A technique to calibrate industrial robots with experimental verification

This paper presents a method to calibrate industriaI robots. Models developed in the paper correct problems with robot accuracy resulting from errors in the Iink and joint parameter, imperfections in the main spur and encoder pinion gears, and structuraI deformations. Additionaliy, a method that places a singIe transformation which is a simple cyclic function of the joint angles, at the robot's end plate to compensate for the remaining inaccuracies is explored, The models used for each of the links contain only four parameters to identify. The experimental procedures used to identify the parameters of the various models proposed are discussed, An iterative technique to solve the inverse kinematic solution is presented. The procedures developed have been applied to an industrial robot. Finally, the relative affects of each of the models used to calibrate the robot are discussed.