Robot Manipulators and Control Systems

Abstract

This book focuses on industrial robotic manipulators and on industrial manufacturing cells built using that type of robots. This chapter covers the current practical methodologies for kinematics and dynamics modeling and computations. The kinematics model represents the motion of the robot without considering the forces that cause the motion. The dynamics model establishes the relationships between the motion and the forces involved, taking into account the masses and moments of inertia, i.e., the dynamics model considers the masses and inertias involved and relates the forces with the observed motion, or instead calculates the forces necessary to produce the required motion. These topics are considered very important to study and efficient use of industrial robots. Both the kinematics and dynamics models are used currently to design, simulate, and control industrial robots. The kinematics model is a prerequisite for the dynamics model and fundamental for practical aspects like motion planning, singularity and workspace analysis, and manufacturing cell graphical simulation. For example, the majority of the robot manufacturers and many independent software vendors offer graphical environments where users, namely developers and system integrators, can design and simulate their own manufacturing cell projects.