Robot Performance Analysis

In today’s world of flexible automation, end-users must be able to rely on the performance of their robot when executing various programs and applications. The ISO 9283 International Standard and the RIA 15.05 Standard define the performance criteria and related testing methods to quantify performance characteristics of manipulating industrial robots. These criteria and tests assess the static and dynamic performance of a robot, related to its accuracy, repeatability, exchangeability, speed, cornering, warm-up drift, etc. Testing a robot’s performance statically and dynamically requires the use of a high-accuracy large-volume 3D or 6DOF measurement system.

Such tests are generally executed by the robot manufacturers themselves, as they develop new robots or search to improve their existing ones. The obtained results are also used for specification purposes of their products – the adherence to a Standard offering the obvious benefit to end-users of being able to compare data between different robot models and brands. But major robot end-users also perform such tests from time to time, often either to obtain more in-depth information about the robot models they are considering using, or to obtain test data relevant to the very specific robot application they are interested in. Another reason is to perform predictive maintenance on an existing production line, by testing the robots annually during downtimes for example.

The CompuGauge™ Robot Performance Analysis system consists primarily of software for the measurement, visualization and analysis of a robot’s static and dynamic performance per the ISO and RIA standards. It comes with its own proprietary measurement hardware, but operates with other standard measurement equipment as well, such as laser trackers and camera-based devices: measurement, visualization and analysis of both 3D and 6DOF data are possible. The compiled test reports can be customized to fit a customer’s desired format, providing a comprehensive read of the robot’s performance, while also listing all relevant test conditions (robot model, ambient temperature, used payloads, measurement equipment etc.).

The CompuGauge system is not limited to the execution of the specific tests rigorously defined by ISO and RIA: the use of those same test metrics – i.e. per the test equations defined in those standards – has been expanded to cover virtually any kind of set of poses and paths, so that the customer can perform those tests that are relevant for his particular application. Historically Dynalog’s oldest product, the CompuGauge system has certainly evolved a lot over the years. It is used by most robot manufacturers around the globe.