An Analytical and Modular Approach to Robotic Force Control Using a Wrist-based Force Sensor

Abstract

In robotic tasks the control of contact forces between the end effector and workpiece can be the principal objective. To achieve this, a sensor is installed, in the wrist of the industrial robot,to measure every combination of forces and torques within the measuring range of the sensor related to a cartesian system of coordinates. From an analysis of several such tasks, common or similar elements or modules may be discovered. Thus,when a new task is presented requiring robotic force control, it may be possible to put together and use several already identified modules in order to construct an algorithm for performing the new task.A detailed consideration of some likely path following requirements, has given rise to the idea of enhancing force control by the concurrent use of force and displacement sensors.The sensor design results in ease of setting of a measuring range for the sensor and provides overload protection for force and torque values outside the measuring range.