Introduction

Cylindrical robots are a type of industrial robotic arm that operate differently from conventional robotic arms. Instead of pivoting on a series of axes, cylindrical robots have a primary arm that moves up and down, which is achieved by extending and retracting a built-in cylinder. The rotation is usually generated by gears and a motor, while the vertical motion is created using a pneumatic cylinder in many models. Cylindrical robots utilize a coordinate system with three dimensions to specify point positions. 


This system uses a selected reference axis and relative distances from it, as well as the distance to a selected reference direction and the axis' relative direction, and the distance to the axis perpendicular to a selected reference plane.

Cylindrical robots are particularly useful for objects that require rotational symmetry around their longitudinal axes, such as metal cylinders for heat distribution, long straight wires that produce electromagnetic fields, and rounded cross-sections of straight pipes. 

They are also known for their speed, although this speed can lead to rotational inertia issues that may impact repeatability if the system is not configured properly.

While there are specific situations where cylindrical robots excel in automation performance, many processes can be completed with other types of robots like Cartesian or SCARA robots, which can match their speed and precision. However, cylindrical robots remain a valuable tool in manufacturing and industrial applications where their unique capabilities are necessary.

In this example we will make a Cylindrical robot arm using LEGO SPIKE Prime set.