Robotic force control for deburring using an active end effector

SUMMARY An active force control system for robotic deburring based on an active end effector is developed. The system utilizes a PUMA-560 six axis robot. The robot's structural dynamics, positioning errors, and the deburring cutting process are examined in detail. Based on ARMAX plant models identified using the least squares method, a discrete PID controller is designed and tested in real-time. The control system is shown to maintain the force within l N of the reference, and reduce chamfer depth errors to 0.12 mm from the 1 mm possible without closed-loop control.