Magnetic levitation servo for flexible assembly automation

Journal Article · Sat Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1992 · International Journal of Robotics Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1177/027836499201100406· OSTI ID:6905084

Tsuda, Masahiro; Higuchi, Toshiro ^[1]

---

1. Univ. of Tokyo (Japan)

This article develops an application of magnetic levitation for actuation and force sensing and calls such a system magnetic levitation servo to distinguish from conventional suspension-only systems. Flexible assembly automation is a technical and engineering challenge to be accomplished promptly. For this purpose, the authors have developed a Magnetically end-effector-levitating Instrument for a Skilled-Task-undertaking Expert Robot (MEISTER) by applying magnetic levitation servo. The MEISTER is located between a wrist and an end effector in a manipulator to levitate and control the end effector by magnetic forces without any mechanical contact. This friction-free and backlash-free mechanism enables precision control of multi-DOFs and permits the MEISTER to have three versatilely functional properties: (1) programmable compliance: the compliance and viscous damping of supporting an end effector are magnetically changeable by software; (2) precision multi-DOF actuation: the position and attitude of an end effector can be accurately controlled without friction or backlash by changing magnetic forces; and (3) multi-axis force sensing: external forces and moments acting on an end effector can be computed by the MEISTER without any additional sensory equipment from the force equivalent equation. By using these functional properties, the MEISTER can correct a minute misalignment between a couple of mating parts to automate precision insertion.

• OSTI ID: 6905084
• Journal Information: International Journal of Robotics Research; (United States), Journal Name: International Journal of Robotics Research; (United States) Vol. 11:4; ISSN IJRREL; ISSN 0278-3649
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420200* -- Engineering-- Facilities
Equipment
& Techniques
ACTUATORS
ALGORITHMS
AUTOMATION
CONTROL
DESIGN
EQUIPMENT
EXPERT SYSTEMS
LABORATORY EQUIPMENT
LEVITATION
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MANIPULATORS
MATERIALS HANDLING EQUIPMENT
MATHEMATICAL LOGIC
REMOTE HANDLING EQUIPMENT
ROBOTS
SPACE DEPENDENCE