Speed accuracy of the modern industrial robot

Improvements in both robot manufacture and robot controller technology have resulted in greater robot accuracy. A trial has been conducted to highlight the improvements brought by this evolution. By measuring the accuracy of the velocity profiles of two generations of the Fanuc Hexapod robot (the Flextool), these evolutionary developments are illustrated. The results from the trial show that although both generations of robot exhibit good accuracy, the later robot is superior both in terms of mechanical design and in controller processing capability.