Experimental Testing of a New Iterative Learning Control Algorithm

In this paper, a new model inverse optimal iterative learning control algorithm is practically implemented on an industrial gantry robot. The algorithm has only one tuning parameter which can be adjusted to provide a balance between convergence speed and robustness. Results show that the algorithm is capable of learning the required trajectory in very few iterations. However at this convergence rate the lack of robustness is a major issue. Appropriate use of the tuning parameter is shown to greatly increase the algorithm robustness. The addition of a zero-phase low-pass filter also successfully stabilises the algorithm, as demonstrated by experiments performed on the robot.