Hybrid force/position control for a 3-DOF 1T2R parallel robot: Implementation, simulations and experiments

"This is an Author's Accepted Manuscript of an article published in Cazalilla, José, Marina Vallés, Ángel Valera, Vicente Mata, and Miguel Díaz-Rodríguez. 2016. Hybrid Force/Position Control for a 3-DOF 1T2R Parallel Robot: Implementation, Simulations and Experiments. Mechanics Based Design of Structures and Machines 44 (1 2). Informa UK Limited: 16 31. doi:10.1080/15397734.2015.1030679, available online at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15397734.2015.1030679."[EN] A robot interacting with the environment requires that the end effector \hboxposition is tracked and that the forces of contact are kept below certain reference values. For instance, in a rehabilitation session using a robotic device, the contact forces are limited by the allowed strength of the human limbs and their complex-joints. In these cases, a control scheme which considers both position and force control is essential to avoid damage to either the end effector or the object interacting with the robot. This paper therefore develops a real-time force/position control scheme for a three-DOF parallel robot whose end effector holds a DOF one translation (1T) and two rotations (2R). The implemented hybrid force/position control considers, as a reference, the normal force on the mobile platform, which is measured by means of a load cell installed on the platform. The position control is designed to track the orientations of the robot either in joint or task space using a model-based control scheme with identified parameters. Moreover, the force control is based on a PD action. The control scheme is developed through simulations, before being applied to an actual parallel robot. The findings show that with the implemented controller, the actual robot accomplishes the reference values for the normal force on the mobile platform, while at the same time the platform accurately follows the required angular orientation.The authors wish to thank the Plan Nacional de I+D, Comision Interministerial de Ciencia y Tecnologia (FEDER-CICYT) for the partial funding of this study under the projects DPI2011-28507-C02-01 and DPI2013-44227-R. This work was also partially supported by the Fondo Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnologia e Innovacion (FONACIT-Venezuela).Cazalilla, J.; Vallés Miquel, M.; Valera Fernández, Á.; Mata Amela, V.; Díaz-Rodríguez, M. (2016). Hybrid force/position control for a 3-DOF 1T2R parallel robot: Implementation, simulations and experiments. Mechanics Based Design of Structures and Machines. 44(1-2):16-31. https://doi.org/10.1080/15397734.2015.1030679S1631441-2Åström, K. J., & Murray, R. M. (2008). 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