Process Analysis and Design for Grinding Robot Tool Holders

A simple and effective solution to the robot grinding problem is introduced, which significantly reduces vibrations during grinding without additional actuators or active control. The objective is to determine the optimal compliance design for grinding robot tool holders. Specifically, the tool holder design should improve accuracy and productivity while protecting the robot arm from the large unpredictable forces which are inherent in the grinding process. It is found that the degree of correlation between the dynamic behavior of the wheel in the directions normal and tangent to the desired workpiece surface has a direct effect on the grinding performance. This fact is utilized to determine the optimal tool holder compliance design through analysis, simulation and experimentation. The resulting design conclusions have been incorporated in two different end-effectors which have been tested on the grinding of weld seams. Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Haruhiko Asada Title: Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering