What are the two sections of a robot manipulator?

• A. The body-and-arm for positioning objects.
• B. The body-and-arm for positioning objects and the wrist assembly for orientation of objects.
• C. The base and end-effector.
• D. The control cabinet and the power supply.

Answer: (B)

Robot manipulators are understood in terms of how they move objects: one part handles where the object goes, and another part handles how the object is oriented. The body-and-arm provide the translational positioning—the X, Y, and Z location and reach of the hand. The wrist assembly at the end of the arm takes care of orientation, rotating and tilting the object so it shows the correct pose for manipulation. This split into positioning and orientation is why the described two sections are the body-and-arm for positioning objects and the wrist assembly for orientation of objects. The base and end-effector, or the control cabinet and power supply, don’t describe this two-part functional division in the same way.