Robot performance measurements using automatic laser tracking techniques – K. Lau K, R. Hocken, L. Haynes.

Laser tracker/5

Abstract

This paper describes two laser tracking techniques currently under development at the National Bureau of Standards for robot performance measurements. Tests indicate that the system can be used in real-time to determine the three-dimensional static and dynamic positioning accuracy of a robot end-effector to a few parts in 100,000 (i.e. 12.5–50 μm for a medium to large size robot), and wrist orientations to within 2 sec of arc. Both systems would be simple and compact enough to be considered as a general-purpose portable calibrating tool for robots (or CNC machines), or as an integral part of a robotic system providing real-time position feedback of the end-effector independent of the position and angle feedback of joint members. The ability to dynamically and statistically measure the position of an end-effector to the above accuracy has significant ramifications with regard to meaningful robot performance measurements, and the potential of these systems in other industrial and engineering applications.