Precision & Calibration

Since the early days of robotics, the problem of investigating & improving a robot’s precision has been of the utmost importance for robot manufacturers & even more for robot users. Investigating a robot’s precision first leads to determining robot performance criteria through application of related test procedures. If a robot’s basic precision or repeatability is to be improved, changes in construction design will usually be required. If a robot’s dynamic characteristics (path following, cornering deviation, etc.) are to be improved, changes in control settings, parameters, or algorithms will usually be required. If a robot’s absolute pose accuracy (i.e., its capability of precisely moving the tool center point (TCP) to a Cartesian position & orientation being in the robot base or a workcell coordinate frame) is to be improved, calibration techniques have to be applied. The same is true if the capability of a robot-based flexible manufacturing process (according to section 4.9 ISO 9001) is to be determined & ensured based on tolerances to be met in the entire robot workspace.