Robust Gain-Scheduling for Smart-Structures in Parallel Robots

Abstract

In the past years parallel robots demonstrated their capability in applications with high-dynamic trajectories. Smart-structures o_er the potential to further increase the productivity of parallel robots by reducing disturbing vibrations caused by high dynamic loads effectively. To investigate parallel robots and their applications, including suitable control concepts for smart-structures, the Collabo-rative Research Center 562 was founded by the German Research Council (DFG). The latest prototype within this research center is called Triglide. It is a four degree of freedom (DOF) robot with three translational and one rotational DOF. It realizes an acceleration of 10 g at the effector. In the structure of the robot six active rods and a tri-axial accelerometer are integrated to control effector vibrations in three translational DOF. The main challenge of this control applica-tion is the position dependent vibration behavior. A single robust controller is not able to gain satis-fying performance within the entire workspace. Therefore a strategy for describing the vibration behavior by linearization at several operating points is developed. Behavior in-between is approximated by a linear approach. On a trajectory robust controllers in all operating points are smoothly switched by robust gain-scheduling. The scheduling parameters are fast varying and though a suitable stability proof is defined, based on Small-Gain approach. Several transformations enhance the results from Small-Gain Theorem and reduce the usual conservatism. Experimental data is used to show the improvements made.