FAULT-DIAGNOSIS OF JOINT BACKLASH

The aim of this paper is to develop appropriate techniques to detect a nd classify the joint backlash of a robot by monitoring its vibration response during normal operating conditions. In this investigation, Wi gner-Ville distributions combined with two-dimensional correlation tec hniques have been employed to diagnose the joint faults of multi-link robots. In the study reported here, signal detection based on the Wign er-Ville distribution is proposed as a tool for pattern differentiatio n. To evaluate the performance of different detection procedures, the detection of a simulated impact transient embedded in three simulated observed signals is presented. To assess the validity of the proposed approaches, they have been successfully employed in the fault diagnosi s of link-joints on both a two-link mechanism and an industrial robot.