A peg-in-hole controller for cable-driven serial robots with compliant wrist based on cable tensions and joint positions

Purpose This purpose of this paper is to design a peg-in-hole controller for a cable-driven serial robot with compliant wrist (CDSR-CW) using cable tensions and joint positions. The peg is connected to the robot link through a CW. It is required that the controller does not rely on any external sensors such as 6-axis wrist force/torque (F/T) sensor, and only the compliance matrix’s estimated value of the CW is known. Design/methodology/approach First, the peg-in-hole assembly system based on a CDSR-CW is analyzed. Second, a characterization algorithm using micro cable tensions and joint positions to express the elastic F/T at the CW is established. Next, under the premise of only knowing the compliance matrix’s estimate, a peg-in-hole controller based on force/position hybrid control is proposed. Findings The experiment results show that the plug contact F/T can be tracked well. This verifies the validity and correctness of the characterization algorithm and peg-in-hole controller for CDSR-CWs in this paper. Originality/value First, to the authors’ knowledge, there is no relevant work about the peg-in-hole assembly task using a CDSR-CW. Besides, the proposed characterization algorithm for the elastic F/T makes the peg-in-hole controller get rid of the dependence on the F/T sensor, which expands the application scenarios of the peg-in-hole controller. Finally, the controller does not require an accurate compliance matrix, which also increases its applicability.

Reliability-Based Analysis and Optimization of the Gravity Balancing Performance of Spring-Articulated Serial Robots with Uncertainties

This article proposes a method for analyzing the gravity balancing reliability of spring-articulated serial robots with uncertainties. Gravity balancing reliability is defined as the probability that the torque reduction ratio (the ratio of the balanced torque to the unbalanced torque) is less than a specified threshold. The reliability analysis is performed by exploiting a Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) with consideration of the uncertainties in the link dimensions, masses, and compliance parameters. The gravity balancing begins with a simulation-based analysis of the gravitational torques of a typical serial robot. Based on the simulation results, a gravity balancing design for the robot using mechanical springs is realized. A reliability-based design optimization (RBDO) method is also developed to seek a reliable and robust design for maximized balancing performance under a prescribed uncertainty level. The RBDO is formulated with consideration of a probabilistic reliability constraint and solved by using a particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm. A numerical example is provided to illustrate the gravity balancing performance and reliability of a robot with uncertainties. A sensitivity analysis of the balancing design is also performed. Lastly, the effectiveness of the RBDO method is demonstrated through a case study in which the balancing performance and reliability of a robot with uncertainties are improved with the proposed method.

Determination of the inverse kinematics branches of solution based on joint coordinates for UR-like serial robot architecture

This paper introduces a classification of the inverse kinematics solutions (or robot postures) of six-degree-of-freedom serial robots with a geometry based on or similar to Universal Robots' arms. The solution of the inverse kinematics problem is first presented briefly and the equations required to classify the robot postures(branches) based on the joint coordinates are then introduced.