A precision manipulator module for assembly in a minifactory environment

We describe the mechanical and electronic design of a precision, 2-DOF robot manipulator. The manipulator is one of a wide variety of modular robotic agents in the minifactory, a rapidly deployable precision assembly system under development in our laboratory. The manipulator, in cooperation with another type of 2-DOF robot, termed a courier, can perform 4-DOF assembly operations emulating a SCARA robot. This arrangement provides increased precision, higher throughput, smaller footprint, and increased flexibility relative to the SCARA robot.