Trajectory Optimization of Industrial Robots with Application to Computer-aided Robotics and Robot Controllers

The workcycle time in automated car manufacturing lines can be reduced by optimizing the robot trajectories for oo-line programming. Thus, improved set points for the on-line robot controller are obtained. In this paper, direct transcription methods are described for solving the constrained trajectory optimization problems by using full dynamic robot models. The optimization methods can be used conveniently in combination with computer-aided robotics (CAR) tools and current robot controllers. This is demonstrated by simulation and experimental results for an ABB IRB 6400 industrial robot.