George C. Devol, Inventor of Unimate, Dies at 99
George C. Devol, the inventor of the first robot arm: "Unimate", died on Thursday at his home in Wilton, Conn. He was 99. In May of this year, Mr. Devol was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. The citation states, in part, “George Devol’s patent for the first digitally operated programmable robotic arm represents the foundation of the modern robotics industry.”
Here is his NY Times obituary and a reprint of a Robot Magazine article titled The Rise And Fall Of Unimation. It profiles the history of Unimation, the original company Devol and partner Joseph F. Engelberger formed to produce the Unimate.
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PI USA - Difference between Gantry & Split-Bridge
A traditional gantry system employs X-Y or X-Y-Z range of motion. Mounted on a base plate, usually granite, 2 parallel rails constitute the synchronized Y axis motion while the cross axis (bridge axis) provides the X motion. A vertical axis can be added on the bridge for the Z motion. A Split Bridge system can be less complex than a traditional gantry system because synchronization of the two parallel linear motors is not required. Both systems are used in industrial production, testing, and additive manufacturing.
