Glossary · Robotics
Delta robot
Also known as: Parallel robot, Spider robot
German: Delta-Roboter
In robotics, a delta robot is a parallel robot in which three arms, driven by motors on a fixed base, connect through parallelogram linkages to a small moving platform that stays parallel to the base. It is built for very fast, light pick-and-place work.
- Robotics
In one sentence
A delta robot is a parallel robot with three linked arms moving a light platform, used for very fast pick-and-place of small items.
Example
Four delta robots above a conveyor pick chocolates located by a camera and place them into trays at more than 100 picks per minute each.
How it applies
- Engineering: The motors sit on the base, so moving masses are small and accelerations high. Most delta robots add a fourth rotary axis through the center; the working area is a flat, dome-shaped volume under the base. Conveyor tracking with a Vision system is typical.
- Operation and maintenance: High speeds mean the cell is usually fully enclosed. Ball joints and springs of the parallel arms are wear parts; food and pharma variants need washdown-rated designs.
- Documentation: The documentation team should describe the shape of the work envelope with a drawing, the cleaning procedure and the replacement of arm parts, and make clear that interventions are only allowed when the cell is stopped and secured.
Delta robot vs. SCARA robot
Both serve pick-and-place. A delta robot is faster for light parts over a large conveyor area; a SCARA robot carries more payload, reaches farther sideways and offers higher stiffness for insertion tasks.