A new calibration method for enhancing robot position accuracy by combining a robot model–based identification approach and an artificial neural network–based error compensation technique

Robot position accuracy plays a very important role in advanced industrial applications. This article proposes a new method for enhancing robot position accuracy. In order to increase robot accuracy, the proposed method models and identifies determinable error sources, for instance, geometric errors and joint deflection errors. Because non-geometric error sources such as link compliance, gear backlash, and others are difficult to model correctly and completely, an artificial neural network is used for compensating for the robot position errors, which are caused by these non-geometric error sources. The proposed method is used for experimental calibration of an industrial Hyundai HH800 robot designed for carrying heavy loads. The robot position accuracy after calibration demonstrates the effectiveness and correctness of the method.