A Test Bed to Measure Transverse Deflection of a Flexible Link Manipulator

In this paper, we present a test bed to measure transverse deflection in different parts of a link of a manipulator of flexible links. For the mathematical modeling of the link, the Euler-Bernoulli beam theory has been used as a simplification of the linear elasticity theory, which allows calculating the load and the deflection characteristics of a beam. In order to measure the transverse deflection of the beam, we have used strain gauge arrangements that have been placed at three points of the flexible link, the test bed, allowing to reconstruct the position of the beam taking into account the actual position of the end-effector, the motion controller, and real-time interface PC. In addition to knowing with certainty the position of the manipulator arm, it has also been considered in the calculation of the manipulator dynamics using Euler-Lagrange and assumed modes for modeling the transverse deflection and the vibrations of the beam. This information will be used in modern control schemes to perform transverse deflection compensation, vibration suppression and ensure that the end-effector, reaches the set point set in the control system in a finite time.