Control of a Six-axis Robotic Arm Using the Touch Panel

Abstract

The touch panel used for this experiment is the WEINTECH MT6071iE. The six-axis robotic arm was controlled by an AT90CAN128, manufactured by the ATMEL Company. A DGServo servomotor was used to drive the robots joints, which consisted of four servomotors with 12 kg torque, two 1.8 kg servomotors with reduction gear, and some precision aluminum alloy components. Driven by the servomotors, the robotic arm was able to perform motions like fetching, pinching, catching, and releasing. For example, the robotic arm was able to clamp table tennis balls and carry coke cans. In this paper, the D–H method is adopted to set the relative position coordinates of all the joints and connecting rods of the robot arm, and the terminal coordinates of the robotic arm were deduced by combining the degree of freedom with the mechanical limitation of existing arms in accordance with forward kinematics. The results of the D–H method derivation and the actual control results of the robotic arm were compared and the source of error was discussed.