Industrial Robot Stiffness Programming via Tactile Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for programming industrial robots are complex and lack precise control over rigidity, as programmers rely on visual feedback and manual adjustments, which can lead to errors due to the intangible nature of stiffness parameters.
Innovation Solution
A method that allows the industrial robot's manipulator arm to be manually moved into a test pose where the stiffness can be felt and adjusted, with the control device automatically setting the arm's stiffness to match the programmed parameters, enabling direct tactile feedback and reducing the risk of incorrect settings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If stiffness parameters are programmed using visual feedback and manual adjustments, then the programming process can be completed, but the precision and reliability of stiffness control deteriorate due to the intangible nature of stiffness parameters
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements tactile feedback by enabling the manipulator arm to physically demonstrate its stiffness parameters through resistance to manual movement. Programmers can directly feel the stiffness by attempting to move the arm, providing immediate sensory feedback that allows for precise adjustment and verification of stiffness parameters without relying solely on visual displays or abstract numerical values.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces abstract visual monitoring of stiffness parameters with direct mechanical/tactile interaction. Instead of viewing stiffness as an invisible numerical parameter on a screen, the system allows programmers to physically sense stiffness through the manipulator arm's resistance to movement, substituting visual feedback with mechanical feedback.
2Reliability
If traditional programming methods are used without tactile feedback, then the programming process is simpler in terms of equipment, but the reliability of stiffness control deteriorates due to inability to directly verify parameters
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides direct tactile feedback during programming by allowing the manipulator arm to be manually moved while maintaining programmed stiffness parameters. This enables real-time verification of stiffness settings, ensuring that the programmed values match the actual physical behavior of the arm, thereby improving reliability without requiring complex additional verification equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The manipulator arm itself serves as the verification tool for its own stiffness parameters. By allowing direct manual manipulation and sensing of the arm's resistance, the system uses the manipulator's own mechanical properties to verify its programmed parameters, eliminating the need for separate testing apparatus or complex measurement systems.
3Manufacturing precision
If stiffness parameters are adjusted without direct tactile verification, then the programming process is faster, but the manufacturing precision of stiffness control deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables rapid iteration and precise adjustment of stiffness parameters through immediate tactile feedback. Programmers can quickly adjust parameters and instantly feel the effect on the manipulator arm's resistance, allowing for fast convergence to the desired stiffness values without time-consuming visual measurement or trial-and-error testing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows programmers to set stiffness parameters in advance and immediately verify them through tactile interaction before actual operation. This preliminary verification ensures precision is achieved before the manipulator is put into service, preventing rework and ensuring correct stiffness configuration from the start.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for programming an industrial robot (1), comprising the steps of selecting a program command whose associated stiffness parameter is to be checked, changed, and/or saved in programming mode; moving the manipulator arm (2) into a test pose in which the industrial robot is configured and/or arranged for manual touching and/or movement of the manipulator arm (2); and automatically controlling the manipulator arm (2) by the control device (3) such that the manipulator arm (2) in the test pose has the stiffness corresponding to the associated stiffness parameter of the selected program command. The invention further relates to an industrial robot (1) comprising a control device (3) configured and/or set up to perform such a method.