Experimental Validation of Object Positioning Via Stick–Slip Vibrations

Accurate positioning of an object is important in many industrial applications. This task is usually performed using closed-loop control. The self-alignment of an object using stick-slip vibrations on a periodically excited table might be an alternative open-loop method for macroscale applications. In this paper, this method is experimentally validated. The table surface consists of two parts: a low-friction region and a high-friction region. A steady-state motion of the object is developed, when it is on the low-friction region of the table. Theory predicts five possible types of steady-state motion. All types have been observed in practice. The positioning principle is to stop the mass due to an increase in friction when it enters the high-friction region of the table. Theoretically predicted steady-state and accurate stopping behavior is in accordance with the experimental observations.