Position control of a 2DOF underactuated planar flexible manipulator

Abstract

Position control of a 2DOF underactuated planar flexible robot in joint space is investigated. Firstly, the dynamic equations are given based on the assumed mode method. The position control strategies of this underactuated planar flexible manipulator are designed with the switch of the brake at the passive joint. And the corresponding algorithms of the active and passive joints are proposed in stages. A 2DOF underactuated planar robot experimental setup and its control system is developed. Position control of this manipulator is completed experimentally. The simulative and experimental results show that in respective stage the active and passive joints can track the targets perfectly, which verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. Furthermore, the elastic vibration at the end of the flexible link reflects the rightness of the assumed mode dynamic model for the underactuated flexible manipulator.