The working capacity of the robot increases considerably when another axis is added by means of linear units. Without the need for additional equipment, they can be easily incorporated into the workflow. A single linear power unit can drive up to four robots. It facilitates linear motion of a robot in vertical or horizontal motion.
The most popular type of automation track is the linear track. Although a linear track is usually considered a direct-drive chain system, other types of linear tracks have been created for various uses.
The main idea of linear automation is that it does not require any human interaction. Linear tracks can simply be attached to the factory floor or wall and pulled by a machine, but there are more complex solutions that can be attached to a robot chassis. The idea is that the robot itself is designed to “fit” the guides.
The range of industrial robots is increasing with the use of linear robot guides. Welding, assembly, painting, machine tending and palletizing are typical tasks that benefit from robotic automation