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Article
Publication date: 30 August 2019

Mingwei Hu, Hongguang Wang, Xinan Pan and Yong Tian

The purpose of this paper is to search the optimal arrangement scheme of random motion accuracy of joints for optimal synthesis of pose repeatability which can make robot design…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to search the optimal arrangement scheme of random motion accuracy of joints for optimal synthesis of pose repeatability which can make robot design more reasonable and reduce the development cost of robots.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, a mathematical model of pose repeatability, which includes positioning repeatability and orientation repeatability of robots, is established. According to the ISO 9283 standard, an optimal synthesis method of pose repeatability for collaborative robots is introduced, and three optimization objective functions are proposed. The optimization model is solved by using numerical analysis software, and the optimal arrangement scheme of random motion accuracy of joints is obtained which meets the requirements of pose repeatability of robot.

Findings

It is found that, in three optimization objective functions, the single-objective evaluation function of maximization of joint motion error is more suitable for optimal synthesis of pose repeatability. In practice, due to the safety factor, the test results of pose repeatability are better than the results of optimal synthesis of pose repeatability.

Practical implications

This method makes robot design more reasonable and reduces the development cost of robots.

Originality/value

This work is the first time to optimize the orientation repeatability of collaborative robots. Because the pose repeatability of most robots is tested by the ISO 9283 standard, so this method which is based on this standard is more suitable for the performance requirements of robot products.

Details

Industrial Robot: the international journal of robotics research and application, vol. 46 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-991X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 January 2020

Yang Chuangui, Mi Liang, Liu Xingbao, Xia Yangqiu, Qiang Teng and Lin Han

This paper aims to propose a reasonable method to evaluate uncertainty of measurement of industrial robots’ orientation repeatability and solve the non-linear problem existing in…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to propose a reasonable method to evaluate uncertainty of measurement of industrial robots’ orientation repeatability and solve the non-linear problem existing in its evaluation procedure.

Design/methodology/approach

Firstly, a measurement model of orientation repeatability, based on laser tracker, is established. Secondly, some factors, influencing the measurement result of orientation repeatability, are identified, and their probability distribution functions are modelled. Thirdly, based on Monte Carlo method, an uncertainty evaluation model and algorithm of measurement of industrial robot’s orientation repeatability are built. Finally, an industrial robot is taken as the research object to validate the rationality of proposed method.

Findings

Results show that the measurement model of orientation repeatability of industrial robot is non-linear, and the proposed method can reasonably and objectively estimate uncertainty of measurement of industrial robots’ orientation repeatability.

Originality/value

This paper, based on Monte Carlo method and experimental work, proposes an uncertainty evaluation method of measurement of industrial robots’ orientation repeatability which can solve the non-linear problem and provide a reasonable and objective evaluation. And the stochastic ellipsoid approach is firstly taken to model the repeatability of laser tracker. Additionally, this research is beneficial to decide whether the orientation repeatability of the industrial robot meets its requirements.

Details

Industrial Robot: the international journal of robotics research and application, vol. 47 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-991X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 January 2012

Mohamed Slamani, Albert Nubiola and Ilian Bonev

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the use of a laser tracker, a laser interferometer system and a telescopic ballbar for assessing the positioning performance of a…

1896

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the use of a laser tracker, a laser interferometer system and a telescopic ballbar for assessing the positioning performance of a six‐axis industrial serial robot. The paper also aims to illustrate the limitations of these three metrology instruments for the assessment of robot positioning performance and to demonstrate the inadequacy of simplistic performance tests.

Design/methodology/approach

Specific test methods in the case of the laser interferometer system and the telescopic ballbar are proposed. Measurements are analyzed in accordance to the ISO 9283 norm.

Findings

It is found that, in static conditions and after a relatively short warm‐up, the unidirectional position repeatability of the non‐calibrated industrial robot under study (an ABB IRB 1600) is better than 37 μm, the unidirectional orientation repeatability is at worst 87 μrad, the linear position accuracy is better than 650 μm, and the rotation accuracy is at worst 2.8 mrad (mainly because of the sixth robot axis). It was also found that the dynamic (radial) errors due to vibrations can be up to approximately ±250 μm along a small circular path at TCP speed of 700 mm/s.

Practical implications

It is pointed out that the use of a laser tracker (or any other large range portable 3D measurement system) is questionable for assessing – let alone analyzing in depth – the unidirectional position repeatability of some of today's industrial robots. It is also demonstrated that the laser interferometer system can be used for measuring linear errors along a linear path of motion as well as angular errors about axes orthogonal to the path of motion. Finally, it is shown that the telescopic ballbar is an excellent, comparably low‐cost, high‐precision tool for assessing the static and dynamic positioning performance of industrial robots and its use in robotics should be further developed.

Originality/value

This work is the first to detail the use of three metrology equipments for assessing the positioning performance of an industrial robot. Experimental results are presented and discussed. Some guidelines for optimizing the positioning performance of an industrial robot are provided.

Details

Industrial Robot: An International Journal, vol. 39 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-991X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 October 2015

Mohamed Slamani, Ahmed Joubair and Ilian A. Bonev

The purpose of this paper is to present a technique for assessing and comparing the static and dynamic performance of three different models of small six-axis industrial robots…

1010

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a technique for assessing and comparing the static and dynamic performance of three different models of small six-axis industrial robots using a Renishaw XL80 laser interferometer system, a FARO ION laser tracker and a Renishaw QC20-W telescoping ballbar.

Design/methodology/approach

Specific test methods are proposed in this work, and each robot has been measured in a similar area of its working envelope. The laser interferometer measurement instrument is used to assess the static positioning performance along three linear and orthogonal paths. The laser tracker is used to assess the contouring performance at different tool center point (TCP) speeds along a triangular tool path, whereas the telescoping ballbar is used to assess the dynamic positioning performance for circular paths at different TCP speeds and trajectory radii.

Findings

It is found that the tested robots behave differently, and that the static accuracy of these non-calibrated robots varies between 0.5 and 2.3 mm. On the other hand, results show that these three robots can provide acceptable corner tracking at low TCP speeds. However, a significant overshoot at the corner is observed at high TCP speed for all the robots tested. It was also found that the smallest increment of Cartesian displacement (Cartesian resolution) that can be taken by the tested robots is approximately 50 μm.

Practical implications

The technique used in this paper allows extremely accurate diagnosis of the robot performance, which makes it possible for the robot user to determine whether the robot is in good or bad condition. It can also help the decision-maker to select the most suitable industrial robot to achieve the desired task with minimum cost and specific application ability.

Originality/value

This paper proposed a new method based on the performance verification approach for solving the robot selection problem for flexible manufacturing systems. Furthermore, despite their importance, bidirectional repeatability and Cartesian resolution are never specified by the manufacturers of industrial robots nor are they described in the ISO 9283:1998 guide, and they are rarely the object of performance assessments. In this work, specific tests are performed to check and quantify the bidirectional repeatability and the Cartesian resolution of each robot.

Details

Industrial Robot: An International Journal, vol. 42 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-991X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 April 1987

Layek Abdel‐Malek

The use of robots to control for quality in manufacturing raises the issue of choice and its effect on the probability of accepting defective parts or rejecting good ones. The…

Abstract

The use of robots to control for quality in manufacturing raises the issue of choice and its effect on the probability of accepting defective parts or rejecting good ones. The application of robots to the quality gauges is described and robot repeatability and errors in production processes are examined.

Details

International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, vol. 4 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0265-671X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 July 2014

Rafał Kluz and Tomasz Trzepieciński

The purpose of the following work was to work out the dependency to allow for the determination of the repeatability positioning error value of the robot at any given point in its…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the following work was to work out the dependency to allow for the determination of the repeatability positioning error value of the robot at any given point in its workspace, without the necessity of conducting time-consuming measurements while routing a precise surface of repeatability positioning.

Design/methodology/approach

The presented dependency permits for the possibility to determine, even at the planning phase, the optimal connection point in the workspace, ensuring the best parameters for the process of machine assembly, without needless overestimation of precision of the utilized equipment. To solve the task the sequential quadratic programming (SQP) method implemented in the MATLAB(R) environment was used. To verify the hypothesis of the compatibility of the empirical distribution with the hypothetical distribution of the robot’s positioning error, the Kolmogorov test was used.

Findings

In this paper, it has been demonstrated theoretically and experimentally that the industrial robot accuracy can vary over a very wide range in the workspace. This provides an additional opportunity to increase reliability of the assembly process through the appropriate choice of the point of parts joining. The methodology presented here allows the designer of assembly workstations to rapidly estimate the repeatability of robot positioning and to allocate at the design stage of assembly process the optimal position in the robot workspace to ensure the required precision, without unnecessarily high accuracy of equipment used and, therefore, without inflated costs.

Originality/value

An alternative solution to the stated problem can be the proposed method for determining the robot’s positioning errors, requiring a much smaller amount of measurements to be taken that would be necessary to determine the parameters of the random variable errors of the joint coordinates of the robot and for their verification by the repeatability of positioning in randomly selected points in the workspace. Additionally discussed in the study, the methodology of identifying connection place was designed for typical combinations of machine parts, most frequently encountered in assembly process and was taken into account, typical limitations occurring in actual manufacturing conditions.

Details

Assembly Automation, vol. 34 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-5154

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 January 2015

Shih-Hsuan Chiu, Kun-Ting Chen, Sigit Tri Wicaksono, Jia-Rung Tsai and Sheng-Hong Pong

The aim of this study is to optimize the process parameters of area-forming rapid prototyping system to improve the model dimensional repeatability and to minimize the process…

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study is to optimize the process parameters of area-forming rapid prototyping system to improve the model dimensional repeatability and to minimize the process time as well.

Design/methodology/approach

Model dimensional repeatability is based on the dimensional standard deviation of the test sample. The significant factors that affect the model dimensional repeatability and process time are established by the fractional factorial design. Response surface methodology, based on the central composite design, is applied to evaluate the regression models of the response variables including prototype’s dimensional repeatability and processing time. Finally, a desirability function for each individual response variables is constructed to obtain the optimal process parameters.

Findings

The significant factors that have an impact on the main effects of response variables model dimensional repeatability and process time found by the fractional factorial design are curing time, light flux and platform moving velocity.

Originality/value

All previous studies were concerned with product accuracy in area-forming rapid prototyping system. In this work, we focus on optimization of model dimensional repeatability.

Details

Rapid Prototyping Journal, vol. 21 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-2546

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 August 2013

Mohamed Slamani and Ilian A. Bonev

This paper proposes a simple technique for assessing the effect of gear transmission errors in a six‐axis industrial serial robot, as these errors can vitally affect the…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper proposes a simple technique for assessing the effect of gear transmission errors in a six‐axis industrial serial robot, as these errors can vitally affect the industrial robot's positioning accuracy.

Design/methodology/approach

The experimental procedure is developed using a laser interferometer system to measure bidirectional linear position errors for an ABB IRB 1600 industrial robot. A simple technique based on fast Fourier transformation (FFT) analysis is devised and implemented for the characterization, evaluation, and quantification of gear transmission errors. Structural deformation and backlash error are also discussed.

Findings

The authors found that the major sources of error affecting the performance of the robot come from joints two and three. They also found that eccentricity errors, structural deformations, and backlash are the most important sources of error affecting the accuracy and the repeatability of the industrial robot studied. Additional tests show that the robot's first joint has relatively poor bidirectional repeatability.

Practical implications

The usefulness of a laser tracker (or any other large range portable 3D measurement system) is questionable for assessing – let alone analyzing in depth – the gear transmission errors of some of today's industrial robots. The authors demonstrate in this paper that a laser interferometer system can successfully measure gear transmission errors very accurately. The proposed methodology is simple, efficient, and easy to use for the characterization and quantification of the errors.

Originality/value

This work is the first to detail the use of the laser interferometer system for the characterization of the gear transmission errors of an industrial robot. A methodology has been developed and implemented for very accurately quantifying the effects of gear transmission errors, structural deformations, and backlash. The proposed methodology greatly simplifies the measurement set‐up and accelerates error quantification.

Details

Industrial Robot: An International Journal, vol. 40 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-991X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 March 1990

A Nowrouzi, YB Kavina, H Kochekali and RA Whitaker

A UK research team has developed a means of quantifying the performance of robot systems. Details of the design and results achieved with a PUMA 560 are described.

Abstract

A UK research team has developed a means of quantifying the performance of robot systems. Details of the design and results achieved with a PUMA 560 are described.

Details

Industrial Robot: An International Journal, vol. 17 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-991X

Article
Publication date: 18 January 2013

Jean‐Luc Maire, Maurice Pillet and Nathalie Baudet

The variability of the results of a visual control is often high. This paper aims to propose a new tool to give information about what improvement actions can be carried out to…

359

Abstract

Purpose

The variability of the results of a visual control is often high. This paper aims to propose a new tool to give information about what improvement actions can be carried out to reduce this variability.

Design/methodology/approach

The variability of a visual control can be measured by Kappa's Fleiss which measures the level of agreement between appraisers and experts. The R&R Gage is then classically used to give information about corrective actions which can be carried out in order to improve this level of agreement. The paper demonstrated that this information is not always sufficient.

Findings

By considering the two essential steps of a visual control (exploration and evaluation), the R2&E2 Gage proposed gives more precise information about the improvement actions to carry out to reduce the variability of a visual control. Repeatability and reproducibility, for detection and evaluation purposes, are considered separately.

Research limitations/implications

This R2&E2 gage is one result of a European research program called INTERREG. The aim of this program, which brings together two laboratories from the University of Savoy and EPFL, two institutional partners (CTDEC and CETEHOR) and some Swiss and French industrial companies, is to create methodological support and the tools needed to improve the visual control of high added‐value products.

Practical implications

This R2&E2 gage has been used in six industrial companies involved in the European program INTERREG. Significant improvement of the visual control has been observed over a short time.

Originality/value

The paper fulfils an identified need of industrial firms to have efficient tools improving the visual control of their products.

Details

International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, vol. 30 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0265-671X

Keywords

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