Control Experiment of a Flexible Robot Arm Using the Floating Frame Model

Abstract

The motion of a straight flexible robot arm is described using a floating frame of reference. This approach allows one to determine a dynamic model with the weakest possible inertia coupling. This model is then easily linearized to design a classical optimal controller. A function accounting for the total length of the path and the vibration intensity at the tip is defined. This controller is applied to a laboratory prototype. Experimental results are in good agreement with numerical simulations. Differences between recordings and numerical predictions can be probably attributed to the difficulties in modelling the actuator at low speed.