Abstract: Software and hardware such as part feeding and assembling devices constituting a production system are simplified with the use of a plurality of processing and assembly integrated units in which processing and assembling of parts are coupled and integrated in accordance with products to be produced. The necessities for an automatic warehouse and an automated ground vehicle are eliminated by getting rid of futility of mere movements of the parts. A fundamental idea is that a production system is constructed of units in which three sections--a section for processing a raw material, a check functional section and an assembling section--are integrally combined in accordance with the products to be produced. The parts are processed, checked and assembled by single units just in time while targeting molded parts of plastic and pressed parts.

Abstract: A robot balancer (2) and a method for controlling the balancer is disclosed which has a step or a force sensor (10) mounted on the tip of the arm (3) of the balancer (2), a step or an operational means (21) for calculating the velocity of the balancer from the force given by the force sensor, and a step or a control means (15) for controlling a velocity of the balancer (2) in response to a signal from the force sensor.

Abstract: A system for automatically assembling or processing a large variety of parts of different weights. The system has a first industrial robot whose end having at least three degrees of freedom for movement in horizontal and vertical planes, and a second industrial robot whose end having at least three degrees of freedom for movement in horizontal and vertical planes. The first and second industrial robots are connected to each other by connecting means which carries a sensor adapted to sense the difference of vertical position between the connecting ends of the first and second industrial robots. The operation of the first and second industrial robots is under the control of a controller. The first industrial robot is operated by an instruction given by the controller, while the second industrial robot is operated to follow-up the movement of the first industrial robot, in accordance with the signal derived from the sensor.