Position and force tracking control of rigid-link electrically-driven robots

Abstract

This paper introduces a framework for the design of tracking controllers for rigid-link electrically-driven (RLED) robot manipulators operating under constrained and unconstrained conditions. We present an intuitive nonlinear control strategy that can easily be reformulated for robots performing high precision tasks. The main emphasis is placed on the development of controllers that incorporate both motion in freespace and under constrained conditions. Another novelty is the combined treatment of force control and compensation for actuator dynamics. Based on models of the robot dynamics and environmental constraints, a reduced order dynamic model is obtained for the mechanical subsystem with respect to a set of constraint variables. A design procedure for tracking controllers is then formulated for the reduced order manipulator dynamics and the DC actuator dynamics. This paper concentrates on the theoretical aspects of the problem and, hence, is based on exact knowledge of the entire system. However, we have illustrated recently in [1] that this assumption can be generously relaxed in the design of a robust controller following a similar procedure as discussed in this paper.