Joint Torque and Motion Computational Analysis for Robotic Manipulator Arm Design

Abstract

The robotic manipulator is a reprogrammable arm system which comprises of linkages coupled together by joints. Since the joint actuator provides the needed torque that carries the links plus load; and the function of the robot system depends on the generated torque from the actuator, therefore it becomes essential to determine the maximum torque at every joint for proper actuator selection and optimum function of the manipulator. In most existing works especially the locally made robot arms, the joints torque was not calculated and the actuators were not properly selected. This work focuses on the design of the robot arm by evaluating the joints torques and analyzing the motion characteristics of the arm based on the selected joints torques. The robot arm joint actuators were selected based on the calculated joint torques. The motion computation was carried out using ODE (Ordinary Differential Equation) step solver method. From the results, the motion characteristic graphs of the joints followed desired trajectories. Hence, the joint actuators were properly selected and can control the links adequately. It was therefore recommended that this method should be applied in the design of robot systems especially to improve the local content.