VIBRATION CONTROL OF FLEXIBLE MANIPULATORS USING SMART STRUCTURES

The long reach robots required for space applications necessitate acti ve vibration control algorithms for a better pointing performance. The inherent flexibility of the long and flexible space arms can generate undesirable vibrations, making their end-point controls very difficul t, although they provide a large reach volume and payload capabilities . This paper presents a novel technique to control the vibrations of N modes of a flexible link attached to a rigid robot employing an Imped ance Control Technique using piezo-ceramic actuators and fiber-optic s ensors. A piezo-ceramic actuator model has been developed by consideri ng the moments/forces generated by the piezo-ceramic actuator as nonco nservative external forces. Successful simulation and experimental res ults have been obtained for vibration control of a cantilever beam whi ch is attached to the end effector of the Titan-II robot arm.