Briana Lee is a junior at Columbus South High School. She was a first-time participant in the 10th annual BDPA IT Showcase held August 1-2, 2012 in Baltimore, MD. Briana wants to attend college and become licensed as a psychologist. Her BDPA IT Showcase research topic was, ‘Robotics: SCARA, Cartesian and the Elephant Man’. Ms. Lee shared in her research information on how robotics plays such a huge role in the technology world. She discussed the history, components, barriers and impact of robotics on our society. She compared SCARA, Cartesian and the Elephant Man robotics prototypes and demonstrated how they were each being used in everyday life to make businesses more efficient. Ms. Lee is another example of the young people that receive powerful STEM experiences as a result of the work of BDPA on a local, regional and national level. Ms. Lee is the ‘future face of technology’ and she is yet another reason for you to invest in BDPA!

1. Cartesian
Robotics:
SCARA,
Cartesian &
The Elephant Elephant Man
Man
Created by:
Briana Lee

2. A Cartesian (Answers, 2012)
coordinate robot (also called linear History of the
robot) is an industrial robot.
Cartesian
It has three principal axes of
control are linear which means they
move in a straight line rather than
rotate and are at right angles to
each other.
Cartesian coordinate robots with
the horizontal member supported
at both ends are sometimes called
Gantry robots.
They are often quite large.

3. SCARA's are generally faster
and cleaner than comparable
Cartesian systems.
The SCARA acronym stands
for Selective Compliant
Assembly Robot Arm or
SCARA Selective Compliant
Articulated Robot Arm.

4. History of the
Elephant Man
Science of robotics (eHow, 2012)
only came in the 20th century;
the human-invention of
automation has a much
lengthier past.
Robotics in the 20th and 21st
centuries has advanced
radically to include machines
capable of assembling other
machines and even robots that
can be mistaken for human
beings.

5. SCARA, More profit
Cartesian & Workers not
excepting the
Elephant Man machines
Help businesses
more efficient.
Economics
Less hard work Not understanding how to use
the technology

6. S
C
A
 Its arm was rigid in the
Z-axis and pliable in the
XY-axes, which allowed
it to adapt to holes in the
R XY-axes. By virtue of the
SCARA's parallel-axis
joint layout, the arm is
A slightly compliant in the
X-Y direction but rigid in
the ‘Z’ direction.

7.  It has four joints
that are connected
together
 It has a base
 X-axis help to
move it in a
horizontal
direction
 Y-axis helps it to
move in a vertical
direction
 Z-axis helps it to
rotate in a circular
motion to the right
or left

9. Controller for
exceptionally Alarm LED lights
easy located on the top
programming, face of the robot for
calibration and clear and immediate
troubleshooting indication of any
Absolute problems
encoders
Brake-release button
also located at top to
facilitate manual
teaching of points

10. How does SCARA
work?
SCARA robot system for
mechanical assembly, material
handling, packaging, machine
tending, screw driving, and
other applications that require
fast and precise automation.

11. How is
SCARA robotic arms function much in SCARA used?
the same way as a human arm would
and can even simulate certain elbow
functions.
Most notable is the fact that SCARA
robots are speedy and sturdy
equipment. They provide optimum
There are also space issues
performance in activities that require
associated with the SCARA
precise movements and tasks where
robot.
speed and repetition are critical.
They are tall equipment so
Other applications for SCARA robotic
they require a lot of vertical
arms are: - Stacking and de-stacking -
Dispensing - Welding

12. Impact of
SCARA
Industrial robots improve productivity
at pet food plant. The SCARA robots
(Tm Robots, 2012) are a part of
production lines that manufactures
birdseed sticks that are embedded
with nuts.
SCARA robots make the best use of
the available work area.

13.  Updating and  Investments are at high
risk
maintenance cost
 Finding firms that are
 Not keeping up with
the advances in the willing to invest in these
technologies
technologies
 Robot being
 Difficulty in using
incompatible with the
 Difficulty in developing existing practices and
technologies current construction
 Technology not being operations
accepted by workers
Barriers

14. Educate the
workers and the
companies that
having a SCARA
in the business
will help the
business
efficiently, more
profit and less
hard working
Get economical support to
afford the expensive parts Start with small,
that it takes to make the fast projects that
SCARA enhance learning
of the technology

15. Future use of the technology
To be put in manufacturers
To help manufacturers save
to make things easy.
space, increase output and
reduce costs
Traditionally SCARAs have only
been used on end of line packing,
in sealing, labeling and
packaging, but not in picking up
product in primary packaging or
food manufacture.