Robotics and Automation

Materials Science and Manufacturing

Materials science is a study of combinations of fields and termed as materials science and engineering, involves the discovery and designing, with much attention on solids. Materials Science is basically the study of distinct materials and their properties which could vary with change in conditions like pressure, temperature, size etc.

One major area is the application of lightweight materials to the structural integrity of robotic manipulators. Most engineers don't think about it much, but the added mass of an aluminium or iron shield adds to the cost dramatically. Because then you have to size up your servos or Motors to account for this extra mass along with the power needed. If you can reduce the mass on each link of your manipulator by says 50%, this directly correlates to a reduction in production costs as well.

Robots are mostly built of common materials. There are variant types of robots. The operation and strength required are major factors in material selection. Materials and Manufacturing deals with issues that result in best utilization of raw materials and energy, integration of manufacturing and design activities requiring the invention of suitable new manufacturing processes and techniques, unmanned production dependent on efficient and reliable control of various activities including intelligent processing, discovery of new materials in industrial production necessary for new manufacturing process technology.