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Applied Sciences
Special Issues
Modelling and Control of Mechatronic and Robotic Systems
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Modelling and Control of Mechatronic and Robotic Systems

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Mechanical Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2020) | Viewed by 64449

Printed Edition Available!
A printed edition of this Special Issue is available here.

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Alessandro Gasparetto

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Polytechnic Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Udine, 33100 Udine, Italy
Interests: robotics; trajectory planning; modeling of mechatronic systems
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Stefano Seriani

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Trieste, 34139 Trieste, Italy
Interests: space robotics; rovers; mobile robotics; autonomous systems; modular systems; industrial robotics; cable robots
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Lorenzo Scalera

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Polytechnic Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
Interests: robotics; mechatronics; kinematics and dynamics; trajectory planning; collaborative robotics; mechanics of vibrations; mobile robotics; agricultural robotics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The modeling and control of mechatronic and robotic systems is an open and challenging field of investigation in both industry and academia. The modeling of a mechanical system is fundamental in the development of experimental prototypes. The kinematic model of a mechatronic or robotic system is essential for the proper definition of the path that the system has to follow during its operation. Dynamic modeling allows simulating and predicting scenarios and working conditions, and evaluating its time-dependent evolution and response under different input conditions. Indeed, a proper model can be used to improve the design and performance with different objectives: vibration reduction, energy consumption minimization, path and trajectory planning optimization, as well as improvement of control and tracking performance. Within this framework, proper control of an automatic system is essential for successfully completing a predefined task even in the presence of external disturbances. Finally, the design of proper controllers for robots and automatic machines is crucial when dealing with flexible systems in which mechanical vibration and noise have to be taken into account.

This Special Issue of the journal Applied Sciences encompasses the modeling, analysis, design, and control of mechatronic and robotic systems, with the scope of improving the performance and the design of such systems.

We invite contributions to this Special Issue on topics including but not limited to the following:

  • Modelling of mechatronic and robotic systems:
    • Kinematic modeling;
    • Dynamic modeling;
  • Path and trajectory planning:
    • Navigation;
    • Obstacle avoidance;
    • Motion planning;
  • Control systems;
  • Optimization of mechatronic and robotic systems with respect to:
    • Mechanical vibration and noise;
    • Energy consumption;
    • Kinematic and dynamic behavior;
    • Tracking performance;
  • Applications including, but not limited to:
    • Robotics;
    • Collaborative robots;
    • Mechatronics;
    • Flexible and compliant multibody systems;
    • Manufacturing systems.

Prof. Dr. Alessandro Gasparetto
Dr. Stefano Seriani
Dr. Lorenzo Scalera
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • robotics
  • mechatronics
  • control
  • dynamics
  • trajectory planning
  • mobile robotics

Published Papers (22 papers)

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Editorial

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4 pages, 191 KiB  
Editorial
Modelling and Control of Mechatronic and Robotic Systems
by Alessandro Gasparetto, Stefano Seriani and Lorenzo Scalera
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(7), 3242; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11073242 - 4 Apr 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1642
Abstract
Nowadays, the modelling and control of mechatronic and robotic systems is an open and challenging field of investigation in both industry and academia [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modelling and Control of Mechatronic and Robotic Systems)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

16 pages, 5217 KiB  
Article
Towards the Development of an Automatic UAV-Based Indoor Environmental Monitoring System: Distributed Off-Board Control System for a Micro Aerial Vehicle
by Jorge Solis, Christoffer Karlsson, Simon Johansson and Kristoffer Richardsson
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(5), 2347; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11052347 - 6 Mar 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1859
Abstract
This research aims to develop an automatic unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based indoor environmental monitoring system for the acquisition of data at a very fine scale to detect rapid changes in environmental features of plants growing in greenhouses. Due to the complexity of the [...] Read more.
This research aims to develop an automatic unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based indoor environmental monitoring system for the acquisition of data at a very fine scale to detect rapid changes in environmental features of plants growing in greenhouses. Due to the complexity of the proposed research, in this paper we proposed an off-board distributed control system based on visual input for a micro aerial vehicle (MAV) able to hover, navigate, and fly to a desired target location without considerably affecting the effective flight time. Based on the experimental results, the MAV was able to land on the desired location within a radius of about 10 cm from the center point of the landing pad, with a reduction in the effective flight time of about 28%. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modelling and Control of Mechatronic and Robotic Systems)
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22 pages, 7213 KiB  
Article
Quadrupedal Robots’ Gaits Identification via Contact Forces Optimization
by Gianluca Pepe, Maicol Laurenza, Nicola Pio Belfiore and Antonio Carcaterra
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(5), 2102; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11052102 - 27 Feb 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1864
Abstract
The purpose of the present paper is the identification of optimal trajectories of quadruped robots through genetic algorithms. The method is based on the identification of the optimal time history of forces and torques exchanged between the ground and the body, without any [...] Read more.
The purpose of the present paper is the identification of optimal trajectories of quadruped robots through genetic algorithms. The method is based on the identification of the optimal time history of forces and torques exchanged between the ground and the body, without any constraints on leg kinematics. The solutions show how it is possible to obtain similar trajectories to those of a horse’s walk but obtaining better performance in terms of energy cost. Finally, a map of the optimal gaits found according to the different speeds is presented, identifying the transition threshold between the walk and the trot as a function of the total energy spent. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modelling and Control of Mechatronic and Robotic Systems)
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10 pages, 13402 KiB  
Article
An Estimator for the Kinematic Behaviour of a Mobile Robot Subject to Large Lateral Slip
by Andrea Botta, Paride Cavallone, Luigi Tagliavini, Luca Carbonari, Carmen Visconte and Giuseppe Quaglia
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(4), 1594; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11041594 - 10 Feb 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1598
Abstract
In this paper, the effects of wheel slip compensation in trajectory planning for mobile tractor-trailer robot applications are investigated. Firstly, a kinematic model of the proposed robot architecture is marked out, then an experimental campaign is done to identify if it is possible [...] Read more.
In this paper, the effects of wheel slip compensation in trajectory planning for mobile tractor-trailer robot applications are investigated. Firstly, a kinematic model of the proposed robot architecture is marked out, then an experimental campaign is done to identify if it is possible to kinematically compensate trajectories that otherwise would be subject to large lateral slip. Due to the close connection to the experimental data, the results shown are valid only for Epi.q, the prototype that is the main object of this manuscript. Nonetheless, the base concept can be usefully applied to any mobile robot subject to large lateral slip. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modelling and Control of Mechatronic and Robotic Systems)
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13 pages, 3541 KiB  
Article
Hexapod Robot Gait Switching for Energy Consumption and Cost of Transport Management Using Heuristic Algorithms
by Mindaugas Luneckas, Tomas Luneckas, Jonas Kriaučiūnas, Dainius Udris, Darius Plonis, Robertas Damaševičius and Rytis Maskeliūnas
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(3), 1339; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11031339 - 2 Feb 2021
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 4591
Abstract
Due to the prospect of using walking robots in an impassable environment for tracked or wheeled vehicles, walking locomotion is one of the most remarkable accomplishments in robotic history. Walking robots, however, are still being deeply researched and created. Locomotion over irregular terrain [...] Read more.
Due to the prospect of using walking robots in an impassable environment for tracked or wheeled vehicles, walking locomotion is one of the most remarkable accomplishments in robotic history. Walking robots, however, are still being deeply researched and created. Locomotion over irregular terrain and energy consumption are among the major problems. Walking robots require many actuators to cross different terrains, leading to substantial consumption of energy. A robot must be carefully designed to solve this problem, and movement parameters must be correctly chosen. We present a minimization of the hexapod robot’s energy consumption in this paper. Secondly, we investigate the reliance on power consumption in robot movement speed and gaits along with the Cost of Transport (CoT). To perform optimization of the hexapod robot energy consumption, we propose two algorithms. The heuristic algorithm performs gait switching based on the current speed of the robot to ensure minimum energy consumption. The Red Fox Optimization (RFO) algorithm performs a nature-inspired search of robot gait variable space to minimize CoT as a target function. The algorithms are tested to assess the efficiency of the hexapod robot walking through real-life experiments. We show that it is possible to save approximately 7.7–21% by choosing proper gaits at certain speeds. Finally, we demonstrate that our hexapod robot is one of the most energy-efficient hexapods by comparing the CoT values of various walking robots. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modelling and Control of Mechatronic and Robotic Systems)
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21 pages, 7898 KiB  
Article
Driving Force Distribution and Control for Maneuverability and Stability of a 6WD Skid-Steering EUGV with Independent Drive Motors
by Hui Zhang, Huawei Liang, Xiang Tao, Yi Ding, Biao Yu and Rengui Bai
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(3), 961; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11030961 - 21 Jan 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2825
Abstract
In this paper, a hierarchical driving force distribution and control strategy for a six-wheel drive (6WD) skid-steering electric unmanned ground vehicle (EUGV) with independent drive motors is presented to improve the vehicle maneuverability and stability. The proposed hierarchical strategy is based on a [...] Read more.
In this paper, a hierarchical driving force distribution and control strategy for a six-wheel drive (6WD) skid-steering electric unmanned ground vehicle (EUGV) with independent drive motors is presented to improve the vehicle maneuverability and stability. The proposed hierarchical strategy is based on a nine-degrees-of-freedom (DOFs) dynamics model of 6WD skid-steering EUGV with a vehicle system dynamics model, wheel dynamics model, and tire model. In the proposed hierarchical strategy, the upper layer controller calculates the resultant driving force and yaw moment to control the vehicle motion states to track the desired ones by using the integral sliding mode control (ISMC) and proportion–integral–differential (PID) control methods. In the lower layer controllers, the driving force distribution method is adopted to allocate torques to the six motors. An objective function is proposed and composed of the longitudinal tire workload rates and weighting factors, considering the inequality constraints and equality constraints, which is solved by using the active set method. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed method, experiments with two types of scenarios were conducted. Comparative studies were also conducted with the other two methods used in the literature. The experimental results show that better performance can be achieved with the proposed control strategy in vehicle maneuverability and stability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modelling and Control of Mechatronic and Robotic Systems)
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24 pages, 7450 KiB  
Article
On the Optimal Synthesis of a Finger Rehabilitation Slider-Crank-Based Device with a Prescribed Real Trajectory: Motion Specifications and Design Process
by Araceli Zapatero-Gutiérrez, Eduardo Castillo-Castañeda and Med Amine Laribi
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(2), 708; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11020708 - 13 Jan 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3078
Abstract
This article discusses the mechanical redesign of a finger rehabilitation device based on a slider-crank mechanism. The redesign proposal is to obtain a smaller and more portable device that can recreate the motion trajectories of a finger. The real finger motion trajectories were [...] Read more.
This article discusses the mechanical redesign of a finger rehabilitation device based on a slider-crank mechanism. The redesign proposal is to obtain a smaller and more portable device that can recreate the motion trajectories of a finger. The real finger motion trajectories were recorded using a motion capture system. The article focused on the optimal synthesis of the rehabilitation device mechanism formulated as a classic trajectory generation problem. The proposed approach was combined with the recorded finger movements and solved using the genetic algorithm (GA) method. Optimization criteria and constraints were successively formulated and solved using a mono-objective function. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modelling and Control of Mechatronic and Robotic Systems)
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17 pages, 2385 KiB  
Article
Modeling and Control of a Cable-Suspended Sling-Like Parallel Robot for Throwing Operations
by Deng Lin, Giovanni Mottola, Marco Carricato and Xiaoling Jiang
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(24), 9067; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10249067 - 18 Dec 2020
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1970
Abstract
Cable-driven parallel robots can provide interesting advantages over conventional robots with rigid links; in particular, robots with a cable-suspended architecture can have very large workspaces. Recent research has shown that dynamic trajectories allow the robot to further increase its workspace by taking advantage [...] Read more.
Cable-driven parallel robots can provide interesting advantages over conventional robots with rigid links; in particular, robots with a cable-suspended architecture can have very large workspaces. Recent research has shown that dynamic trajectories allow the robot to further increase its workspace by taking advantage of inertial effects. In our work, we consider a three-degrees-of-freedom parallel robot suspended by three cables, with a point-mass end-effector. This model was considered in previous works to analyze the conditions for dynamical feasibility of a trajectory. Here, we enhance the robot’s capabilities by using it as a sling, that is, by throwing a mass at a suitable time. The mass is carried at the end-effector by a gripper, which releases the mass so that it can reach a given target point. Mathematical models are presented that provide guidelines for planning the trajectory. Moreover, results are shown from simulations that include the effect of cable elasticity. Finally, suggestions are offered regarding how such a trajectory can be optimized. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modelling and Control of Mechatronic and Robotic Systems)
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21 pages, 3966 KiB  
Article
Dynamic Modeling and Simulation of a Robotic Lander Based on Variable Radius Drums
by Matteo Caruso, Lorenzo Scalera, Paolo Gallina and Stefano Seriani
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(24), 8862; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10248862 - 11 Dec 2020
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2352
Abstract
Soft-landing on planetary surfaces is the main challenge in most space exploration missions. In this work, the dynamic modeling and simulation of a three-legged robotic lander based on variable radius drums are presented. In particular, the proposed robotic system consists of a non-reversible [...] Read more.
Soft-landing on planetary surfaces is the main challenge in most space exploration missions. In this work, the dynamic modeling and simulation of a three-legged robotic lander based on variable radius drums are presented. In particular, the proposed robotic system consists of a non-reversible mechanism that allows a landing object to constant decelerate in the phase of impact with ground. The mechanism is based on variable radius drums, which are used to shape the elastic response of a spring to produce a specific behavior. A dynamic model of the proposed robotic lander is first presented. Then, its behavior is evaluated through numerical multibody simulations. Results show the feasibility of the proposed design and applicability of the mechanism in landing operations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modelling and Control of Mechatronic and Robotic Systems)
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18 pages, 15495 KiB  
Article
Trajectory Optimization of Industrial Robot Arms Using a Newly Elaborated “Whip-Lashing” Method
by Rabab Benotsmane, László Dudás and György Kovács
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(23), 8666; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10238666 - 3 Dec 2020
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 4230
Abstract
The application of the Industry 4.0′s elements—e.g., industrial robots—has a key role in the efficiency improvement of manufacturing companies. In order to reduce cycle times and increase productivity, the trajectory optimization of robot arms is essential. The purpose of the study is the [...] Read more.
The application of the Industry 4.0′s elements—e.g., industrial robots—has a key role in the efficiency improvement of manufacturing companies. In order to reduce cycle times and increase productivity, the trajectory optimization of robot arms is essential. The purpose of the study is the elaboration of a new “whip-lashing” method, which, based on the motion of a robot arm, is similar to the motion of a whip. It results in achieving the optimized trajectory of the robot arms in order to increase velocity of the robot arm’s parts, thereby minimizing motion cycle times and to utilize the torque of the joints more effectively. The efficiency of the method was confirmed by a case study, which is relating to the trajectory planning of a five-degree-of-freedom RV-2AJ manipulator arm using SolidWorks and MATLAB software applications. The robot was modelled and two trajectories were created: the original path and path investigate the effects of using the whip-lashing induced robot motion. The application of the method’s algorithm resulted in a cycle time saving of 33% compared to the original path of RV-2AJ robot arm. The main added value of the study is the elaboration and implementation of the newly elaborated “whip-lashing” method which results in minimization of torque consumed; furthermore, there was a reduction of cycle times of manipulator arms’ motion, thus increasing the productivity significantly. The efficiency of the new “whip-lashing” method was confirmed by a simulation case study. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modelling and Control of Mechatronic and Robotic Systems)
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19 pages, 3002 KiB  
Article
Adaptive Feedforward Control of a Pressure Compensated Differential Cylinder
by Konrad Johan Jensen, Morten Kjeld Ebbesen and Michael Rygaard Hansen
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(21), 7847; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10217847 - 5 Nov 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2249
Abstract
This paper presents the design, simulation and experimental verification of adaptive feedforward motion control for a hydraulic differential cylinder. The proposed solution is implemented on a hydraulic loader crane. Based on common adaptation methods, a typical electro-hydraulic motion control system has been extended [...] Read more.
This paper presents the design, simulation and experimental verification of adaptive feedforward motion control for a hydraulic differential cylinder. The proposed solution is implemented on a hydraulic loader crane. Based on common adaptation methods, a typical electro-hydraulic motion control system has been extended with a novel adaptive feedforward controller that has two separate feedforward states, i.e, one for each direction of motion. Simulations show convergence of the feedforward states, as well as 23% reduction in root mean square (RMS) cylinder position error compared to a fixed gain feedforward controller. The experiments show an even more pronounced advantage of the proposed controller, with an 80% reduction in RMS cylinder position error, and that the separate feedforward states are able to adapt to model uncertainties in both directions of motion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modelling and Control of Mechatronic and Robotic Systems)
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19 pages, 9840 KiB  
Article
Study on the Vibration Active Control of Three-Support Shafting with Smart Spring While Accelerating over the Critical Speed
by Miao-Miao Li, Liang-Liang Ma, Chuan-Guo Wu and Ru-Peng Zhu
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(17), 6100; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10176100 - 2 Sep 2020
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2135
Abstract
Smart Spring is a kind of active vibration control device based on piezoelectric material, which can effectively suppress the vibration of the shaft system in an over-critical state, and the selection of control strategy has great influence on the vibration reduction effect of [...] Read more.
Smart Spring is a kind of active vibration control device based on piezoelectric material, which can effectively suppress the vibration of the shaft system in an over-critical state, and the selection of control strategy has great influence on the vibration reduction effect of the Smart Spring. In this paper, the authors investigate the control of the over-critical vibration of the transmission shaft system with Smart Spring, based on the ADAMS and MATLAB joint simulation method. Firstly, the joint simulation model of three-support shafting with Smart Spring is established, and the over-critical speed simulation analysis of the three-support shafting under the fixed control force of the Smart Spring is carried out. The simulation results show that the maximum vibration reduction rate is 71.6%. The accuracy of the joint simulation model is verified by the experiment of the three-support shafting subcritical vibration control. On this basis, a function control force vibration control strategy with time-varying control force is proposed. By analyzing the axis orbit of the shafting, the optimal fixed control force at different speeds is obtained, the control force function is determined by polynomial fitting, and the shafting critical crossing simulation under the function control force is carried out. The simulation results show that the displacement response of the shafting under the function control force is less than that under the fixed control force in the whole speed range. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modelling and Control of Mechatronic and Robotic Systems)
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15 pages, 4040 KiB  
Article
Terrain Estimation for Planetary Exploration Robots
by Mauro Dimastrogiovanni, Florian Cordes and Giulio Reina
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(17), 6044; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10176044 - 31 Aug 2020
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3438
Abstract
A planetary exploration rover’s ability to detect the type of supporting surface is critical to the successful accomplishment of the planned task, especially for long-range and long-duration missions. This paper presents a general approach to endow a robot with the ability to sense [...] Read more.
A planetary exploration rover’s ability to detect the type of supporting surface is critical to the successful accomplishment of the planned task, especially for long-range and long-duration missions. This paper presents a general approach to endow a robot with the ability to sense the terrain being traversed. It relies on the estimation of motion states and physical variables pertaining to the interaction of the vehicle with the environment. First, a comprehensive proprioceptive feature set is investigated to evaluate the informative content and the ability to gather terrain properties. Then, a terrain classifier is developed grounded on Support Vector Machine (SVM) and that uses an optimal proprioceptive feature set. Following this rationale, episodes of high slippage can be also treated as a particular terrain type and detected via a dedicated classifier. The proposed approach is tested and demonstrated in the field using SherpaTT rover, property of DFKI (German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence), that uses an active suspension system to adapt to terrain unevenness. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modelling and Control of Mechatronic and Robotic Systems)
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15 pages, 2361 KiB  
Article
Energy-Efficiency Improvement and Processing Performance Optimization of Forging Hydraulic Presses Based on an Energy-Saving Buffer System
by Xiaopeng Yan and Baijin Chen
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(17), 6020; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10176020 - 31 Aug 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2998
Abstract
This paper proposes an energy-saving system based on a prefill system and a buffer system to improve the energy efficiency and the processing performance of hydraulic presses. Saving energy by integrating such systems into the cooling system of a hydraulic press has not [...] Read more.
This paper proposes an energy-saving system based on a prefill system and a buffer system to improve the energy efficiency and the processing performance of hydraulic presses. Saving energy by integrating such systems into the cooling system of a hydraulic press has not been previously reported. A prefill system, powered by the power unit of the cooling system, is used to supply power simultaneously with the traditional power unit during the pressurization stage, thus reducing the usage of pumps and installed power of the hydraulic press. In contrast to the traditional prefill system, the proposed energy-saving system is controlled by a servo valve to adjust flow according to the load profile. In addition, a buffer system is employed to the cooling system to absorb the hydraulic shock generated at the unloading stage, store those shares of hydraulic energy as a recovery accumulator, and then release this energy to power the prefill system and the hydraulic actuator in the subsequent productive process. Finally, through a series of comparative experiments, it was preliminarily validated that the proposed system could reduce the installed power and pressure shock by up to 22.85% and 41%, respectively, increase energy efficiency by up to 26.71%, and provide the same processing characteristics and properties as the traditional hydraulic press. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modelling and Control of Mechatronic and Robotic Systems)
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12 pages, 2945 KiB  
Article
A Novel Kinematic Directional Index for Industrial Serial Manipulators
by Giovanni Boschetti
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(17), 5953; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10175953 - 27 Aug 2020
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3284
Abstract
In the last forty years, performance evaluations have been conducted to evaluate the behavior of industrial manipulators throughout the workspace. The information gathered from these evaluations describes the performances of robots from different points of view. In this paper, a novel method is [...] Read more.
In the last forty years, performance evaluations have been conducted to evaluate the behavior of industrial manipulators throughout the workspace. The information gathered from these evaluations describes the performances of robots from different points of view. In this paper, a novel method is proposed for evaluating the maximum speed that a serial robot can reach with respect to both the position of the robot and its direction of motion. This approach, called Kinematic Directional Index (KDI), was applied to a Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm (SCARA) robot and an articulated robot with six degrees of freedom to outline their performances. The results of the experimental tests performed on these manipulators prove the effectiveness of the proposed index. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modelling and Control of Mechatronic and Robotic Systems)
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20 pages, 5627 KiB  
Article
Local CPG Self Growing Network Model with Multiple Physical Properties
by Ming Liu, Mantian Li, Fusheng Zha, Pengfei Wang, Wei Guo and Lining Sun
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(16), 5497; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10165497 - 8 Aug 2020
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1952
Abstract
Compared with traditional control methods, the advantage of CPG (Central Pattern Generator) network control is that it can significantly reduce the size of the control variable without losing the complexity of its motion mode output. Therefore, it has been widely used in the [...] Read more.
Compared with traditional control methods, the advantage of CPG (Central Pattern Generator) network control is that it can significantly reduce the size of the control variable without losing the complexity of its motion mode output. Therefore, it has been widely used in the motion control of robots. To date, the research into CPG network has been polarized: one direction has focused on the function of CPG control rather than biological rationality, which leads to the poor functional adaptability of the control network and means that the control network can only be used under fixed conditions and cannot adapt to new control requirements. This is because, when there are new control requirements, it is difficult to develop a control network with poor biological rationality into a new, qualified network based on previous research; instead, it must be explored again from the basic link. The other direction has focused on the rationality of biology instead of the function of CPG control, which means that the form of the control network is only similar to a real neural network, without practical use. In this paper, we propose some physical characteristics (including axon resistance, capacitance, length and diameter, etc.) that can determine the corresponding parameters of the control model to combine the growth process and the function of the CPG control network. Universal gravitation is used to achieve the targeted guidance of axon growth, Brownian random motion is used to simulate the random turning of axon self-growth, and the signal of a single neuron is established by the Rall Cable Model that simplifies the axon membrane potential distribution. The transfer model, which makes the key parameters of the CPG control network—the delay time constant and the connection weight between the synapses—correspond to the axon length and axon diameter in the growth model and the growth and development of the neuron processes and control functions are combined. By coordinating the growth and development process and control function of neurons, we aim to realize the control function of the CPG network as much as possible under the conditions of biological reality. In this way, the complexity of the control model we develop will be close to that of a biological neural network, and the control network will have more control functions. Finally, the effectiveness of the established CPG self-growth control network is verified through the experiments of the simulation prototype and experimental prototype. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modelling and Control of Mechatronic and Robotic Systems)
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22 pages, 2149 KiB  
Article
Motion Planning and Coordinated Control of Underwater Vehicle-Manipulator Systems with Inertial Delay Control and Fuzzy Compensator
by Han Han, Yanhui Wei, Xiufen Ye and Wenzhi Liu
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(11), 3944; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10113944 - 5 Jun 2020
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 2399
Abstract
This paper presents new motion planning and robust coordinated control schemes for trajectory tracking of the underwater vehicle-manipulator system (UVMS) subjected to model uncertainties, time-varying external disturbances, payload and sensory noises. A redundancy resolution technique with a new secondary task and nonlinear function [...] Read more.
This paper presents new motion planning and robust coordinated control schemes for trajectory tracking of the underwater vehicle-manipulator system (UVMS) subjected to model uncertainties, time-varying external disturbances, payload and sensory noises. A redundancy resolution technique with a new secondary task and nonlinear function is proposed to generate trajectories for the vehicle and manipulator. In this way, the vehicle attitude and manipulator position are aligned in such a way that the interactive forces are reduced. To resist sensory measurement noises, an extended Kalman filter (EKF) is utilized to estimate the UVMS states. Using these estimates, a tracking controller based on feedback Linearization with both the joint-space and task-space tracking errors is proposed. Moreover, the inertial delay control (IDC) is incorporated in the proposed control scheme to estimate the lumped uncertainties and disturbances. In addition, a fuzzy compensator based on these estimates via IDC is introduced for reducing the undesired effects of perturbations. Trajectory tracking tasks on a five-degrees-of-freedom (5-DOF) underwater vehicle equipped with a 3-DOF manipulator are numerically simulated. The comparative results demonstrate the performance of the proposed controller in terms of tracking errors, energy consumption and robustness against uncertainties and disturbances. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modelling and Control of Mechatronic and Robotic Systems)
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18 pages, 9788 KiB  
Article
Safe pHRI via the Variable Stiffness Safety-Oriented Mechanism (V2SOM): Simulation and Experimental Validations
by Younsse Ayoubi, Med Amine Laribi, Marc Arsicault and Saïd Zeghloul
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(11), 3810; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10113810 - 30 May 2020
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2242
Abstract
Robots are gaining a foothold day-by-day in different areas of people’s lives. Collaborative robots (cobots) need to display human-like dynamic performance. Thus, the question of safety during physical human–robot interaction (pHRI) arises. Herein, we propose making serial cobots intrinsically compliant to guarantee safe [...] Read more.
Robots are gaining a foothold day-by-day in different areas of people’s lives. Collaborative robots (cobots) need to display human-like dynamic performance. Thus, the question of safety during physical human–robot interaction (pHRI) arises. Herein, we propose making serial cobots intrinsically compliant to guarantee safe pHRI via our novel designed device, V2SOM (variable stiffness safety-oriented mechanism). Integrating this new device at each rotary joint of the serial cobot ensures a safe pHRI and reduces the drawbacks of making robots compliant. Thanks to its two continuously linked functional modes—high and low stiffness—V2SOM presents a high inertia decoupling capacity, which is a necessary condition for safe pHRI. The high stiffness mode eases the control without disturbing the safety aspect. Once a human–robot (HR) collision occurs, a spontaneous and smooth shift to low stiffness mode is passively triggered to safely absorb the impact. To highlight V2SOM’s effect in safety terms, we consider two complementary safety criteria: impact force (ImpF) criterion and head injury criterion (HIC) for external and internal damage evaluation of blunt shocks, respectively. A pre-established HR collision model is built in Matlab/Simulink (v2018, MathWorks, France) in order to evaluate the latter criterion. This paper presents the first V2SOM prototype, with quasi-static and dynamic experimental evaluations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modelling and Control of Mechatronic and Robotic Systems)
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20 pages, 17460 KiB  
Article
Anti-Disturbance Control for Quadrotor UAV Manipulator Attitude System Based on Fuzzy Adaptive Saturation Super-Twisting Sliding Mode Observer
by Ran Jiao, Wusheng Chou, Yongfeng Rong and Mingjie Dong
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(11), 3719; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10113719 - 27 May 2020
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 3337
Abstract
Aerial operation with unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) manipulator is a promising field for future applications. However, the quadrotor UAV manipulator usually suffers from several disturbances, such as external wind and model uncertainties, when conducting aerial tasks, which will seriously influence the stability of [...] Read more.
Aerial operation with unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) manipulator is a promising field for future applications. However, the quadrotor UAV manipulator usually suffers from several disturbances, such as external wind and model uncertainties, when conducting aerial tasks, which will seriously influence the stability of the whole system. In this paper, we address the problem of high-precision attitude control for quadrotor manipulator which is equipped with a 2-degree-of-freedom (DOF) robotic arm under disturbances. We propose a new sliding-mode extended state observer (SMESO) to estimate the lumped disturbance and build a backstepping attitude controller to attenuate its influence. First, we use the saturation function to replace discontinuous sign function of traditional SMESO to alleviate the estimation chattering problem. Second, by innovatively introducing super-twisting algorithm and fuzzy logic rules used for adaptively updating the observer switching gains, the fuzzy adaptive saturation super-twisting extended state observer (FASTESO) is constructed. Finally, in order to further reduce the impact of sensor noise, we invite a tracking differentiator (TD) incorporated into FASTESO. The proposed control approach is validated with effectiveness in several simulations and experiments in which we try to fly UAV under varied external disturbances. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modelling and Control of Mechatronic and Robotic Systems)
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19 pages, 7185 KiB  
Article
Performance Investigation of Integrated Model of Quarter Car Semi-Active Seat Suspension with Human Model
by Saransh Jain, Shubham Saboo, Catalin Iulian Pruncu and Deepak Rajendra Unune
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(9), 3185; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10093185 - 2 May 2020
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 4131
Abstract
In this paper, an integrated model of a semi-active seat suspension with a human model over a quarter is presented. The proposed eight-degrees of freedom (8-DOF) integrated model consists of 2-DOF for the quarter car model, 2-DOF for the semi-active seat suspension and [...] Read more.
In this paper, an integrated model of a semi-active seat suspension with a human model over a quarter is presented. The proposed eight-degrees of freedom (8-DOF) integrated model consists of 2-DOF for the quarter car model, 2-DOF for the semi-active seat suspension and 4-DOF for the human model. A magneto-rheological (MR) damper is implemented for the seat suspension. The fuzzy logic-based self-tuning (FLST) proportional–integral–derivative (PID) controller allows to regulate the controlled force on the basis of sprung mass velocity error and its derivative as input. The controlled force is tracked by the Heaviside step function which determines the supply voltage for the MR damper. The performance of the proposed integrated model is analysed, in-terms of human head accelerations, for several road profiles and at different speeds. The performance of the semi-active seat suspension is compared with the traditional passive seat suspension to validate the effectiveness of the proposed integrated model with a semi-active seat suspension. The simulation results show that the semi-active seat suspension improves the ride comfort significantly by reducing the head acceleration effectively compared to the passive seat suspension. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modelling and Control of Mechatronic and Robotic Systems)
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16 pages, 2752 KiB  
Article
A Novel Fast Terminal Sliding Mode Tracking Control Methodology for Robot Manipulators
by Quang Vinh Doan, Anh Tuan Vo, Tien Dung Le, Hee-Jun Kang and Ngoc Hoai An Nguyen
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(9), 3010; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10093010 - 26 Apr 2020
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 3508
Abstract
This paper comes up with a novel Fast Terminal Sliding Mode Control (FTSMC) for robot manipulators. First, to enhance the response, fast convergence time, against uncertainties, and accuracy of the tracking position, the novel Fast Terminal Sliding Mode Manifold (FTSMM) is developed. Then, [...] Read more.
This paper comes up with a novel Fast Terminal Sliding Mode Control (FTSMC) for robot manipulators. First, to enhance the response, fast convergence time, against uncertainties, and accuracy of the tracking position, the novel Fast Terminal Sliding Mode Manifold (FTSMM) is developed. Then, a Supper-Twisting Control Law (STCL) is applied to combat the unknown nonlinear functions in the control system. By using this technique, the exterior disturbances and uncertain dynamics are compensated more rapidly and more correctly with the smooth control torque. Finally, the proposed controller is launched from the proposed sliding mode manifold and the STCL to provide the desired performance. Consequently, the stabilization and robustness criteria are guaranteed in the designed system with high-performance and limited chattering. The proposed controller runs without a precise dynamic model, even in the presence of uncertain components. The numerical examples are simulated to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed control method for trajectory tracking control of a 3-Degrees of Freedom (DOF) robotic manipulator. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modelling and Control of Mechatronic and Robotic Systems)
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23 pages, 7597 KiB  
Article
Design of a Two-DOFs Driving Mechanism for a Motion-Assisted Finger Exoskeleton
by Giuseppe Carbone, Eike Christian Gerding, Burkard Corves, Daniele Cafolla, Matteo Russo and Marco Ceccarelli
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(7), 2619; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10072619 - 10 Apr 2020
Cited by 31 | Viewed by 5093
Abstract
This paper presents a novel exoskeleton mechanism for finger motion assistance. The exoskeleton is designed as a serial 2-degrees-of-freedom wearable mechanism that is able to guide human finger motion. The design process starts by analyzing the motion of healthy human fingers by video [...] Read more.
This paper presents a novel exoskeleton mechanism for finger motion assistance. The exoskeleton is designed as a serial 2-degrees-of-freedom wearable mechanism that is able to guide human finger motion. The design process starts by analyzing the motion of healthy human fingers by video motion tracking. The experimental data are used to obtain the kinematics of a human finger. Then, a graphic/geometric synthesis procedure is implemented for achieving the dimensional synthesis of the proposed novel 2 degrees of freedom linkage mechanism for the finger exoskeleton. The proposed linkage mechanism can drive the three finger phalanxes by using two independent actuators that are both installed on the back of the hand palm. A prototype is designed based on the proposed design by using additive manufacturing. Results of numerical simulations and experimental tests are reported and discussed to prove the feasibility and the operational effectiveness of the proposed design solution that can assist a wide range of finger motions with proper adaptability to a variety of human fingers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modelling and Control of Mechatronic and Robotic Systems)
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