DYNAMICS OF ROBOTIC MANIPULATORS

INTRODUCTION

Dynamics of robotic manipulator shows the relationship between the force acting on the robot and
the resulting motion of the robot.

Since the kinematics of robotic manipulator describes the relationship between robot end effector
position and orientation in space and manipulator joint angle. Means that represents the motion of
the robot without considering masses and the moment of inertia. But dynamics of robotic
manipulator represents balancing of external and internal loads acting on the manipulator whether
stationary or moving, in other words the dynamics concerns the motion of bodies Includes

i. Kinematics – study of motion without reference to the force that cause it.
ii. Kinetics – relates these forces to the motion
iii. Dynamic behavior of a robot: rate of change of arm configuration in relation to the torques
exerted by the actuators.

Robot dynamics is really important since it will give you a complete understand not only of how
the robot move(kinematics) but also, WHY they move (dynamics).

The dynamic behavior is described in terms of the time rate of change of the robot configuration
in relation to the joint torques exerted by the actuators. This relationship can be expressed by a set
of differential equations, called equations of motion, that govern the dynamic response of the robot
linkage to input joint torques.
 Figure 1 a robot

Dynamics Properties

When working with robot dynamics, specify the information for individual bodies of your
manipulator robot using these properties of the rigid Body objects:

i. Mass — Mass of the rigid body in kilograms.

ii. Center of Mass — Center of mass position of the rigid body, specified as a vector of the
form [x y z]. The vector describes the location of the center of mass of the rigid body,
relative to the body frame, in meters. The center of object function uses these rigid body
property values when computing the center of mass of a robot.

iii. Inertia — Inertia of the rigid body, specified as a vector of the form of

𝐼𝑥𝑥 = 𝑦2 +𝑧2 𝜌𝑑𝑣

𝐼𝑦𝑦 = 𝑥2 +𝑧2 𝜌𝑑𝑣
𝐼𝑦𝑧 = 𝑦𝑧𝜌𝑑𝑣
𝐼𝑧𝑧 = 𝑥2 +𝑦2 𝜌𝑑𝑣
𝐼𝑥𝑦 = 𝑥𝑦𝜌𝑑𝑣
𝐼𝑥𝑧 = 𝑥𝑧𝜌𝑑𝑣
 iv. The vector is relative to the body frame in kilogram square meters.

The first three elements of the Inertia vector are the moment of inertia, which are the
diagonal elements of the inertia tensor. The last three elements are the product of inertia,
which are the off-diagonal elements of the inertia tensor. For information related to the
entire manipulator robot model, specify these rigid Body Tree object properties:

v. Gravity — Gravitational acceleration experienced by the robot, specified as an [x y

z] vector in m/s2. By default, there is no gravitational acceleration.

vi. Data Format — The input and output data format for the kinematics and dynamics
functions is specified as "struct", "row", or "column".

FORWARD AND INVERSE DYNAMICS

Forward dynamics
It gives the vector of joint torques, work out the resulting manipulator motion.
Inverse Dynamics
It gives a vector of manipulator positions, velocities and acceleration. Find the required vector of
joint torques.

Torques

The actuator has to balance torques from 4 different sources:

i Dynamic torques (caused by the motion)

ii Inertial (promotional to joint acceleration, according to Newton’s law)

iii Centripetal (promotional to square of joint velocity, direction toward the centre of
circular motion)

iv Coriolis (vertical forces, interaction of two rotating links)

v Static torques (caused by friction)

vi Gravity torques (caused by gravity)

vii External torques (exerted on the end effector, caused by the task)
Centripetal Force

A centripetal force is a force that makes a body follow a curved path. Its direction is always
orthogonal to the velocity of the body and towards the fixed point of the instantaneous center of
curvature of the path.

Figure 2 Centrifugal Force

Approaches to Dynamic Modeling

a. Newton-Euler Formulation
Balance of forces/torques
Dynamic equation in numeric form.

b. Lagrange Formulation
Energy-Based approach
Dynamic equations in symbolic/closed form.
 Figure 3 shows robotic links and joints

DYNAMICS EQUATIONS
Manipulator rigid body dynamics are governed by this equation:

−1(−C(q,˙q)˙q−G(q)−J(q)TFExt+τ)
d/dt[q˙q] =[˙qM(q) ]
also written as:

M(q)¨q=−C(q,q)˙q−G(q)−J(q)TFExt+τ
where:

M(q) — Joint-space mass matrix based on the current robot configuration.

It’s Calculated this matrix by using the mass Matrix object function.

C(q,˙q) — The Coriolis terms, which are multiplied by ˙q to calculate the velocity product.
Calculate the velocity product by using by the velocity Product object function.
G(q) — The gravity torques and forces required for all joints to maintain their positions in
the specified gravity Gravity. Calculate the gravity torque by using the gravity Torque object
function.

J(q) — The geometric Jacobian for the specified joint configuration. Calculate the geometric
Jacobian by using the geometric Jacobian object function.

FExt — Matrix of the external forces applied to the rigid body. Generate external forces by
using the external Force object function.

τ — The joint torques and forces applied directly as a vector to each joint.

q,˙q,¨q — The joint configuration, joint velocities, and joint accelerations, respectively, as
individual vectors. For revolute joints, specify values in radians, rad/s, and rad/s2, respectively.
For prismatic joints, specify in meters, m/s, and m/s2.

To compute the dynamics directly, use the forward Dynamics object function. The function
calculates the joint accelerations for the specified combinations of the above inputs.

To achieve a certain set of motions, use the inverse Dynamics object function. The function
calculates the joint torques required to achieve the specified configuration, velocities,
accelerations, and external forces.
APPLICATIONS OF ROBOTIC MANIPULATORS

a. Industrial Automation:
Robotic manipulators are extensively used in industrial settings for automation
purposes. They can perform tasks such as material handling, assembly, welding,
painting, and packaging. Robot arms enhance productivity, improve quality, and
reduce labor costs in manufacturing processes.
b. Pick and Place Operations:
Robotic manipulators are employed for picking up objects from one location and
placing them in another. This application is prevalent in industries such as logistics,
e-commerce, and warehouses, where robots can efficiently handle objects of varying
sizes, shapes, and weights.
c. Assembly and Manufacturing:
Robotic manipulators are utilized in assembly lines for precise and repetitive
assembly operations. They can handle small components, perform intricate assembly
tasks, and ensure consistent quality. Examples include electronic assembly,
automotive assembly, and consumer goods manufacturing

d. Material Handling:
Robot arms are adept at lifting, moving, and transferring objects, making them
valuable for material handling tasks. They can transport heavy loads, work in
hazardous environments, and streamline operations in industries such as logistics,
warehouses, and construction.
e. Welding and Fabrication:
Robotic manipulators are extensively used in welding applications, including arc
welding, spot welding, and laser welding. They provide precise control, high
accuracy, and faster production rates, leading to improved weld quality and reduced
labor costs
f. Inspection and Quality Control:
Robotic manipulators equipped with vision systems and sensors are employed for
inspecting and quality control tasks. They can perform visual inspections,
 measurements, and defect detection in industries like electronics, automotive, and
pharmaceuticals.
g. Research and Development:
Robotic manipulators play a vital role in research and development activities. They
are used to prototype and test new products, simulate real-world scenarios, and
explore advanced robotics concepts. Research labs and universities employ robot
arms for various experiments and studies.
h. Agriculture:
Robotic manipulators are increasingly being employed in agriculture for tasks such
as crop harvesting, pruning, and sorting. They offer increased efficiency, reduced
labor requirements, and improved crop quality.
i. Entertainment and Personal Use:
Robotic manipulators are utilized in entertainment industries, including animatronics,
special effects, and robotic performances. Additionally, consumer robots, such as
robotic arms for hobbyists and DIY projects, are becoming more accessible for
personal use and experimentation.
j. Medical and Healthcare:
Robot arms have found applications in the medical field, assisting in surgeries,
rehabilitation, and patient care. Surgical robots can perform minimally invasive
procedures with greater precision and control, enhancing patient safety and reducing
recovery time.
REFERENCES
Adam Morecki & Józef Knapczyk . (2016). The Inverse Kinematics of Manipulators. Retrieved
from Springer link: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-7091-2532-8_4

Alex Owen-Hill. (2015, November 25). How to Calculate a Robot's Forward Kinematics.
Retrieved from robotiq: https://blog.robotiq.com/how-to-calculate-a-robots-
forwardkinematics-in-5-easy-steps

Francesco Mondada. (2017, October). Kinematics of a Robotic Manipulator. Retrieved from

Springerlink: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-
625331_16#:~:text=Kinematic%20computations

Hassan Alwan & Zaid H. Rashid. (2019, March). kinematic manipulator with three links.
Retrieved from ResearchGate:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331472880_Kinematic_Analysis_and_Simulati
on_of_Three_Link_Open_Chain_Robot_Manipulator_with_Six_DOF

Mordenchai Ben-Ari & Francesco Mondada. (2018). Elements of Robotics. Lausanne: Springer
International Publishing AG.

Zaid H. Rashid & Hassan M. Alwan. (2019). Kinematic Analysis and Simulation of Three Link
(Open Chain) Robot Manipulator with three DOF. Journal of Engineering and Applied
Sciences.