What is the difference between 4-axis 6-axis robots?

1. Before understanding the difference between four-axis  six-axis robots , let’s first look at the difference between three-axis, four-axis, five-axis, six-axis.

1. Three-axis

Can pick up an object, lift it, move it horizontally vertically, set present it

The robot can reach anywhere in the X, Y, Z space without changing the orientation of the object.

2. Four-axis 

You can pick up an object, lift it, move it horizontally, set render it in X, Y, Z space to change the object's orientation along one axis (e.g. yaw).

3. Five-axis  

Can pick up an object, lift it, move it horizontally, set it in X, Y, Z space  

Change the orientation of an object along two axes (yaw pitch).

4. Six-axis  

You can pick up an object, lift it, move it horizontally, set it in X, Y, Z space to change the object's orientation along three axes (yaw, pitch, roll). 

2. Four-axis robot

　　Among small assembly robots, "four-axis SCARA robot" refers to "selective assembly joint robot arm", that is, the arm part of the four-axis robot can move freely in a geometric plane.

　　The first two joints of the SCARA robot can rotate freely left right in the horizontal plane. The third joint consists of a metal rod called a quill a gripper. The rod can move up down in the vertical plane rotate around its vertical axis, but it cannot tilt.

　　This unique design gives four-axis robots great rigidity, allowing them to perform high-speed high-repetition tasks. In packaging applications, four-axis robots excel at high-speed pick--place other material handling tasks.

3. Six-axis robot

　　A six-axis robot has two more joints than a four-axis robot therefore has more "freedom of movement".

　　One joint of the six-axis robot can rotate freely in the horizontal plane like a four-axis robot, the last two joints can move in the vertical plane. In addition, the six-axis robot has an "arm" two "wrist" joints, which gives it similar capabilities to human arms wrists.

　　The additional joints of six-axis robots mean they can pick up parts in any orientation on a horizontal surface place them into packaged products at a specific angle. They can also perform many operations that can only be done by skilled workers.