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Robotics & Automation vocabulary · Robot Types and Components

SCARA robot

Meaning in robotics & automation, with examples

/ˈskɑːrə ˌroʊbɑːt/nounCommon term

In robotics & automation, SCARA robot means: A fast robot, usually with four axes, whose arm moves in a horizontal plane and has a vertical axis at the end. SCARA stands for Selective Compliance Assembly (or Articulated) Robot Arm.

In Turkish: SCARA robot

How it is used

Pronounced SKAH-ruh. Popular for small-parts assembly, electronics, screwdriving and fast pick and place on a flat surface. It is stiff vertically but slightly flexible sideways, which helps when inserting parts into holes.

Example sentences

  1. The SCARA robot inserts the pins into the connector housing in under a second.

  2. We can't use a SCARA robot here because the part has to be tilted.

Common collocations

  • four-axis SCARA
  • SCARA arm
  • SCARA assembly
  • ceiling-mounted SCARA
  • articulated robotA robot arm with a series of rotary joints, usually six, arranged like a human arm with a shoulder, elbow and wrist. It is the most common type of industrial robot.
  • gantry robotA robot that moves along straight X, Y and Z axes mounted on an overhead frame. It can cover a large working area and carry heavy loads.
  • pick and placeA task in which a robot picks up an item in one place and puts it down in another, for example from a conveyor into a box. It is one of the most common robot applications.
  • degrees of freedomThe number of independent ways a robot or a body can move. A typical industrial arm has six, enough to place its tool at a chosen position and orientation within its workspace.

More terms: Robot Types and Components

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