your facility and
need advice on selecting bearings, speak to
the experts at SMB Bearings.
The team can discuss the exact bearing
specifications needed for your
application on 01993 842555 or
[email protected]
About SMB Bearings
SMB Bearings originally
specialised in miniature
bearings, thin-section bearings
and stainless steel bearings.
By natural progression, the
company expanded the range
to include other corrosion
resistant bearings such as plastic
bearings, 316 stainless bearings
and ceramic bearings.