Page 32 - EE Times Europe Magazine | June2020

32 EE|Times EUROPE

POWER ELECTRONICS
The Rise of the 48-V Robots

By Ali Husain

ndustrial robots are an important element professional service
of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and robots were deployed
as these devices become connected to by 2018, a total that
Isystems and remote sensors, they form represents a staggering
a significant subsection of the internet of increase of more than
things: the industrial IoT (IIoT). 60% over the prior year.
According to the International Federation Two out of every five
of Robotics, or IFR (www.ifr.org), there were service robots deployed
almost 2.5 million industrial robots deployed are classified as auton-
in 2018, and this number is growing at more omous guided vehicles
than 400,000 units annually. The indus- (AGVs) used primarily in
trial, automotive, and electrical/electronic logistics and manufac-
sectors account for more than half of total turing. The personal- and
deployments, with the metal and machinery, domestic-robot market
grew similarly (60%) and
Solutions based on 48 V now comprises about
reduce the need for system 16.3 million units, used for tasks ranging while reducing weight and cost. This opens
from vacuuming to education and research.
up more potential opportunities for robot
protections and reduce the 48 V AND ROBOTICS use to improve the automation of processes
in all industries.
size of conductors, thereby Designers are adopting 48-V power sources Modern applications in which 48-V power
reducing system weight and for a range of applications, in part because is increasingly popular include automotive,
where it is rapidly becoming preferred over
48 V is the highest safe voltage in common
cost as well as power losses. use. Solutions based on 48 V reduce the 12 V for many on-board devices, and cloud
need for system protections compared with computing, where 48-V power distribution
mains-powered devices and reduce the size is used for server backplanes, cooling fans,
plastics and chemical, and food and beverage of conductors compared with 12-V–powered and other telecom-related applications. This
industries being significant users as well. products, thereby reducing system weight prevalence means that devices and subsys-
Approximately 75% of all industrial robots and cost as well as power losses. Motors tems for 48-V power are commonly available,
are deployed in China, Japan, the United that are powered directly by 48 V are also increasing the range of options available to
States, South Korea, and Germany. generally smaller, allowing for smaller and designers and lowering costs through econo-
The rapid adoption of robots is not lighter robotic joints and thereby increasing mies of scale.
confined to the industrial sector; 250,000 machine efficiency, dexterity, and reliability Robots are fairly complex systems;
depending upon the application and func-
tionality, they will comprise a number of
functional elements, including connectivity,
image sensing, position sensing, and motor
control. There are also power subsystems
to consider, including AC/DC conversion,
battery management, DC/DC conversion,
multiphase converters, point-of-load (PoL)
conversion, linear regulation, and motor
drivers. Each of these areas requires an effi-
cient solution for the robot to operate as the
designer intended.
If we were to look at similar functional
block diagrams for automotive or cloud com-
puting systems, we would find a significant
number of similarities with the robot block
diagram. This presents opportunities to
cross-pollinate power solutions from other
applications to robotics. As an example,
electronic fuses are used extensively in
cloud computing to allow for hot-swapping
of storage media and cooling devices such
as fans. However, in a robotics application, IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK
the same e-fuses could be used to introduce
Figure 1: High-level block diagram (including power system) of a typical robot modularity, thereby permitting functional
(Image: ON Semiconductor) blocks (such as tool pieces) to be exchanged

JUNE 2020 | www.eetimes.eu