Recent Advances in Robust Control

Robust control has been a topic of active research in the last three decades culminating in H_2/H_\infty and \mu design methods followed by research on parametric robustness, initially motivated by Kharitonov's theorem, the extension to non-linear time delay systems, and other more recent methods. The two volumes of Recent Advances in Robust Control give a selective overview of recent theoretical developments and present selected application examples. The volumes comprise 39 contributions covering various theoretical aspects as well as different application areas. The first volume covers selected problems in the theory of robust control and its application to robotic and electromechanical systems. The second volume is dedicated to special topics in robust control and problem specific solutions. Recent Advances in Robust Control will be a valuable reference for those interested in the recent theoretical advances and for researchers working in the broad field of robotics and mechatronics

Parallel Manipulators

In recent years, parallel kinematics mechanisms have attracted a lot of attention from the academic and industrial communities due to potential applications not only as robot manipulators but also as machine tools. Generally, the criteria used to compare the performance of traditional serial robots and parallel robots are the workspace, the ratio between the payload and the robot mass, accuracy, and dynamic behaviour. In addition to the reduced coupling effect between joints, parallel robots bring the benefits of much higher payload-robot mass ratios, superior accuracy and greater stiffness; qualities which lead to better dynamic performance. The main drawback with parallel robots is the relatively small workspace. A great deal of research on parallel robots has been carried out worldwide, and a large number of parallel mechanism systems have been built for various applications, such as remote handling, machine tools, medical robots, simulators, micro-robots, and humanoid robots. This book opens a window to exceptional research and development work on parallel mechanisms contributed by authors from around the world. Through this window the reader can get a good view of current parallel robot research and applications

Theoretical and practical development of control approaches for redundantly actuated parallel kinematic machines

Die konsequente Weiterentwicklung parallelkinematischer Maschinen (PKM) führt auf eine strukturelle Erweiterung in Form einer Antriebsredundanz. Die wesentlichen Vorteile der Antriebsredundanz sind beispielsweise die Kompensation von Singularitäten im Arbeitsraum, eine erhöhte Endeffektor-Steifigkeit und eine optimale Verteilung der Antriebskräfte. Redundant angetriebene PKM (RA-PKM) sind darum prädestiniert für hochdynamische Pick-and-Place-Bewegungsaufgaben und neue Maschinenkonzepte. Die vorliegende Arbeit befasst sich mit der Frage, welche Konzepte und Verfahren für die Regelung der RA-PKM geeignet sind. Dabei zeigt sich, dass die Beschreibung in Endeffektor-Koordinaten, die Verwendung eines Störgrößenbeobachters auf der Basis des generalisierten Impulses sowie eine modellprädiktive Regelung sehr gute Ergebnisse hinsichtlich der Genauigkeit und des Implementierungs- und Rechenaufwandes ergeben. Dies gilt insbesondere, wenn große Reibkräfte z. B. in den Antrieben zu berücksichtigen sind. Deshalb ist dieses Verfahren für die industrielle Anwendung besonders geeignet. Da für alle hier betrachteten Regelungsverfahren ein mathematisches Modell erforderlich ist, nimmt die Beschreibung der Bewegungsgleichungen in unterschiedlichen Koordinaten einen breiten Raum der Arbeit ein. Es werden die Vor- und Nachteile der verschiedenen Beschreibungsformen wie z. B. die verschiedenen Arten der Singularitäten und die Eliminierung der Zwangskräfte mit Hilfe von Orthogonalprojektionen ausführlich dargestellt. Dabei wurde ein neuartiger Zugang für die Projektion der Bewegungsgleichungen in Endeffektor-Koordinaten hergeleitet. Als erstes Regelungskonzept wird die dezentrale Regelung betrachtet. Es wird gezeigt, wie die hier üblicherweise auftretenden antagonistischen Kräfte mit Hilfe eines Filters kompensiert werden können. Im Anschluss daran wird die große Klasse der modellbasierten Regelungen in den unterschiedlichen Koordinaten untersucht, wobei ein sogenannter Computed Torque Regler (CTC), d. h. die Verwendung einer Vorsteuerung in Form der inversen Dynamik, und ein Augmented PD-Regler (APD) zum Einsatz kommen. Die Gelenkgeschwindigkeiten werden mit Hilfe eines High-Gain-Beobachters und die Störgrößen mit Hilfe eines Störgrößenbeobachters rekonstruiert. Zum Schluss wird die schon erwähnte nichtlineare modellprädiktive Regelung in Endeffektor-Koordinaten beschrieben, wobei der zukünftige Trajektorienfehler durch eine optimale Stellgröße minimiert wird. Die resultierende Reglerstruktur hat die Form eines klassischen APD-Reglers mit variablen Verstärkungen. Die Reglereinstellung erfolgt durch die Prädiktion vollkommen automatisch. Die entwickelten Regler und Methoden wurden anhand eines ebenen Mechanismus mit zwei Freiheitsgraden unter Verwendung industrieller Torque-Motoren erprobt.The consistent further development of parallel kinematics machines (PKM) lead to a structural extension in terms of actuation redundancy. The major advantages of redundant actuation are for example the compensation of singularities in workspace, an increased end-effector stiffness and an optimal distribution of the control forces. Therefore redundantly actuated PKM (RA-PKM) are intended for high speed pick-and-place tasks and new machine concepts. This research work addresses the question which concepts and methods are qualified for the control of RA-PKM. It has been found that a formulation of motion equations in end-effector coordinates, the use of a disturbance observer based on the general momentum as well as a model predictive controller lead to very well results in terms of accuracy, implementation and computing time. This applies particularly, if large friction losses as they occur in drives, have to be taken into account. Therefore this method is particularly suitable for industrial applications. Since a mathematical model is needed for all proposed control schemes, the determination of motion equations in terms of different coordinate formulations makes up a large part of this report. The advantages and disadvantages, such as the different types of singularities and the elimination of constraint forces by means of orthogonal projections are elaborated. Although a novel approach for the projection of motion equations in terms of end effector coordinates is derived. At first, the decentralized control scheme is considered. It will be shown that antagonistic Forces which are inherent to the control-scheme can be compensated by means of a filter. Afterwards, the large class of model-based control schemes is reviewed in which a so called computed torque controller (CTC), i.e. the use of a feed-forward control in the form of the inverse dynamics, and an augmented PD (APD) controller are used. The joint velocities where observed by means of a high gain observer and the disturbances by means of a disturbance observer. Finally, the already mentioned nonlinear model predictive control scheme in terms of end-effector coordinates which minimizes the future trajectory error due to an optimal actuating variable is described. The resulting approach can be structurally incorporated into an APD controller with variable gains. The controller setup is an automated process due to the prediction. The proposed control schemes and methods where experimentally validated by means of a two degree of freedom planar mechanism with industrial torque motors

Industrial Robotics

This book covers a wide range of topics relating to advanced industrial robotics, sensors and automation technologies. Although being highly technical and complex in nature, the papers presented in this book represent some of the latest cutting edge technologies and advancements in industrial robotics technology. This book covers topics such as networking, properties of manipulators, forward and inverse robot arm kinematics, motion path-planning, machine vision and many other practical topics too numerous to list here. The authors and editor of this book wish to inspire people, especially young ones, to get involved with robotic and mechatronic engineering technology and to develop new and exciting practical applications, perhaps using the ideas and concepts presented herein