Experiments with End-Point Control of a Flexible Link using the Inverse Dynamics Approach and Passive Damping

Achieving accuracy in end-point positioning while avoiding end-point oscillations is one of the major open problems in the control of light and high precision manipulators. The authors of this paper have independently proposed passive damping and active control methods for positioning the end-point of flexible manipulators. In this paper experimental results obtained using a combination of the two approaches are presented. The active control method considered involves computing the inverse dynamics of the arm to determine a torque command trajectory that will permit the realization of a prescribed endpoint trajectory. The passive control serves to reduce unwanted oscillations resulting from unavoidable system non-idealities.