Your team is focused on speed in a robotics project. How do you ensure precision doesn't get left behind?

For industrial robot arms, speed and accuracy is given in the specification. For the speed, the overall maximum TCP speed as well as axis-individual speeds are stated. For the accuracy, there is the repeatability and the absolute accuracy of a manipulator. Based on these information, the right robot can be found for the individual application and the associated requirements.

You have to set up a kind of specification with a schedule and steps, you also have to put a person who controls the basics that each step is respected. This person must make a regular report.

The robotics and AI worlds are moving so quickly it's critical to keep up. With that in mind, quality and reliability is key. Our team sets clear requirements - engineering working with customer success and sales to quantify the expectations from customers. That gives us clear goal posts that engineering can work towards. In addition to specific features and function, we set requirements for testing plans and quantity of testing as well so we do not consider a feature "done" until it meets the test criteria. We also set stakes in the ground for software and hardware release cycles so we don't let a release drag out forever. In some cases, that means abandoning certain desired features for the sake of shipping updates to customers.

Define specific, quantifiable goals for both speed and precision at the start of your project. Establish benchmarks like maximum allowable deviation for precision and minimum performance thresholds for speed. Regularly reviewing these goals ensures that the project remains aligned with both speed and accuracy requirements as it evolves.

Select components and materials that cater to both speed and precision. For example, choosing motors with a high torque-to-inertia ratio can provide quick acceleration while maintaining control. Utilize sensors capable of rapid and accurate data detection to allow for swift adjustments. A well-thought-out design phase is crucial for creating a robot that can operate quickly without compromising precision.

To optimize a robot's path accuracy and speed, the robot program and path can be optimized. To guarantee an optimal operation of the robot, the poses of the robot during motion execution should be analyzed and optimized. For the motions, the correct motion type (joint move vs. linear move) should be used. To optimize speed and/ or precision, the position override/ position level can be assigned to each position.

Optimize your robot’s software to balance speed and precision. Implement algorithms, such as PID controllers, that prioritize accuracy in real-time decision-making, even at high speeds. Fine-tuning these control systems helps maintain precision while allowing for fast operations.

Conduct rigorous testing under various conditions to evaluate the robot's speed and precision. Create challenging scenarios that push both metrics to their limits and use the collected data to refine the robot's design and programming. This iterative testing and adjustment process is crucial for achieving a robust balance between speed and precision.

Integrate real-time feedback loops into your robot’s system. These loops provide immediate performance data, enabling on-the-fly adjustments to maintain precision at high speeds. By using sensors and software that can quickly interpret and respond to this data, you can ensure the robot performs tasks accurately, even under rapid operation.

Adopt a philosophy of continuous improvement and learning. Collect performance data and user feedback to understand how to optimize both speed and precision. Implement machine learning techniques to allow the robot to adapt and enhance its accuracy over time autonomously. This ongoing process ensures precision remains a priority as the robot operates faster.