Robot calibration system

Industrial Robot

ISSN: 0143-991X

Article publication date: 1 December 2000

83

Keywords

Citation

Hollingum, J. (2000), "Robot calibration system", Industrial Robot, Vol. 27 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.2000.04927fad.015

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2000, MCB UP Limited


Robot calibration system

Keywords Robots, Calibration

Applicant: Fanuc Robotics North America (US)Patent number: US6070109Publication date: 30 May 2000Title: Robot calibration system

A robot calibration system includes a calibration sensor that provides an indication of when a first reference point that remains fixed relative to a robot base is a fixed distance from a second reference point that is located on the robot arm. The robot arm is moved through a plurality of orientations and each time that the fixed distance between the two reference points is achieved, robot joint position information is determined. The preferred calibration sensor includes a string that extends between the two reference points and activates a signal generator each time that the string is taut as caused by the orientation of the robot arm. The generated signal indicates that the two reference points are separated by the fixed distance. The determined robot joint positions are then used to determine a calibration factor which varies depending on the needs of a particular situation. Example calibration factors are useful for correcting errors in robot kinematic information, locating the workcell reference frame and locating the tool centre point reference frame.

Jack Hollingum

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