Motion error analysis of a shield machine tool-changing robot based on a screw-vector method

Abstract Industrial robots are widely used in various industrial fields, such as handling and welding, due to their good repeat positioning accuracy. The motion error determines the absolute accuracy. For robot design, dimensional parameter errors and drive parameter errors, a mathematical model of a kinematic exponential product with error screws was proposed. The influence of different rod lengths and transmission errors on the accuracy of the end motion was analysed. A composite analysis method based on screw theory and vector method is proposed for the spatial deflection error of robot rotating joints with clearance. By using screw theory, a mathematical error model of the axial movement and spatial deflection of the joint gap was established. A mathematical model of joint space radial movement was established by using the three-dimensional vector method. Through numerical simulation, the position distribution law of the random error of the robot terminal in the workspace and the distribution of the plane projection density were obtained. By solving the attitude matrix, the distribution of each Euler angle error was obtained. A simulation test was carried out to verify the model's correctness. The calculation showed that the method is simple and correct, and the obtained error distribution characteristics are of great significance to improving robotic kinematic calibration accuracy and optimising the spatial position error distribution.