Analysis of Deformability of Non-Rigid Cylindrical Parts during Robotic Assembly Using a Force Torque Sensor

The behavior of non-rigid cylindrical pieces during robotic assembly is taken into account in the research. The solution to the automated assembly problem is further complicated by the requirements to account for the deformation of the elastic shaft due to its low stiffness. On the basis of the identification of the output signals from a force torque sensor, a model is provided for detecting the kind of deformation of a part. We find the relationships between the coupling depth and the bending stiffness at the contact locations and the shaft deformation parameters. The values of deflections and rotational angles with two-point contact determined during the connection of a non-rigid shaft with a rigid sleeve enable the robot's output link to move correctly during assembly. An industrial robot from ABB called the IRB-140 with an IRC5 controller and a force torque sensor from the business "Schunk" was used for the experiment.