A Fuzzy Approach for the Kinematic Reliability Assessment of Robotic Manipulators

This paper aims at developing a novel method to assess the kinematic reliability of robotic manipulators based on the fuzzy theory. The kinematic reliability quantifies the probability of obtaining positioning errors within acceptable limits. For this purpose, the fuzzy reliability evaluates the effect of the joint clearances on the end-effector position to compute a failure possibility index. As an alternative to the conventional methods reported in the literature, this failure possibility index conveys a novel assessment of the kinematic performance. The numerical results are compared with the well-known probabilistic approach based on the Monte Carlo simulation.

Automated summary

This paper develops a novel method to assess the kinematic reliability of robotic manipulators based on fuzzy theory, evaluating the effect of joint clearances on end-effector position and computing a failure possibility index. Compared with traditional methods, this new assessment provides a fresh perspective on kinematic performance, with numerical results compared to a probabilistic approach based on Monte Carlo simulation.