Modal Space Control of Manipulator Vibrational Motion

Abstract A method for compensating manipulator flexibility effects to cope with the current requirements on better accuracy and higher performance of manipulator motion is introduced. A modal approach is used for obtaining the reduced order mathematical model of the manipulator flexible motion which is sufficiently tractable to be utilized for control purposes. Both the analytical tools and experimental modal analysis are applied to find the equations of motion of a particular manipulator. The flexible motion is approximated by a few discrete coordinates. The motion equations are used to investigate the interaction between the control system and the flexible components of the manipulator arm. The modal controller developed for compensation of the arm structural flexibility is demonstrated both by simulations and experimental tests.