Quasi-physical modeling of robot IRB 120 using Simscape Multibody for dynamic and control simulation

Abstract

The mathematical model of robot that is used to design control algorithms is mostly reused in numerical simulations as a virtual plant. The use of same model for both control design and simulation tasks makes the outcome idealized. Consequently, the effectiveness and feasibility of designed control methodologies when applied in practice seem to be questionable. The paper presents the quasi-physical modeling of a 6-DOF robot using MATLAB/Simscape Multibody for dynamic and control simulation. The bodies of the robot are assembled into a physical network with connections that represent physical domains. The dynamical manners of the quasi-physical model are close to that of real robot manipulators. This model can be exploited to verify the accuracy of mathematical models. After designing process, the control laws are validated with this model instead of an ideal mathematical model or an actual expensive prototype. The efficiency of the proposed modeling approach is demonstrated through the dynamic and control simulation of robot IRB 120.