Mechatronics Dept.

, Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

Devices and Mechanism

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

Drive systems
- The drive system determines the speed of the arm movement,
the strength of the robot, dynamic performance, and, to some
extent, the kinds of application.
- Robot actuators quality: have enough power to acc/dec the
links, carry the loads, light, economical, accurate, responsive,
reliable and easy to maintain.
• Electric drive • Hydraulic drive • Pneumatic drive

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

World of drive systems

World of
Motors

Electric Pneumatic Hydraulic

DC Motors AC Motors Stepper
Motors Motors Motors

Servo
Brush DC Single Phase
Motors

Brushless Poly-Phase
DC (3 phase)

Linear

Universal

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

Hydraulic system vs. Pneumatic system

Hydraulic system

Pneumatic system

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

Electric actuators
DC motor Brushless DC motor

Stepper motor AC motor

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

DC motor

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

DC motor
F: force on the conductor (in Newton)
The magnitude of the I: current through the conductor (in amperes)
force on the wire: B: magnetic flux density (in gauss)
L: length of the wire (in meters)
: angle between the magnetic field and current

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

Brushless DC motor

Brushless DC motors (BLDC) operate without brushes by taking advantage of modern

electronic switching techniques.

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

Brushless DC motor
A schematic of a generalized three-phase BLDC

Advantages: extremely reliable, very efficient, and easily controlled.

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

AC motor
AC motors work by rotating the stator field. It makes use of the natural alternating
nature of the AC wave to turn the field coils on and off sequentially.

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

AC motor

The rotor is always going slower than the rotating field, and this difference is
referred to as slip. Slip is frequently given as a percentage (usually less than
10%) of the stator speed.

Synchronous equation:
Ss: synchronous (stator) speed (in rpm)
Sr: rotor speed (rpm)
f: frequency of the AC line
P: number of field poles per phase

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

Stepper motor
A stepper motor is a unique type of DC motor that rotates in
fixed steps of a certain number of degrees. Step size can range
from 0.9 to 90°.

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

Stepper motor

Excitation modes for PM stepper motors

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

The top electromagnet (1) is

The top electromagnet (1) is turned turned off, and the right
on, attracting the nearest teeth of a electromagnet (2) is energized,
gear-shaped iron rotor. With the teeth pulling the nearest teeth slightly to
aligned to electromagnet 1, they will the right. This results in a rotation
be slightly offset from electromagnet of 3.6° in this example.
2

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

The left electromagnet (4) is enabled,

rotating again by 3.6°. When the top
The bottom electromagnet (3) is electromagnet (1) is again enabled, the
energized; another 3.6° rotation teeth in the sprocket will have rotated
occurs. by one tooth position; since there are
25 teeth, it will take 100 steps to make
a full rotation in this example.

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

Servo system
What is a servo motor? - A command signal which is issued from the user's interface
panel comes into the servo's "positioning controller". The positioning controller is the
device which stores information about various jobs or tasks. It has been programmed
to activate the motor/load, i.e. change speed/position.

Concept of a servo system

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

Servo system for motion control

electr. energy

PC, set value motion

controller command amplifier
PLC
energy
servo amplifier current
losses
position speed
signal signal motor
position,
sensor speed

load
position,
speed
mech. energy
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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

What to control?
▪ Current control = torque control
- Maintaining current (torque) constant
- Mostly included in controller (but not always accessible)
- For fast motor reaction
- No special feedback device needed
▪ Speed control
- Maintaining speed constant
- "speed = 0" does not mean "position is held"
▪ Position control
- Moving from position to position, stop at and maintain a position

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

set value system

 controller  motor
+ deviation +
- -
current-
feedback
actual value sensor

incremental
IxR DC tacho encoder Hall sensor resolver

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology
Analog encoder speed control loop
• Speed control loop with encoder feedback
- Amplification (gain) depends on parameters PID
- Applies also to Hall Sensor feedback with EC motors (6 IMP)
• Current control loop
- Subordinate control loop, enhances system dynamics
- Power amplifier (MOSFET)

speed power
amplifier (PID) amplifier
set value R current current
 E  motor
speed + command +
- -
current-
C
feedback
speed
feedback encoder

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

Digital control loop

• Digital parameters (profile, position, amplification)
• DSP: digital signal processor
• Firmware: software of the controller

power
amplifier
set value
current
speed motor
command
DSP
current feedback
set value
position

path position position feedback

generator decoder
speed feedback encoder

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

Gain, amplification: PID

Amplifier (PID)
set value E current
How the deviation signal E is it amplified to  command
produce a purposeful reaction (current +
command)?
actual value
• P: Proportional (a multiplication = "amplification") system reaction
– Problem: very small deviation lead to small corrections
only. The set value cannot be reached. PI
– Remedy: Combination of P and I
• I: Integration P only
– A persisting deviation is summed up (integrated) and
eventually corrected.
• D: Differentiation PID
– a sudden increasing deviation (e.g. a set value jump),
produces a strong reaction
– for dynamic reaction set value
– overshoot, instability
t
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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

How to measure the feedback value?

• Open loop
– no feedback system
• Current control
– no special feedback
• Speed control
– feedback devices for DC motors: Encoder, DCTacho, Hall-sensor
• Position control
– feedback devices: Encoder, Hall-Sensor

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

Mechanisms

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

Mechanisms
Machines are mechanical devices used to accomplish work. A mechanism is a heart of
a machine. It is the mechanical portion of the machine that has the function of
transferring motion and forces from a power source to an output.
Mechanism is a system of rigid elements (linkages) arranged and connected to transmit
motion and/or force in a predetermined fashion.

Mechanism consists of linkages and joints.

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

Example of Mechanisms

Can crusher

Simple press

Rear-window wiper

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

Example of Mechanisms

Lift platform
Front loader

Device to close the

top flap of boxes

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

Cams
• Cams are used to convert rotary motion to oscillatory motion (almost always) or
oscillatory motion to rotary motion (rarely)
• For high speed applications – example, internal combustion engines
• Objectives of this chapter:
– Learn fundamental concepts and terminology
– Learn how to design a cam and follower set to achieve a desired output
motion.

Cams
Follower

Cam

Followers
(valves)

29
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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

Applications of Cams

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

Screw Drives
In linear motion technology, the generation of “push-pull” or drive motion is just as
important as precise guidance of the machine parts. Alongside rack and pinion drives
and linear motors, screw drives (screw-and-nut systems) play an important role as
feed mechanisms.

Planetary roller
screw drive
Ball screw drive
Acme screw drive

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

Ball-screw drives
A ball screw is a mechanical linear actuator that translates rotational motion to linear
motion with little friction. The ball assembly acts as the nut while the threaded shaft is
the screw. Ball screws tend to be rather bulky, due to the need to have a mechanism to
re-circulate the balls.

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

Planetary roller screw

The planetary roller screws utilize threaded rollers as rolling elements instead of bearing
balls, as are used in ball screws. This pro-vides a dramatically larger load transfer con-tact
surface, which correlates to a much higher load capacity and longer life.

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

Indexing Mechanisms

Two types of indexing mechanisms: (a) straight rails

and (b) circular or rotary patterns

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

Cams mechanism
Cam mechanism is one of the accurate and reliable methods of indexing. It is widely
used in industry despite the fact that the cost is relatively high compared to alternative
mechanisms. The cam can be designed to give a variety of velocity and dwell
characteristics. The follower of the cams used in indexing mechanism has a
unidirectional rotary motion rather than oscillating rotary motion which is usually the
case of axial cams.

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

Geneva mechanism
The Geneva mechanism translates a
continuous rotation into an intermittent
rotary motion. The rotating drive wheel has a
pin that reaches into a slot of the driven
wheel. The drive wheel also has a raised
circular blocking disc that locks the driven
wheel in position between steps

Geneva mechanism

Linear intermittent motion using Geneva

mechanism
Internal Geneva mechanism

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology
Planetary gears

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

Harmonic drive
A Harmonic Drive (also known as
"Strain Wave Gearing") is a special
type of mechanical gear system that
has no backlash, compactness and
light weight, high gear ratios (a ratio of
100:1 is possible in the same space in
which planetary gears typically only
produce a 10:1 ratio).

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

Harmonic drive
• Wave Generator
The wave generator is a
component having small ball
bearings built into the outer
circumference of the elliptical
cam. The wave generator is
usually attached to the input
shaft.
• Flexspline
The flexspline is a thin cup-shaped metal rim component with external
teeth. The bottom of the flexspline (cup bottom) is called the
diaphragm. The diaphragm is usually attached to the output shaft.

• Circular Spline
The circular spline is a rigid steel ring with internal teeth.
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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

Harmonic drive

The circular spline (ncs) has two teeth more than the flexspline
(nfs) and is usually fixed to a casing.

nfs − ncs
Ratio =
nfs

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

Characteristics of harmonic drives

1. High-speed reduction ratio

2. Free of backlash (lost motion)
3. High precision
4. Small numbers of components and ease of
assembly
5. Small-sized and lightweight
6. High torque capacity
7. High efficiency
8. Quiet, vibration-free operation

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

Timing-belt drive
Synchronous / timing
belts having grooves
which mate with teeth
on the pulleys.

Any slip of the belt

relative to the pulleys is
minor in degree and is
due to belt stretch, or
erosion of the grooves.

These belts are used for power transfer and for synchronized
drives to ensure that the driven pulley is always rotating at a
fixed speed ratio to the driving pulley.
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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology

Comparison between drive systems

Hydraulic Electric Pneumatic

+ Good for large robots + Good for all sizes of + many components are
and heavy payload robots usually off-the-shelf
+ Highest power / weight + Better control, good for + Reliable components
ratio high precision robots + No leaks and sparks
+ Stiff system, high + Higher compliance than + Inexpensive and simple
accuracy, better response hydraulics
+ Low pressure compared
+ No reduction gear + Reduction gears used to hydraulics
needed reduce inertia on the
+ Good for on-off
+ Can work in wide range motor
applications and for pick
of speeds without difficulty + Does not leak, good for and place
+ Can be left in position clean room.
+ Compliant systems
without any damage + Reliable, low
maintenance
+ Can be spark-free. Good
for explosive environments

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 Mechatronics Dept., Dynamics & Control Group, 218001-Control System Technology
Comparison between drive systems
Hydraulic Electric Pneumatic
- May leak. Not fit for clean - Low stiffness - Noisy systems
room applications - Need reduction gears, - Require air pressure,
- Require pump, reservoir, increased backlash, cost, filter, etc.
motor, hoses, etc. weight, etc. - Difficult to control their
- Can be expensive and - Motor needs braking linear position.
noisy. Requires device when not powered. - Deform under load
maintenance Otherwise, the arm will fall constantly
- Viscosity of oil changes - Very low stiffness.
with temperature Inaccurate response
- Very susceptible to dirt - Lowest power to weight
and other foreign material ratio
in oil
- Low compliance
- High torque, high
pressure, large inertia on
the actuator

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