How to increase the life of robot chassis

The normal operation of a robot chassis relies on the assurance of various technical indicators, such as sensors, control systems and other functional components.If these parts fail and are not dealt with in a timely manner, the normal operation of the robot chassis will be threatened, and even accidents may occur, or affect the production schedule and efficiency, regular maintenance and repair can effectively reduce the risk of robot failure or accidents.

Ensure mechanical performance and motion accuracy

1. Prevent wear and aging: Mechanical parts such as wheel hubs, tracks, bearings, joints and other mechanical parts of the robot chassis will wear out due to friction during long-term movement, and if they are not lubricated or replaced in a timely manner, it may lead to motion jams, positioning deviation or even parts breakage.

Example: If the driving wheels of industrial AGVs are not regularly cleaned and lubricated, the drop in friction will lead to slippage, affecting the navigation accuracy (e.g., SLAM map matching error of more than ±5cm).

2. Maintain structural strength: Metal frames or composite chassis may loosen or deform under vibration and load impact. Regular inspection of fasteners and structural components can prevent failures caused by mechanical fatigue.

Example: An unmaintained welded chassis will have a 40% higher probability of cracked weld joints after 6 months of continuous use.

Ensure electronic system and sensor stability

3. Prevent circuit failure:Dust, moisture or foreign matter into the circuit board may lead to short circuit or poor contact. For example, dust buildup in the LIDAR window can reduce ranging accuracy (20-30% increase in error) and even trigger false alarms.

Example: A cleaning robot in a food factory that does not regularly clean water vapor from the inside of the motor may cause the motor insulation to fail and shorten its life.

4. Sensor Calibration and Reliability: Sensors such as LIDAR, IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit), and camera need to be calibrated regularly, otherwise the drift of environment sensing data will directly affect the navigation and obstacle avoidance ability.

Example: Uncalibrated IMU may cause the robot to misjudge the attitude on a slope, triggering the emergency stop mechanism.

Prevent sudden breakdowns and safety risks

5. Reduce Downtime Losses:Unmaintained robots can be shut down suddenly due to overheated motors, aging batteries, or drive train failures, resulting in production interruptions.

Example: Preventive maintenance is typically 1/5th of the cost of repair after a failure (e.g. replacing a worn hub costs <$500, whereas 1 day of downtime can cost over $10,000 in industrial losses).

6. Avoid safety hazards: In medical and rescue scenarios, robot failure can jeopardize human safety.

Example: A hospital sterilization robot stuck at the door of an operating room due to chassis failure may delay the emergency process.

Data Accuracy

7. Ensure data quality: Research or mapping robots rely on high-precision sensors to collect data, and unmaintained chassis vibration or positioning errors can lead to data distortion.

Example: A geological exploration robot with a positioning deviation of more than 10cm could result in a faulty geological model.

Extend equipment life and maximize return on investment

8. Reduce Total Life Cycle Costs: Regular maintenance extends the life of key components (e.g. motor life from 5 to 7-8 years) and reduces overall replacement costs.

Example: The annual maintenance cost of an industrial robot chassis is about 2%-5% of the purchase price, but reduces unplanned maintenance expenses by 30%.

9. Maintain technical compatibility: Through firmware upgrades and hardware iterations, older chassis can be adapted to new algorithms or functional modules (e.g., upgrading the ROS2 system to support AI navigation), avoiding obsolescence due to outdated technology.

Caring for and maintaining your robot chassis is a key part of ensuring its long-term stability, maintaining performance, extending its life and reducing overall costs - do you know of any other ways you can increase the life of your robot chassis?