This Question Bank for Robotics Engineering is only for academic purpose and not for any commercial use. Students of Anna University and other Universities can use it for reference and knowledge.

1. VMKV ENGINEERING COLLEGE, SALEM
AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING COURSE
ELECTIVE – ROBOTICS ENGINEERING – QUESTION BANK 2012 REGULATION
UNIT II - END EFFECTORS AND CONTROL SYSTEMS
End effectors - classification - mechanical, magnetic, vacuum and adhesive gripper - gripper force analysis and
design. Robot control - unit control system concept - servo and non-servo control of robot joints, adaptive and
optimal control.
PART A
1. What is an end effector?
Ans. End effector is a device that is attached to the end of the wrist arm to perform specific task.
2. Classify end effectors with examples.
Ans. Gripper, Tools, Welding equipments, End of arm Tooling (EOAT)
3. What do you mean by gripper?
Ans. Gripper is the End effector which can hold or grasp the object.
4. Differentiate between internal grippers and external grippers.
Ans. In internal grippers, the finger pads are mounted on the inside of the fingers. This mounting
allows the pads to fit into the inside diameter of the part it must lift. The pads are pressed against the inside
wall of the part.
An external gripper is designed so that the finger pads press against the outside of the
component. Grips the exterior surface of the objects with closed fingers.
5. Define base and tool Coordinate system.
Ans. A tool coordinates definition system capable of easily obtaining a transformation matrix for
defining a tool coordinates system of a robot. The tool coordinates system at the 0° position of the
robot is rotated around each axis so that the tool coordinates system becomes parallel to a basecoordinates
system.
6. What are the types of Mechanical Grippers?
Ans. (i) Linkage actuation gripper (ii) Gear and rack actuation gripper
(iii) Cam actuated gripper (iv) Screw actuated gripper
7. List any two limitations of magnetic grippers.
Ans. (i) Residual magnetism (ii) Side slippage
(iii) More than one sheet will be lifted by the magnet from a stack
8. Give some examples of tool as robot End effector.
Ans. (i) Spot Welding Tools (ii) Arc welding Torch (iii) Spray painting nozzle (iv) Water jet cutting tool
9. List any four important factors to be considered in the selection and design of grippers.
Ans. (i) The gripper must have the ability to reach the surface of a work part.
(ii) The change in work part size must be accounted for providing accurate positioning.
(iii) During machining operations, there will be a change in the work part size. As a result, the
gripper must be designed to hold a work part even when the size is varied.
(iv) The gripper must not create any sort of distort and scratch in the fragile work parts.
10. List out the types of Drive systems used in Robots.
Ans. (i) Electric motors like: Servomotors, Stepper motors
(ii) Hydraulic actuators
(iii) Pneumatic actuators

2. VMKV ENGINEERING COLLEGE, SALEM
AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING COURSE
ELECTIVE – ROBOTICS ENGINEERING – QUESTION BANK 2012 REGULATION
11. What is a rotation matrix? Write basic rotation matrices.
12. Name some feedback devices used in robotics.
Ans. (i) Potentiometer (ii) Resolver (iii) Encoder
13. Write the characteristics of actuating systems.
Ans. (i) Weight (ii) Power-to-weight ratio (iii) Operating Pressure (iv) Stiffness Vs. Compliance
14. List any two unique features of a stepper motor.
Ans. (i) Moves in known angle of rotation. (ii) Position feedback is not necessary.
(iii) Rotation of the shaft by rotation of the magnetic field.
15. What are the types of encoders?
Ans. (a) Linear encoder
(b) Rotary encoder
(i) Absolute encoder
(ii) Incremental encoder
16. What do you mean by a composite rotation matrix?
Ans. Basic rotation matrices can be multiplied together to represent a sequence of finite rotations about
the principal axes of the OXYZ coordinate systems to obtain a resultant composite 3 X 3 rotation matrix.
17. State the Euler angles used in rotation matrix.
Ans. φ, θ, and ψ are the Euler angles used in rotation matrix in described in Eulerian three systems.
18. Write basic homogenous rotation matrix.
Ans.
19. Write basic homogenous translation matrix.
Ans.

3. VMKV ENGINEERING COLLEGE, SALEM
AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING COURSE
ELECTIVE – ROBOTICS ENGINEERING – QUESTION BANK 2012 REGULATION
20. State Denavit – Hartenberg parameter.
Ans. To describe the translational and rotational relationships between adjacent links, Denavit and
Hartenberg (1955) proposed a matrix method of systematically establishing a coordinate system (body
attached frame) to each link of an articulated chain. The D-H representation results in a 4 X 4 homogenous
transformation matrix representing each link’s coordinate system at the joint with respect to the previous
link’s coordinate system.

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AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING COURSE
ELECTIVE – ROBOTICS ENGINEERING – QUESTION BANK 2012 REGULATION
PART B
1. Describe five types of mechanical joints for robots with neat sketches.

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AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING COURSE
ELECTIVE – ROBOTICS ENGINEERING – QUESTION BANK 2012 REGULATION
2. Describe five common body-and-arm configurations with neat sketches.
Ans. Common Body-and-Arm configurations

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AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING COURSE
ELECTIVE – ROBOTICS ENGINEERING – QUESTION BANK 2012 REGULATION
3. Describe PUMA 560 manipulator and obtain link transformation matrix from D-H table.
Ans.

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AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING COURSE
ELECTIVE – ROBOTICS ENGINEERING – QUESTION BANK 2012 REGULATION

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AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING COURSE
ELECTIVE – ROBOTICS ENGINEERING – QUESTION BANK 2012 REGULATION
4. Describe in detail the drive systems used to actuate robotic joints.
Ans. One common method of classifying robots is the type of drive required by the actuators.
• Electrical actuators use electric power.
• Pneumatic actuators use pneumatic (air) power.
• Hydraulic actuators use hydraulic (fluid) power.
Electric Drive
Three types of motors are commonly used for electric actuator drives:
AC servo motors, DC servo motors, and Stepper Motors.
Both AC and DC servomotors have built-in methods for controlling exact position. Many newer
robots use servo motors rather than hydraulic or pneumatic ones. Small and medium-size robots commonly
use DC servo motors. Because of their high torque capabilities, AC servo motors are found in heavy-duty
robots.
A stepper motor is an incrementally controlled dc motor. Stepper motors are rarely used in
commercial industrial robots, but are commonly found in educational robots.
Conventional, electric-drive motors are quiet, simple, and can be used in clean-air environments.
Robots that use electric actuator drives require less floor space, and their energy source is readily available.
However, the conventionally geared drive causes problems of backlash, friction, compliance, and wear.
These problems cause inaccuracy, poor dynamic response, need for regular maintenance, poor torque
control capability, and limited maximum speed on longer moves. Loads that are heavy enough to stall
(stop) the motor can cause damage.
Conventional electric-drive motors also have poor output power compared to their weight. This
means that a larger, heavier motor must be mounted on the robot arm when a large amount of torque is
needed.

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AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING COURSE
ELECTIVE – ROBOTICS ENGINEERING – QUESTION BANK 2012 REGULATION
Hydraulic Drive
Many earlier robots were driven by hydraulic actuator drives. A hydraulic drive system uses fluid
and consists of a pump connected to a reservoir tank, control valves, and a hydraulic actuator. Hydraulic
drive systems provide both linear and rotary motion using a much simpler arrangement than conventional
electric-drive systems. The storage tank supplies a large amount of instant power, which is not available
from electric-drive systems.
Hydraulic actuator drives have several advantages. They provide precise motion control over a wide
range of speeds. They can handle heavy loads on the end of the manipulator arm, can be used around
highly explosive materials, and are not easily damaged when quickly stopped while carrying a heavy load.
However, they are expensive to purchase and maintain and are not energy efficient.
Hydraulic actuator drivers are also noisier than electric-drive actuators and are not recommended
for clean-room environments due to the possibility of hydraulic fluid leaks.
Pneumatic Drive
Pneumatic drive systems make use of air-driven actuators. Since air is also a fluid, many of the
same principles that apply to hydraulic systems are applicable to pneumatic systems. Pneumatic and
hydraulic motors and cylinders are very similar. Since most industrial plants have a compressed air system
running throughout assembly areas, air is an economical and readily available energy source. This makes
the installation of robots that use pneumatic actuator drives easier and less costly than that of hydraulic
robots. For lightweight pick-and-place applications that require both speed and accuracy, a pneumatic robot
is potentially a good choice.
Pneumatic actuator drives work at high speeds and are most useful for small-to-medium loads.
They are economical to operate and maintain and can be used in explosive atmospheres. However, since air
is compressible, precise placement and positioning require additional components to achieve the smooth
control possible with a hydraulic system.
It is also difficult to keep the air as clean and dry as the control system requires. Robots that use
pneumatic actuator drives are noisy and vibrate as the air cylinders and motors stop.
5. Describe in detail the different types of possible control for joint movements.
Ans. Types of possible control for joint movements are as follows:

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AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING COURSE
ELECTIVE – ROBOTICS ENGINEERING – QUESTION BANK 2012 REGULATION

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AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING COURSE
ELECTIVE – ROBOTICS ENGINEERING – QUESTION BANK 2012 REGULATION
6. (i)Derive a 3 X 3 rotation matrixRx,αabout the OX axis with ‘α’ angle.Given two points auvw= (4,3,2)T
and
buvw= (6,2,4)T
with respect to therotated OUVWcoordinate system, determine the corresponding points axyz,
bxyzwith respect to the reference coordinate system if it has been rotated 600
about the OZ axis.
Ans.
(ii)Derive a 3 X 3 rotation matrix Rx,αabout the OY axis with ‘φ’ angle. axyz= (4,3,2)T
and bxyz= (6,2,4)T
are the coordinates with respect to the reference coordinate system, determine the corresponding points
auvwand buvwwith respect to therotated OUVWcoordinate system if it has been rotated 600
about the OZ
axis.

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AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING COURSE
ELECTIVE – ROBOTICS ENGINEERING – QUESTION BANK 2012 REGULATION
7. Describe SCARA manipulator and obtain link transformation matrix from D-H table.
Ans.

13. VMKV ENGINEERING COLLEGE, SALEM
AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING COURSE
ELECTIVE – ROBOTICS ENGINEERING – QUESTION BANK 2012 REGULATION

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AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING COURSE
ELECTIVE – ROBOTICS ENGINEERING – QUESTION BANK 2012 REGULATION
8. Derive a 3 X 3 rotation matrix Rφ,θ,Ψ with Euler angles representation.If the OU, OV, andOWcoordinate
axes were rotated with ‘α’ angle about the OX axis, what would the representation of the coordinate axes of
the reference frame be in terms of the rotated coordinate system OUVW.
Ans. Express Rφ,θ,Ψ with respect to System I and System II as derived in class.
9. Determine a transformation ‘T’ matrix that represents a rotation of ‘α’ angle about the OX axis, followed
by a translation of ‘b’ units along the rotated OV axis.

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AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING COURSE
ELECTIVE – ROBOTICS ENGINEERING – QUESTION BANK 2012 REGULATION
Ans.
10. Find a homogenous transformation ‘T’ matrix that represents a rotation of ‘α’ angle about the OX axis,
followed by a translation of ‘a’ units along the OX axis, followed by a translation of ‘d’ units along the OZ
axis, followed by a rotation of ‘θ’ angle about the OZ axis.

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AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING COURSE
ELECTIVE – ROBOTICS ENGINEERING – QUESTION BANK 2012 REGULATION