Pose and feed-direction dependency analysis for milling tasks with industrial robots

Abstract

Energy-efficiency and low cost in a short period of time are crucial for competitive and economical production. Robot-based machining systems fulfill these requirements. However the serial linked kinematics bring along low stiffness and poor accuracy, which are dependent on the robot’s pose and the feed-direction. Without the knowledge of the complex coherences the deployment of robots for machining can only be coped with by experts. The joint-configuration is chosen empirical, but has never been analyzed systematically in order to maximize productivity. In this paper the results of an experimental analysis for the determination of milling quality at different poses and feed-directions are presented. Occurring oscillations and forces are measured during the milling process. Suiting spots and directions for milling tasks with robots are identified to increase productivity.