Robotics & Automation Glossary

How this glossary is written

The definitions are reviewed by the Piot Engineering technical team. Each definition is one to three sentences and makes sense when read on its own. For the Turkish term we use the word engineers and maintenance staff actually say on the shop floor; where a loanword is the real term (fikstür, TCP, PLC, OEE), we use it and list the alternatives next to it.

The definitions are general information. They do not replace a standard, a regulation or the robot maker's manual. Regulatory and product lifecycle information is current as of October 2026.

Robot cells and robots

This section covers robot types, core specifications such as payload and repeatability, and the tooling, teach pendants and programming methods that turn a robot into a working cell.

Absolute accuracyTurkish: Mutlak doğruluk: Absolute accuracy is how close a robot actually gets to a point defined by coordinates. On most robots it is noticeably worse than repeatability, and it matters in offline programming, where points are calculated rather than taught; it can be improved by a calibration that corrects the robot's kinematic model from measurements.; Also called: positioning accuracy, pose accuracy
CobotTurkish: Cobot: A cobot is a robot designed with safety functions such as force and speed limiting so that it can work in the same space as people. The current ISO 10218:2025 ties safety to the application, not the robot: a cobot alone is not enough, and the whole application, including the tool, the part and the motions, must be risk-assessed and validated as collaborative.; Also called: collaborative robot, collaborative application, human-robot collaboration, HRC
Delta robotTurkish: Delta robot: A delta robot is a robot with three (sometimes four) parallel arms joined to a base mounted above the work area, built to pick and place light products at very high speed. It is common in food, pharmaceutical and packaging lines for picking from conveyors; its payload and reach are small.; Also called: parallel robot, spider robot, pick-and-place robot
FlexPendantTurkish: FlexPendant: FlexPendant is the name of ABB's teach pendant used with the IRC5 and OmniCore robot controllers; it is an ABB product name, not a brand. It has a touchscreen, a joystick, an emergency stop button and an enabling switch.; Also called: ABB FlexPendant, ABB teach pendant; Related page: Board and drive repair
GripperTurkish: Tutucu: A gripper is the tool on the robot wrist that grasps, carries and releases the part; it can use vacuum, mechanical fingers, magnets or a combination. Grippers, torches and any other wrist-mounted tools are also called EOAT (end-of-arm tooling). In handling cells success usually depends less on the robot than on the gripper and how the part arrives at it.; Also called: EOAT, end-of-arm tooling, end effector; Related page: Grippers
Machine tendingTurkish: Makine besleme: Machine tending is a robot loading raw parts into a machine such as a CNC machine, press or injection moulding machine and unloading finished ones. The gain comes from keeping the machine running through breaks, shift changes and nights; success usually depends on the gripper and on how parts are presented to the robot.; Also called: machine loading and unloading, CNC machine tending, robotic machine tending; Related page: Machine tending
MasteringTurkish: Robot kalibrasyonu: Mastering is the procedure that matches each axis's mechanical zero position with the zero value the controller knows. It is done after a motor or gearbox change, a collision or a loss of position data, and checked when a cell is relocated; without it the robot does not go to its programmed points.; Also called: axis calibration, calibration, zero-point calibration, revolution counter update; Related page: Robot cell relocation
Offline programmingTurkish: Offline programlama: Offline programming is writing and testing a robot program on a computer, against a 3D model of the cell, without stopping production. Once the program is loaded on site, points are touched up against the real part and fixture, because the model does not reproduce real part variation or the robot's absolute accuracy exactly.; Also called: OLP, off-line programming; Related page: Simulation and cycle time
PalletizingTurkish: Paletleme: Palletizing is stacking boxes, sacks or parts onto a pallet in layers according to a set pallet pattern; in robotic palletizing a four-axis or six-axis robot usually does the job. The pattern, slip sheet placement and pallet changeover are the main topics of cell design.; Also called: palletising, robotic palletizing; Related page: Palletizing
PayloadTurkish: Taşıma kapasitesi: Payload is the maximum mass a robot can carry at its wrist; the gripper or tool and the part together must stay within it. The distance of the load's centre of gravity from the wrist and its inertia also count, so robots are selected using the maker's load diagram, not the headline figure alone.; Also called: payload capacity, rated load, handling capacity; Related page: Robot Cells
PositionerTurkish: Pozisyoner: A positioner is a motorised unit that turns or tilts the part, together with its fixture, so that the robot can reach every seam at the right angle, usually in the flat position. It can be connected to the robot controller as an external axis and move in coordination with the robot. On two-station types an operator loads one side while the robot welds the other.; Also called: welding positioner, turntable, rotary table; Related page: Welding robot cell
ReachTurkish: Erişim mesafesi: Reach is the furthest distance from the robot's base axis that its wrist centre can get to, given in mm. Tool length, the required torch or gripper angle and obstacles shrink the usable area, so reach is checked point by point in cell simulation.; Also called: robot reach, working range, working envelope; Related page: Simulation and cycle time
RepeatabilityTurkish: Tekrarlanabilirlik: Repeatability is how closely a robot returns to the same programmed point over many repetitions, given in ± mm according to ISO 9283. It does not describe how accurately the robot reaches a point in absolute terms, and it says nothing about whether the part is in the same place every time.; Also called: pose repeatability, position repeatability; Related page: Seam tracking
Robot cellTurkish: Robot hücresi: A robot cell is a guarded work area in which one or more industrial robots carry out a single production task together with the fixture, gripper or torch, safety guarding, control panel and part feeding equipment around them. A bare robot does nothing on its own; everything that holds the part, protects people and connects to the line is part of the cell.; Also called: robotic cell, robotic work cell; Related page: Robot Cells
Robot controllerTurkish: Robot kontrolcüsü: A robot controller is the cabinet holding the computer, drive units and power supply that run the robot program, drive the axis motors and manage the safety circuits. The controller generation (for example ABB S4C+, IRC5, OmniCore; KUKA KR C2, KR C4, KR C5) decides how easy spare parts are to find and which software options are available.; Also called: robot control cabinet, controller cabinet; Related page: Board and drive repair
Robot simulationTurkish: Robot simülasyonu: Robot simulation is building a robot cell in 3D on a computer to check, before anything is built, that the robot can reach every point, that nothing collides and what the cycle time will be. Common software includes RobotStudio, KUKA.Sim, Process Simulate and Visual Components. It does not show real part variation, cable routing or operator behaviour.; Also called: cell simulation, 3D robot simulation; Related page: Simulation and cycle time
SCARA robotTurkish: SCARA robot: A SCARA robot (Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm) is a robot, usually with four axes, that has two horizontal rotating arms and a vertical axis, which make it fast and stiff in the horizontal plane. It is used for small-part pick-and-place, screwing and assembly; because it can only rotate the tool about the vertical axis, it cannot replace a six-axis robot for work at tilted angles.; Also called: SCARA, Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm
Six-axis robotTurkish: Altı eksenli robot: A six-axis robot is an industrial robot with six rotary joints, which let it bring its tool to a point in its working envelope and also set the tool's angle there freely. It is the most common robot type for welding, palletizing, machine tending and assembly.; Also called: 6-axis robot, articulated robot, industrial robot arm; Related page: Robot Cells
smartPADTurkish: smartPAD: smartPAD is the name of KUKA's teach pendant used with the KR C4 and KR C5 robot controllers. It has a touchscreen, a 6D mouse, an emergency stop button and enabling switches; older KR C2 controllers use a pendant called the KCP instead.; Also called: KUKA smartPAD, smartPAD-2, KUKA teach pendant; Related page: Board and drive repair
System integratorTurkish: Sistem entegratörü: A system integrator is an engineering company that turns robots, PLCs, sensors and mechanical equipment from different makers into a working production system through design, programming, installation and commissioning. The robot maker sells the robot; the integrator works out how it holds the part, how it runs safely and how it talks to the line.; Also called: robot integrator, robotics integrator; Related page: Robot Cells
TCPTurkish: TCP: The TCP (tool center point) is the point at the end of the tool that the robot positions and that the program refers to; on a welding robot it is usually the wire tip at a set stick-out. If the torch is bent in a collision the TCP shifts and the robot welds in the wrong place although the program has not changed, which is why the TCP is checked regularly and re-measured when needed.; Also called: tool center point, tool centre point; Related page: Welding robot cell
Teach pendantTurkish: El terminali: A teach pendant is the handheld panel, cabled to the robot controller, that operators use to jog the robot, teach points, run programs and read alarms. It carries an emergency stop button and an enabling switch. Because pendants get dropped, crushed and have their cables damaged, they are always near the top of spare-parts lists.; Also called: pendant, robot teach pendant, TP; Related page: Board and drive repair
Tool changerTurkish: Takım değiştirici: A tool changer is a two-part coupling, with a robot side and a tool side, that lets the robot swap the tool on its wrist (for example different grippers for different parts) under program control, without a person stepping in. It also passes air, power and signal connections through, and is used when one cell has to handle several part types.; Also called: automatic tool changer, robot tool changer, quick changer; Related page: Grippers
TurnkeyTurkish: Anahtar teslim: Turnkey describes a project in which one contractor delivers a machine or system from design through installation, commissioning and training, and the customer takes it over ready to run. Responsibility for the interfaces and for the agreed performance sits with one company.; Also called: turnkey project, turnkey system; Related page: Robot Cells
Used robotTurkish: İkinci el robot: A used robot is an industrial robot that has worked on another line and been removed and resold; it costs less than a new robot for the same capacity. The risks are unknown operating hours, missing documentation and hard-to-find parts for an old controller generation, so it should be tested, serviced and calibrated before it goes into production.; Also called: second-hand robot, refurbished robot; Related page: Used robot integration
Vacuum gripperTurkish: Vakumlu tutucu: A vacuum gripper holds the part by suction through suction cups fed by a vacuum generator (an ejector or a pump). It suits sheet metal, boxes and parts with flat surfaces; on perforated, oily or very rough surfaces the grip weakens, so the vacuum level is usually monitored with a vacuum switch.; Also called: suction gripper, suction cup gripper; Related page: Grippers

Robotic welding

This section explains MIG/MAG welding, seam tracking and weld pool monitoring, the weld defects most often seen in robotic welding, and how weld quality is checked.

Arc sensingTurkish: Ark ile takip: Arc sensing (through-arc seam tracking) corrects the robot path during welding by measuring changes in the welding current while the torch weaves across the joint. When the torch moves closer to a joint wall the wire stick-out shortens and the current rises, so the controller compares the current on each side and shifts the path. It needs no extra sensor, but it requires weaving and a joint with clear side walls, such as a fillet or V-groove, and struggles on thin sheet.; Also called: through-arc seam tracking, through-the-arc tracking; Related page: Seam tracking
Burn-throughTurkish: Delinme: Burn-through is the heat of welding melting right through the sheet and leaving a hole in the seam. It appears on thin sheet, where the gap is larger than expected, or where the current is too high or the travel speed too low; a weld that drifts off the seam can cause it too.; Also called: burn through, blow-through; Related page: Weld pool monitoring
Cut-and-etchTurkish: Kesit alma: Cut-and-etch (macro section) is a destructive test in which a welded sample part is cut across the seam, ground, etched and examined under low magnification to measure penetration, leg length and throat thickness. It is the usual way automotive suppliers prove weld quality, but it destroys the part, takes time and checks only the chosen sample.; Also called: macro section, macro etch test, weld cross-section; Related page: Weld pool monitoring
Fit-upTurkish: Fit-up: Fit-up is how the parts to be welded are positioned against each other before welding, and whether the gap, misalignment and angle between them are within tolerance. In robotic welding poor fit-up means varying gaps and missed seams; it is one of the most common causes of burn-through and lack of fusion, and it depends directly on fixture design.; Also called: joint fit-up, part fit-up; Related page: Fixtures
Heat distortionTurkish: Isıl çarpılma: Heat distortion is the permanent change in a part's shape and dimensions caused by metal expanding with welding heat and shrinking as it cools. On long seams the part can move during welding and the seam drifts away from the programmed path; weld sequence, clamping points in the fixture and heat input are the main ways to reduce it.; Also called: welding distortion, thermal distortion, warpage; Related page: Seam tracking
Lack of fusionTurkish: Ergime yetersizliği: Lack of fusion is a weld defect in which the weld metal does not fully fuse with the base metal or the previous pass, leaving an unbonded surface between them. It is often invisible from outside and seriously weakens the joint; the usual causes are a wrong torch angle, a wire that is off the seam, too little heat input or too high a travel speed. Incomplete root penetration is a separate defect.; Also called: incomplete fusion, cold lap; Related page: Weld pool monitoring
Laser seam trackingTurkish: Lazer dikiş takibi: Laser seam tracking uses a sensor mounted ahead of the torch that projects a laser line across the joint and reads its shape with a camera (triangulation) to measure the seam position and geometry, then corrects the robot path during welding. It adds no search time and works on thin sheet; the sensor takes up space in front of the torch, which can limit access in tight areas, and its protective glass needs regular cleaning.; Also called: optical seam tracking, laser vision seam tracking; Related page: Seam tracking
MIG/MAG weldingTurkish: MIG/MAG kaynağı: MIG/MAG welding (GMAW, gas metal arc welding) is an arc welding process in which an arc burns between a continuously fed wire electrode and the part, while a shielding gas protects the weld pool from the air. MIG uses an inert gas (argon, helium) and MAG an active gas or mix (for example CO2 or argon-CO2); MAG is the most common process for robotic welding of steel parts.; Also called: GMAW, gas metal arc welding, MIG welding, MAG welding; Related page: Welding robot cell
PorosityTurkish: Gözenek: Porosity is cavities left by gas trapped in the weld metal as it solidifies; they may show on the surface or stay inside the weld. The main causes are poor or disturbed gas shielding (a nozzle clogged with spatter, draughts), oily, rusty or coated surfaces such as galvanised steel, and moisture.; Also called: gas pores, blowholes, gas porosity; Related page: Weld pool monitoring
Seam trackingTurkish: Kaynak dikişi takibi: Seam tracking is a system that finds where the weld seam actually is, before or during welding, and corrects the robot path to match. It is used when part tolerances, fixture wear or heat distortion move the seam away from the programmed path; the main methods are touch sensing, arc sensing and laser or camera-based optical tracking. It does not make up for a bad fixture that seats the part differently every time.; Also called: weld seam tracking, joint tracking; Related page: Seam tracking
SpatterTurkish: Kaynak sıçrantısı: Spatter is small droplets of metal thrown out of the weld pool during welding that stick to the part, the fixture and the torch nozzle. It creates cleaning work on the part, disturbs gas shielding when it builds up in the nozzle and can cause faults in fixtures and sensors; welding parameters, gas mix and wire quality decide how much there is.; Also called: weld spatter; Related page: Welding robot cell
Torch cleaning stationTurkish: Torç temizleme istasyonu: A torch cleaning station is the unit the welding robot visits at set intervals, where a reamer cuts the spatter out of the gas nozzle, anti-spatter fluid is sprayed into it and the wire is cut to length. Spatter build-up in the nozzle disturbs the gas flow and causes porosity; the cleaning interval is set in the robot program.; Also called: reamer, torch cleaner, nozzle cleaning station; Related page: Welding robot cell
Touch sensingTurkish: Dokunarak arama: Touch sensing is a seam finding method in which a sensing voltage is applied to the welding wire (or gas nozzle), the robot moves slowly until it touches the part, and the contact position is used to shift the program. It needs no extra sensor, but every search takes time that adds to the cycle, and it cannot see distortion that happens during welding.; Also called: wire touch sensing, seam finding, touch sense; Related page: Seam tracking
UndercutTurkish: Yanma oluğu: Undercut is a groove melted into the base metal along the edge of the weld and left unfilled by weld metal. Too high current or voltage, a wrong torch angle or too high a travel speed are the usual causes; it acts as a notch at the weld toe and lowers fatigue strength.; Also called: weld undercut, edge undercut; Related page: Weld pool monitoring
WeavingTurkish: Salınım: Weaving is the robot moving the torch from side to side in a regular pattern as it travels along the seam. It is used to make a wider bead, bridge gaps and fuse into the side walls; arc sensing also relies on it, measuring the current during the weave.; Also called: weave, torch weaving, oscillation; Related page: Welding robot cell
Weld poolTurkish: Kaynak banyosu: The weld pool is the zone of liquid metal under the arc, where the base metal and the filler wire melt together during welding; when it solidifies it becomes the weld bead. The size, shape and behaviour of the pool directly affect quality results such as penetration, porosity and burn-through.; Also called: molten pool, weld puddle; Related page: Weld pool monitoring
Weld pool monitoringTurkish: Kaynak banyosu izleme: Weld pool monitoring is a system that watches the weld pool with a high-dynamic-range (HDR) camera that can see through the arc light, and flags welds that deviate from normal while they are being made. Instead of cutting up a sample part, it aims to check every weld on every part and keep a record; whether it can fully replace cut-and-etch checks depends on the customer's or OEM's approval.; Also called: weld pool camera, in-process weld monitoring, weld monitoring; Related page: Weld pool monitoring
Welding torchTurkish: Kaynak torcu: A welding torch is the tool on the robot wrist that delivers the wire, the welding current and the shielding gas to the weld in MIG/MAG welding. It is made up of wear parts such as the contact tip, gas nozzle and neck, and is usually mounted through a collision sensor or breakaway mount.; Also called: robotic welding torch, MIG torch, torch; Related page: Welding robot cell

Controls and automation

This section covers PLCs, HMIs, SCADA, drives and the Siemens SIMATIC family, along with the terms for obsolete control systems and their migration.

Drive (VFD)Turkish: Sürücü: A drive (variable frequency drive, VFD) is an electronic device that controls the speed and torque of an AC motor by varying the voltage and frequency it supplies. Drives run conveyor, pump, fan and machine motors; older drive families such as Siemens MASTERDRIVES face the same spare-part problem as old PLCs and are replaced with current series such as SINAMICS.; Also called: variable frequency drive, frequency inverter, inverter, AC drive; Related page: PLC migration (S5 / S7-300)
ET 200SP / ET 200MPTurkish: ET 200SP / ET 200MP: ET 200SP and ET 200MP are Siemens distributed I/O systems that connect to the PLC over a network, mostly PROFINET; they replace the ET 200S and ET 200M families of the S7-300 era. ET 200MP is modular and uses the same I/O modules as the S7-1500, while ET 200SP is a compact system built from small modules that takes less cabinet space.; Also called: ET200SP, ET200MP, distributed I/O, remote I/O; Related page: PLC migration (S5 / S7-300)
HMITurkish: HMI: An HMI (human-machine interface) is the operator panel, usually a touchscreen, where operators see a machine's status, alarms and counts and give commands. The HMI does not control the machine itself; it is connected to the PLC, shows its data and passes commands to it.; Also called: human-machine interface, operator panel, touch panel; Related page: PLC / SCADA support
I/OTurkish: I/O: I/O (inputs and outputs) are the PLC's connection points to the outside world: inputs take signals from sensors, buttons and switches, and outputs drive valves, contactors and lamps. They are either digital (on/off) or analog (varying values such as pressure or temperature); a PLC migration starts by listing every I/O point.; Also called: inputs and outputs, IO, I/O list; Related page: PLC migration (S5 / S7-300)
Inductive sensorTurkish: Endüktif sensör: An inductive sensor detects a metal object without contact; in fixtures it confirms that the part is in place. Strong magnetic fields from resistance and arc welding can trigger standard sensors falsely and spatter damages them, so weld cells use sensors built to resist magnetic fields and coated against spatter.; Also called: inductive proximity sensor, part-present sensor, weld-field immune sensor; Related page: Senstronic sensors
Machine visionTurkish: Görüntü işleme: Machine vision is a system that uses industrial cameras and software to check a part's presence, position, dimensions or defects automatically. In robot cells it finds parts that arrive in random positions, and in quality control it rejects bad parts; lighting and variation in the part surface decide most of the result.; Also called: vision system, industrial image processing, camera inspection; Related page: Machine vision
ObsolescenceTurkish: Ömür sonu: Obsolescence is the situation in which a PLC, drive, board or robot controller is no longer made by its manufacturer, its spare parts become scarce and expensive, and support finally ends. The real risk is a failure with no part available and a line down for days, which is why the migration is planned before the breakdown.; Also called: end of life, EOL, product obsolescence; Related page: post.plc-obsolescence
PLCTurkish: PLC: A PLC (programmable logic controller) is an industrial computer built for the factory floor that reads signals from sensors and, following its program, drives motors, valves and other outputs. A machine's or line's operating logic runs in the PLC; Siemens SIMATIC, Rockwell Allen-Bradley, Mitsubishi and Omron are common makes.; Also called: programmable logic controller, programmable controller; Related page: PLC / SCADA support
PLCSIMTurkish: PLCSIM: PLCSIM (S7-PLCSIM) is Siemens software that runs and tests S7 PLC programs on a computer without real hardware. The PLCSIM Advanced version provides a virtual S7-1500 controller that can be connected to external simulation software and is used for virtual commissioning.; Also called: S7-PLCSIM, PLCSIM Advanced, PLC simulator; Related page: Simulation and cycle time
PM410Turkish: PM410: PM410 is the Siemens product lifecycle status called type discontinuation (product cancellation): the product is no longer sold new and is supplied only in spare-part quantities for existing installations. It follows PM300 (active product) and PM400 (phase-out announcement) and comes before PM490 (end of spare-parts obligation) and PM500 (end of life). SIMATIC S7-300 and ET 200M entered PM410 on 1 October 2025.; Also called: P.M410, type discontinuation, product cancellation; Related page: post.plc-obsolescence
PROFINETTurkish: PROFINET: PROFINET is an Ethernet-based industrial communication standard that lets a PLC exchange data in real time with field devices such as distributed I/O, drives, robots and HMIs. It is maintained by PROFIBUS & PROFINET International (PI) and is the standard network on Siemens S7-1500 systems; safety signals can run over the same network with PROFIsafe.; Also called: Profinet, industrial Ethernet; Related page: Machine and line automation
RetrofitTurkish: Retrofit: A retrofit replaces the ageing control system, drives or robot controller of a working machine or line with a current platform while keeping the mechanics. It usually costs less than a new machine and is mostly done within a planned shutdown window such as a public holiday, year-end or summer break.; Also called: modernisation, modernization, control system upgrade, migration; Related page: PLC migration (S5 / S7-300)
SCADATurkish: SCADA: SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) is the higher-level software system that shows the machines of a line or plant on one screen, collects data from the PLCs, and logs alarms and production data. Downtime reasons, part counts and energy use are usually reported from SCADA; WinCC, Ignition and AVEVA (Wonderware) are common examples.; Also called: supervisory control and data acquisition; Related page: Machine and line automation
Servo driveTurkish: Servo sürücü: A servo drive controls the position, speed and torque of a servo motor in a closed loop, using feedback from an encoder or resolver on the motor. Robot axes, positioners and other axes that need precise positioning run on servo drives; the drive units inside a robot controller are of this type.; Also called: servo amplifier, servo controller; Related page: Board and drive repair
SIMATIC S5Turkish: SIMATIC S5: SIMATIC S5 is Siemens' PLC family from before the S7 series, which replaced it from the mid-1990s. It went out of production long ago and Siemens support has also ended, so spare parts come only from the second-hand and repair market. S5 programs are usually moved to a new platform by re-engineering them, not with a conversion tool alone.; Also called: S5, Siemens S5, S5 PLC; Related page: PLC migration (S5 / S7-300)
SIMATIC S7-1500Turkish: SIMATIC S7-1500: SIMATIC S7-1500 is Siemens' current modular PLC family, the successor to S7-300 and S7-400, and it is programmed only in TIA Portal. It has built-in PROFINET and failsafe (F) CPU versions, and works with ET 200MP and ET 200SP distributed I/O.; Also called: S7-1500, Siemens S7-1500; Related page: PLC migration (S5 / S7-300)
SIMATIC S7-300Turkish: SIMATIC S7-300: SIMATIC S7-300 is Siemens' modular PLC family and one of the most widely used PLC families in the world. S7-300 and ET 200M moved to Siemens lifecycle status PM410 (type discontinuation) on 1 October 2025: they are no longer sold for new projects or extensions, only in spare-part quantities. The successor is SIMATIC S7-1500.; Also called: S7-300, Siemens S7-300; Related page: PLC migration (S5 / S7-300)
TIA PortalTurkish: TIA Portal: TIA Portal (Totally Integrated Automation Portal) is Siemens' engineering software for programming and configuring PLCs, HMIs and drives in one project. SIMATIC S7-1200 and S7-1500 can only be programmed in TIA Portal; S7-300 and S7-400 are programmed in either TIA Portal or the older STEP 7 (V5.x), and SIMATIC S5 is not supported in TIA Portal.; Also called: Totally Integrated Automation Portal, STEP 7 (TIA Portal); Related page: PLC migration (S5 / S7-300)
Virtual commissioningTurkish: Sanal devreye alma: Virtual commissioning is testing the real PLC program against a simulation model of the cell or machine on a computer, so logic errors are found at a desk instead of on site during a shutdown. It does not show real part variation, sensor settings or mechanical tolerances; on-site commissioning gets shorter but does not disappear.; Also called: VC, digital twin commissioning; Related page: Simulation and cycle time

Machine safety and CE

These terms describe the legal and physical safety of a robot cell, from risk assessment and CE marking to safety standards and protective equipment such as light curtains and emergency stops.

CE markingTurkish: CE işareti: CE marking is the mark by which a manufacturer declares, on its own responsibility, that a product meets the essential health and safety requirements of the applicable legislation. It is not a quality certificate; behind it there must be a risk assessment, a technical file and a Declaration of Conformity. In a robot cell the CE mark goes on the whole cell, not on the robot arm.; Also called: CE mark, CE certification
Declaration of ConformityTurkish: Uygunluk Beyanı: A Declaration of Conformity is the signed document in which the manufacturer declares that a machine meets the requirements of the applicable legislation; it accompanies the machine together with the CE mark. It identifies the machine, the legislation and standards applied and the person authorised to compile the technical file.; Also called: EU Declaration of Conformity, EC Declaration of Conformity, DoC
Declaration of IncorporationTurkish: Birleştirme beyanı: A Declaration of Incorporation is the document supplied with partly completed machinery, meaning equipment that cannot do a job on its own and is built to be incorporated into another machine, stating which essential requirements it meets. A robot arm is usually delivered with one; the CE mark and Declaration of Conformity under the machinery rules are issued for the complete cell by whoever builds it.; Also called: DoI, partly completed machinery, declaration of incorporation of partly completed machinery
Emergency stopTurkish: Acil stop: An emergency stop is a safety function that stops a machine with a single hand action in a dangerous situation, usually triggered by a red mushroom-head button on a yellow background. It is designed to ISO 13850 and works with stop category 0 or 1 of IEC 60204-1; the button latches when pressed, and releasing it must not restart the machine by itself. It complements safeguarding and does not replace it.; Also called: E-stop, emergency stop button, mushroom button
ISO 10218Turkish: ISO 10218: ISO 10218 is the international standard for the safety of industrial robots, revised in 2025. Part 1 (ISO 10218-1) is for robot manufacturers and covers the design of the robot itself; Part 2 (ISO 10218-2) is for integrators and covers robot applications and cells, including guarding, safety circuits and collaborative applications. The collaborative application requirements of the former ISO/TS 15066 are now part of the 2025 edition.; Also called: EN ISO 10218, ISO 10218-1, ISO 10218-2
Light curtainTurkish: Işık perdesi: A light curtain (safety light curtain) is a safety device that forms an invisible curtain of parallel infrared beams between a transmitter and a receiver and sends a stop signal to the machine when any beam is interrupted. It is used at openings where access or material flow is needed without a door, and it is mounted at a safety distance calculated to ISO 13855 so the hazardous motion stops before a person can reach it.; Also called: safety light curtain, ESPE, AOPD
Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230Turkish: Makine Yönetmeliği (AB) 2023/1230: Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 replaces the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC and applies directly to machinery placed on the EU market from 20 January 2027, with no transition period. Compared with the directive it sets clearer rules for safety-related software and AI, cybersecurity, partly completed machinery and substantial modifications to existing machines.; Also called: Machinery Regulation, EU 2023/1230, new Machinery Regulation
Machinery Safety Regulation (Turkey)Turkish: Makina Emniyeti Yönetmeliği: The Machinery Safety Regulation (Makina Emniyeti Yönetmeliği, 2006/42/AT) is Turkey's transposition of the EU Machinery Directive, published in the Turkish Official Gazette on 3 March 2009. It requires a risk assessment, technical file, EC Declaration of Conformity and CE marking for machinery placed on the market or put into service in Turkey.; Also called: Makina Emniyeti Yönetmeliği, Makine Emniyeti Yönetmeliği, Turkish Machinery Safety Regulation
MutingTurkish: Muting: Muting is the temporary, automatic suspension of a light curtain's protective function so that material, such as a pallet, can pass through it, confirmed by separate muting sensors that tell material from people. Protection returns by itself once the material has passed; muting is a safety function and is designed to ISO 13849-1 and IEC 62046.; Also called: muting function, light curtain muting; Related page: Palletizing
Performance Level (PL)Turkish: Performans Seviyesi (PL): Performance Level (PL) is the five-step scale, a to e, that ISO 13849-1 uses to express how reliably a machine's safety function (a door interlock or an emergency stop, for example) performs against dangerous failure; e is the highest. The required level (PLr) comes from the risk assessment, and the achieved level is calculated from the circuit architecture (category), component reliability (MTTFd), diagnostic coverage (DC) and measures against common cause failures. PL d is a common requirement for safety functions in robot cells.; Also called: ISO 13849, ISO 13849-1, PL, PLr, PL d
Risk assessmentTurkish: Risk değerlendirmesi: Risk assessment is the systematic process of identifying the hazards of a machine or robot cell across its whole life, estimating each risk and deciding which measures reduce it enough. The basic standard for machinery is ISO 12100; it is the basis for CE marking and for the required Performance Level (PLr) of the safety circuits.; Also called: machinery risk assessment, ISO 12100
Safety fenceTurkish: Emniyet çiti: A safety fence is the fixed guard around a robot cell that physically keeps people out of the hazardous motion area. Its height and distance from the hazard are set according to ISO 13857, and it is completed with interlocked doors that stop the robot when opened and, where needed, light curtains.; Also called: guarding, perimeter guarding, machine guarding, safety fencing; Related page: Robot Cells
Safety laser scannerTurkish: Emniyet lazer tarayıcı: A safety laser scanner is a safety device that sweeps a horizontal area with a rotating laser beam, detects people or objects entering a defined protective field, and sends a stop or slow-down signal to the machine. Protective and warning fields are defined in software and can be switched as needed, which makes scanners useful for large or changing areas that are hard to fence.; Also called: laser scanner, area scanner, safety scanner
Substantial modificationTurkish: Önemli değişiklik: Under Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230, a substantial modification is a physical or digital change to a machine after it was placed on the market or put into service, not foreseen by the manufacturer, that creates a new hazard or increases an existing risk and therefore needs new guards or protective devices requiring changes to the safety control system, or extra measures for stability or mechanical strength. Whoever makes it is treated as the manufacturer and must carry out the conformity assessment again. Relocating a cell, adding a robot to a line or changing a safety circuit should be assessed against this.; Also called: significant modification, substantial change; Related page: Robot cell relocation

Maintenance and service

These are the terms for keeping existing robots and lines running, such as preventive maintenance, spare parts, board repair and measures of downtime.

Backup batteryTurkish: Robot yedek pili: A robot backup battery is the battery that, on many robots, keeps the axis position data, the motors' revolution counters, while the robot is switched off. On ABB robots it powers the serial measurement board (SMB) on the robot; when it runs flat the position data is lost and the revolution counters must be updated before the robot can run again. That is why it is replaced during preventive maintenance.; Also called: SMB battery, encoder battery, robot battery; Related page: Robot maintenance
Board-level repairTurkish: Kart tamiri: Board-level repair is finding and replacing the failed component on a faulty electronic board (drive, power supply, control or I/O board) and testing the board, instead of replacing the whole board. For older controller generations whose boards are no longer made or have long lead times, it is often the fastest and cheapest route; the extent of the damage and the availability of components decide whether a board can be repaired.; Also called: board repair, PCB repair, component-level repair; Related page: Board and drive repair
Cell relocationTurkish: Hücre taşıma: Cell relocation is dismantling a working robot cell, moving it to a new hall or plant, re-installing and levelling it, checking the robot's axis calibration, re-validating its safety and re-commissioning it. Because it can count as a substantial modification, the risk assessment should be reviewed; the job is usually fitted into a planned shutdown window.; Also called: robot cell relocation, line relocation, plant relocation; Related page: Robot cell relocation
Dress packTurkish: Dress pack: A dress pack is the package of cables, hoses and signal lines, with its holders and guides, that runs along the robot arm to the torch or gripper. On welding robots it wears quickly, especially at the wrist where it bends constantly; a worn dress pack causes wire feed problems, gas leaks and broken cables.; Also called: dresspack, robot cable package, hose package; Related page: Robot maintenance
Exchange partTurkish: Değişimli parça: An exchange part is a spare-part arrangement in which a tested, refurbished equivalent is sent to the customer straight away and the faulty part is returned, instead of waiting for the faulty one to be repaired. It cuts downtime by the length of the repair; the price usually depends on the returned part being repairable.; Also called: exchange unit, swap part, repair exchange; Related page: Robot spare parts
Gearbox oil changeTurkish: Redüktör yağ değişimi: A gearbox oil change is replacing the oil or grease in a robot's axis gearboxes at the operating-hour intervals, and with the type and quantity, set by the robot maker. If it is put off, wear and backlash grow in the gearbox, the robot's repeatability suffers and eventually an expensive gearbox replacement is needed.; Also called: gearbox grease change, reducer lubrication, gear oil change; Related page: Robot maintenance
Maintenance contractTurkish: Bakım anlaşması: A maintenance contract is a service agreement that fixes in advance the scope and price of preventive maintenance and breakdown support, often including response times and spare-part terms. Its value to the plant is knowing beforehand who will come, how fast and with what knowledge when something breaks.; Also called: service contract, service agreement, maintenance agreement; Related page: Service & Parts
MTBFTurkish: MTBF: MTBF (mean time between failures) is how long a repairable piece of equipment runs on average between two failures, calculated as total operating time divided by the number of failures. A high MTBF shows reliability and a low MTTR shows how quickly the equipment recovers; together they set availability.; Also called: mean time between failures; Related page: Robot maintenance
MTTRTurkish: MTTR: MTTR (mean time to repair) is the average time from the start of a failure until the equipment runs again, calculated as total repair time divided by the number of failures. It includes diagnosis, waiting for parts and the repair itself; having the spare part on the shelf and a technician who knows the controller generation shorten it directly.; Also called: mean time to repair, mean time to restore; Related page: Service & Parts
Preventive maintenanceTurkish: Periyodik bakım: Preventive maintenance is planned maintenance in which equipment is checked and its wear parts replaced at operating-hour or calendar intervals set by the manufacturer, before anything fails. On robots, typical items are gearbox oil or grease changes, backup battery replacement, cable harness and brake checks, controller fan and filter cleaning, and program backups.; Also called: planned maintenance, periodic maintenance, PM; Related page: Robot maintenance
Spare partsTurkish: Yedek parça: Spare parts are parts kept for replacement during breakdowns or maintenance; on robots the most critical ones are drive and control boards, motors, gearboxes, teach pendants and cable harnesses. The real question is not the price of the part but whether it is on a shelf nearby when something fails, and how long the line stands still until it arrives.; Also called: robot spare parts, critical spares, spares; Related page: Robot spare parts
Unplanned downtimeTurkish: Plansız duruş: Unplanned downtime is time in which a machine or line cannot produce because of a cause that was not planned, such as a breakdown or a missing part. Its cost is not only the repair; lost output, overtime and, in automotive, the risk of stopping the customer's line all count.; Also called: unscheduled downtime, breakdown downtime; Related page: Service & Parts

Mechanical design and manufacturing

This section covers the fixtures and clamps that hold a part in the same place in front of the robot every time, the conveyors that bring it there, and how these are made.

3-2-1 locating principleTurkish: 3-2-1 konumlandırma prensibi: The 3-2-1 locating principle is the fixture design rule that fully constrains a part's six degrees of freedom with three reference points on one surface, two on a second and one on a third. The part is then neither under- nor over-constrained; for thin, flexible sheet-metal parts, extra support points are added to stop sagging (N-2-1).; Also called: 3-2-1 rule, 3-2-1 method; Related page: Fixtures
Accumulation conveyorTurkish: Biriktirmeli konveyör: An accumulation conveyor lets products queue and wait with little or no pressure on each other, creating a buffer between stations. When one station stops briefly, the stations before and after it can keep running; zero-pressure types work with rollers divided into zones.; Also called: buffer conveyor, zero-pressure accumulation conveyor; Related page: Conveyors
ClampTurkish: Bağlama elemanı: A clamp presses the part against the locating pins and reference surfaces so it cannot move during the operation. The pins set the position and the clamp only holds; a clamp that pushes the part out of place or deforms it causes position errors.; Also called: toggle clamp, fixture clamp, workholding clamp; Related page: Fixtures
ConveyorTurkish: Konveyör: A conveyor is a mechanical system that moves parts, boxes or pallets from one point to another continuously or in controlled steps; the main types are belt, roller, chain and modular plastic belt conveyors. In robot cells it brings parts to the robot and takes them away, connecting the cell to the rest of the line.; Also called: belt conveyor, roller conveyor, chain conveyor; Related page: Conveyors
FabricationTurkish: Fabrikasyon: Fabrication is cutting, bending and welding sections, tubes and sheet into structural parts such as machine bases, robot pedestals, frames and platforms. Because welding heat distorts the part, precise surfaces are usually machined after welding.; Also called: welded fabrication, steel fabrication, metal fabrication; Related page: Machining and fabrication
FixtureTurkish: Fikstür: A fixture is the clamping device that holds a part in the same position every time; it is made up of reference surfaces, locating pins, clamps and often part-present sensors. In robotic welding the fixture largely decides quality: if the part seats differently each time, the robot welds in the wrong place however repeatable it is.; Also called: jig, welding fixture, workholding fixture; Related page: Fixtures
Locating pinTurkish: Konum pimi: A locating pin is a pin that enters a hole or slot in the part to seat it in the correct place in the fixture; usually two are used together, one round and one diamond-shaped. As a pin wears the part gains play and its position shifts, so pins are designed to be hardened and replaceable.; Also called: location pin, datum pin, diamond pin; Related page: Fixtures
MachiningTurkish: Talaşlı imalat: Machining is bringing a part to the required size and tolerance by removing material as chips, through milling, turning, drilling and grinding. Parts that need precise location, such as fixture plates, pin seats and gripper components, are made this way.; Also called: CNC machining, precision machining; Related page: Machining and fabrication
Part presentationTurkish: Parça sunumu: Part presentation is how parts reach the robot: in what position and orientation, and through which arrangement, such as a drawer, conveyor, pallet, tote or a random pile located by machine vision. In handling and machine tending cells it is often part presentation, not the robot, that decides success; picking a part that arrives in random orientation is much harder than picking one that arrives in order.; Also called: part feeding, parts presentation; Related page: Machine tending
Pneumatic clampTurkish: Pnömatik bağlama: A pneumatic clamp is a clamp opened and closed by a compressed-air cylinder and controlled by the PLC or the robot. It is standard on automated welding fixtures; its open and closed positions are monitored by sensors, so the robot does not start welding before the part is clamped.; Also called: power clamp, pneumatic toggle clamp, air clamp; Related page: Fixtures

Projects and commissioning

These terms are used at each stage of a robot cell project, from the specification through acceptance tests to the start of series production.

CommissioningTurkish: Devreye alma: Commissioning is the stage in which a machine or cell installed on site has its electrical and communication checks done, its safety functions tested, its programs tuned on the real equipment and its first parts produced. It covers the work between the end of installation and the move to series production.; Also called: start-up, on-site commissioning; Related page: Installation and commissioning
Discovery visitTurkish: Keşif ziyareti: A discovery visit is the visit at the start of a project in which an engineer comes to the plant and looks at the part, the current station, the floor space, the target cycle time and the annual volume on site. It makes sure the concept and quotation are based on real conditions; an unmeasured part variation or an overlooked column can otherwise become the most expensive surprise of the project.; Also called: site visit, site survey, on-site assessment; Related page: Contact
FATTurkish: FAT: A FAT (factory acceptance test) is the acceptance stage in which a machine or robot cell is assembled and tested at the integrator's workshop before shipping, usually with the customer present, against the functions and performance criteria defined in the contract. It finds problems before going to site, but it does not replace the SAT under real line conditions with series parts.; Also called: factory acceptance test; Related page: Robot Cells
LayoutTurkish: Yerleşim: A layout is the plan that shows where the robot, fixtures, conveyors, safety fencing, control panels and operator areas will sit on the factory floor. Part flow, access, forklift routes, maintenance space and safety distances are fixed in the layout, and robot reach and cycle time are usually checked against it in simulation.; Also called: cell layout, floor layout, concept layout; Related page: Simulation and cycle time
Ramp-upTurkish: Seri üretime geçiş: Ramp-up is the period in which a newly commissioned cell starts at low volumes and is brought up step by step until it reaches the target cycle time and target quality. Real part variation, operator habits and small adjustment issues mostly show up during this period.; Also called: production ramp-up, launch ramp-up; Related page: Installation and commissioning
Run-at-rateTurkish: Run-at-rate: A run-at-rate is a test that proves a production line or cell can make the quantity the customer requires, under real conditions, with real operators and series material, at the target rate and quality over a set period. Automotive OEMs ask for it when approving a new line or part; it shows whether the cycle time from simulation holds in reality.; Also called: run@rate, R@R, capacity verification run; Related page: post.cycle-time
SATTurkish: SAT: A SAT (site acceptance test) is the acceptance stage in which a machine or robot cell, once installed and commissioned at the customer's plant, is tested with real parts and under real line conditions against the contract criteria. Cycle time, quality and safety functions are verified here; in many contracts the final payment and the start of the warranty depend on the SAT.; Also called: site acceptance test; Related page: Installation and commissioning
URSTurkish: Teknik şartname: A URS (user requirement specification) is the document in which the customer defines in writing what they expect from a machine or cell: the parts, volumes, target cycle time, quality criteria, preferred brands and standards, and acceptance conditions. It makes quotations comparable and is the basis for what is tested at FAT and SAT.; Also called: user requirement specification, technical specification, requirements specification

Performance and cost

These terms measure how much a line produces and when an investment pays back, such as cycle time, OEE, scrap and payback period.

BottleneckTurkish: Darboğaz: A bottleneck is the station that limits a line's total output: the one with the longest cycle time or the most frequent stops. It sets the line's capacity; speeding up any other station does not raise output, which is why improvement and robot investment go to the bottleneck first.; Also called: constraint, bottleneck station; Related page: Simulation and cycle time
Cycle timeTurkish: Çevrim süresi: Cycle time is the time a station or cell takes to complete one part (or one set of parts), expressed in seconds, including loading, processing, robot motions and unloading. If it is longer than the takt time the station becomes a bottleneck; the cycle time quoted for a cell should be verified in simulation and on site with a run-at-rate.; Also called: part cycle time, station cycle time; Related page: Simulation and cycle time
Lights-out productionTurkish: İnsansız üretim: Lights-out production is machines and robot cells continuing to run without an operator present, for example overnight or at weekends. It needs enough parts in stock with automatic part presentation, reliable process monitoring, and a system that stops the machine safely and sends an alert when something goes wrong.; Also called: lights-out manufacturing, unmanned production, unattended operation; Related page: Machine tending
OEETurkish: OEE: OEE (overall equipment effectiveness) is the percentage that shows how well equipment uses its planned production time, calculated as availability × performance × quality. Availability reflects stoppages, performance reflects slow running and minor stops, and quality reflects scrap and reworked parts; showing which loss is largest is worth more than the single number.; Also called: overall equipment effectiveness; Related page: Machine and line automation
Payback periodTurkish: Geri ödeme süresi: The payback period is the time it takes for the net savings or extra earnings from an investment to cover its cost, roughly calculated as the investment divided by the annual net gain. It is the measure most often asked for in robot investments because it is simple; however, it ignores the time value of money and any gain after payback.; Also called: payback time; Related page: Robot Cells
ReworkTurkish: Yeniden işleme: Rework is repairing a defective part to make it acceptable instead of scrapping it, such as completing a missing weld by hand or grinding out and re-welding a porous area. The part is saved, but labour, time and inspection cost money, and the repaired part carries its own risk of a new defect.; Also called: repair, re-work; Related page: Weld pool monitoring
ROITurkish: ROI: ROI (return on investment) is the ratio of the net gain from an investment to its cost, expressed as a percentage. For a robot cell the gain side includes labour cost, extra output and less scrap and rework; the calculation is only as good as the assumed number of shifts and cycle time.; Also called: return on investment; Related page: Robot Cells
ScrapTurkish: Fire: Scrap is defective parts that cannot be repaired, or are not worth repairing, and are thrown away; the scrap rate is their share of total production. The cost is not only the material: the machine time, labour and energy already spent on the part are lost too.; Also called: scrap rate, rejects; Related page: Weld pool monitoring
Takt timeTurkish: Takt süresi: Takt time is the pace at which parts must leave the line to meet customer demand, calculated as available production time divided by the quantity demanded. For example, if 840 parts are needed in a 25,200-second shift, takt time is 30 seconds; every station's cycle time must stay below it.; Also called: takt; Related page: post.cycle-time
TCOTurkish: Toplam sahip olma maliyeti: TCO (total cost of ownership) is the total cost of a machine over its life: the purchase price plus installation, energy, maintenance, spare parts, downtime, training and end-of-life replacement. A system with a low purchase price but hard-to-find spare parts can turn out more expensive on a TCO basis.; Also called: total cost of ownership
ThroughputTurkish: Üretim çıktısı: Throughput is the number of good parts a cell or line produces in a given time, for example parts per hour or per shift. It differs from theoretical capacity: stoppages, the bottleneck, scrap and rework all reduce real throughput.; Also called: output, production rate; Related page: Robot Cells
TraceabilityTurkish: İzlenebilirlik: Traceability is keeping a record of when, in which cell, with which parameters and material each part was made and which checks it passed, so it can be traced back by part or serial number. In automotive it narrows down the affected batch in a customer complaint or recall, and OEMs ask for it more and more often.; Also called: part traceability, weld traceability; Related page: Weld pool monitoring