An experimental interface design for a single-link elastic manipulator system

Abstract:The high speed vibration of a flexible robotic arm compared to the low speed of software and hardware interface between the computer and experimental setup is one of the most important obstacles for measuring and control of such a systems. In this paper, a combination of using high speed digital to analog convertor (DAC) components on an electrical interface board and using National Instrument’s LABVIEW software package is proposed as a solution for this problem. Dynamic modeling of the system is developed based on Gibbs-Appell (G-A) formulation and Assumed Mode Method (AMM). The accuracy and completeness of the dynamical model of the system is dependent on the number of modes used to describe the system. An experimental setup of a single-link elastic robotic arm is prepared and the electrical interface board works between this experimental setup, user and computer. The input data by the electrical interface board are the number of mode shapes up to 4 and the profile of the input torque via time. Then these data transferred to the manipulator system. Finally user can see the vibration of the elastic link in graphical interface environment and model validation carried out by comparing both experimental and theoretical results.