IDENTIFICATION OF GEOMETRIC AND NON GEOMETRIC PARAMETERS
OF ROBOTS
J.L. Caenen
Ecole des Mines de Douai
BP 838, 59508 Douai Cedex
FRANCE
ABSTRACT
This paper presents a general method to
identify the geometric and non geometric
parameters of serial robots. The limit of
absolute accuracy of the robot is defined and
taken into account in the procedure.
Experimental results are applied on a six
degree of freedom robot of cylindrical type.
1 - INTRODUCTION
Tasks performed by the robots require a
certain positionning accuracy. When these
tasks are defined using analytical (or off-line)
programming tools, the absolute positionning
accuracy must pay a special attention. The
efficiency of this type of programming is
however verified only if there is a real
correspondence between the robot model and
the robot put in action. The absolute
positionning capability is limited by geometric
and non-geometric effects.
The geometric errors in the manipulator
structure may result from impricise
manufacturing of the robot links and joints or
from the deviation of the encoder offsets. A
method to define the geometric model of the
robot is the homogeneous transformation
matrix defined by the modified Denavit-
Hartenberg notation [l] : four parameters
express the relationship between two
consecutive joints of the robot. Using this
notation, the model of the end effector
positionning errors may be developed as
function of the errors in all four link
parameters [2].In the case of two consecutive
parallel or near parallel joints, small errors in
the link parameters do not correspond to small
errors in the end effector position. So an other
parameter p must be introduced [3, 41 into the
homogenous transformation.
The non geometric errors may result from
friction, gravity, compliance, gear transmission
and backlash. Non geometric models are
defined to predict and compensate [ 5 ] these
CH2876-1/90/0000/1032$01.00 Q 1990 IEEE
J.C. Angue
Universite de Valenciennes
59326 Valenciennes Cedex
FRANCE
errors. They are often time expensive,
independent from the geometric model and
may be difficult t o implement in an industrial
environment. Other parameters are introduced
into the geometric model of rotary 'oint robot
to define non geometric effects [6, 73.They are
employed to characterize the compliance and
baklash in the joints due t o the gravitational
effect.
In this paper, a general calibration model
is developed to represent both geometric and
non geometric errors in manipulator structure
including rotary and/or prismatic joints. The
aim of this model is to obtain the limit of
accurac of the robot. Often define as the
repeatagility [7],a new definition of this limit
is given wich take into account effects such as
the encoder resolution and roundoff error of
the robot controller. The geometric model use
the modified Denavit-Hartenberg notation
including the "modified" p parameter. Non
geometric parameters are defined into the
geometric model to take into account joint
compliance, backlash and flexion. The
calibration equations are presented. They
define a linear differential model of
independent parameter errors solved by a least
square method. Experimental results are
applied on a six degree of freedom robot. The
resulting improvement in acuracy due to this
calibration is experimentally measured.
2 - DEFINITION OF THE GEOMETRIC
PARAMETERS
2.1 - DEFINITION
The system t o be considered is an open
loop mechanism of n joints. Link 0 is the base
while link n is the terminal link. The coordinate
frame j is assigned f x e d with respect to link j.
The definition of the link frames will be carried
out by the modified Denavit and Hartenberg
notation 111. The 'z. axis is along the axis of
joint j, the x. adis is along the common
perpendicular dk z. and z. Frame j is defined
with respect to dame jjl'by the matrix J-lT.
which is function of the four parameters (a,:
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dj , ej, rj),figure 1, such that :
2.2 - NEAR PARALLEL JOINTS
j-1T -Rot(x, a.)Trans(x,dj)Rot(z,ej)Trans(z,rj) Using the four Denavit-Hartenberg
j- J notation, small variations in the position and
wich give : orientation of two consecutive links can not be
define as function of small variations in the
manipulator link parameters. So, a additional
term Rot (y, 8 ) must be added. In the case of
the modified Denavit-Hartenberg notation, if
z. and z. are parallel, this parameter will
&present rotation around the axis Y.-,.The
frame j is defiofd with respect to the f d m e j-1
cej -sej 0 by the matrix J- Tj :
dj
CajSB, CajCBj -Saj -rj Sa j j-lTj=Rot(y,pj).Rot(x , .).Trans(x,d-)
.Rot(z:ej).Trans(z$) (1)
J - ~ T ~ = sajsej sajcej caj rjcaj
0 0 0 1 3 - DEFINITION OF THE NON GEOMETRIC
ERRORS
where :
In our model of calibration we don't take
j -Is. j -In. , j - l a . define the orientation into account the dynamic effects wich may
of frdke j wizh respezt to frame j-1 (unit influence the robot behaviour (we can find i t in
ye tors). the repeatability of the robot). So the effects
3 -?Pa defines the position of the origin of of the gravity on the manipulator are studied
framd j with respect to frame j-1. here to define the non geometric parameters.
According to the Denavit-Hartenberg
notation the gravity can produce on the robot
three types of "compliance" or 'flexion'. They
are deformations around the X, Y and Z axis
due t8 the different gravity torques. Assuming
that is the position of the mass center of
the jt 'link defined with respect to the Ot
r f,ference frame, the mass mj produce on the
it link three torques :

In the general case, the resulting torques

on the ith axis are given as :

Figure 1
The joint variable j will be given as :
qj = U
j j
e +U
jrj n
where : u.=O for j rotational, uj=1 for j ri = k=i+((OMk-*Pi)x mk.0ao).0ai.g
translational, EChd Uj = ( 1-U ) . 1
We define also : x denotes the vector product.
q.=a-f3.+a.r.
3 3 3 3 3
It is to be noted that frame 0 can be
defined such that zo is along z1, and XQ is along
x1 when 1'0, so al=0, d -0 q 0, while frame
n can be 2efined such tha$-qL=d=[l].

1033
 2- Since the parameter dj represents a
This torques modify the correspondent translation along xa-1. The column
geometric parameters such as : corresponding t o dj in th&Jacobian matrix Will
be given as :
ai = ai + K,i.Ti
"j-I
pi = pi + Kpi.Ci (3)
Jdj= I o
ei = ei si.ri
4-

and so introduce the new parameters K ~ K~~

~ ,
-
3- Since the parameter e represents a rotation
around the axis. The 'column corresponding
and si. to ej in the jjcobian matrix will be given as :

4 - DEFINITION OF THE IDENTIFICATION

MODEL
4.1 - GENERAL DEFINITION 4- Similarly the column corresponding to rj is :
Uspg the homogenous transformation
matrix J- T. (l), the location of the tool frame n
with respek t o the base can be represented as

~ OT~.~T~...~-~T,
O T =
Assuming the errors of first order,
location errors of the robot tool frame dues to
the errors in the geometric parameters can be
approximated as :
where :
- D is the (3x1) translational differential
vector ofnthe tool frame.
- 6 is the (3x1) rotational differential
vector or the tool frame.
- B defines the errors in the robot
parameters.
- J, is the extended jacobian matrix.
4.2 - DEFINITION OF THE JACOBIAN
MATRIX
4.2.1. GEOMETRIC PARAMETERS. The
calculation of the columns of extended jacobian
matrix can be calculated directly as follows [8]
1- Since the parameter a . represents a rotation
around the x. 1 axis (of3unit vector s--1). The
column corr&ponding to a j in the jacobian
matrix will be given as :
5- Since the parameter p . represents a rotation
around the yj axis, we gdt :
I "j-1 I
All the vectors appearing in equations ( 5 ,...,9)
must be referred to the measuring fixed frame.
So we need to calculate the vectors s a , n . ,
referred to the fixed frame? Th Ae
%t$j '?an be obtained from the matrices %'.
o=O, ... n). The vector L. will be obtained ad
pn-Ob. . These matrickSn can be calculated
symbol$cally or numerically. The numerical
calculation is general and preferred for the off
line identification especially if B cannot be
considered as first order and iterative
calculation is investigated to identify it. The
symbolic calculation will be more efficient,
from the computation cost point of view, for
the correction problem.
Only the equations corresponding to the
position error D,, on sufficient number of
points, are used in the identification process.
The solution of the corresponding system of
equation, represented by the first three
equations of relation (4), is obtained by a
classical least squares method.
4.2.2. GEOMETRIC AND NON GEOMETRIC
PARAMETERSDue to the equation (2,3) using
the equations (5,..,9), the columns
corresponding to the non geometric parameters
are given by :

x denotes the vector product,

L. is the (3x1) vector between the
origin ofirame i and the origin of frame n.

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and the columns corresponding to the
geometric parameters become :
Jej= Jej(1 + Sj-Jrj)
Jaj= J , j ( l + Kaj J T j )
Jpj' Jpj(1 + Kpj-JCj)
Where Jrj - 6ri
68j
JTj =
6aj
Jcj = 5.3 LIMIT OF ABSOLUTE ACCURACY
68j
4.2.3. IDENTIFIABLE PARAMETERSK a
column of the jacobian matrix is a linear
combination of some other columns, the
corresponding error parameter can not be
identified. In this case, this parameter error is
forced to zero and his identification is carried
out through the errors on the other
parameters. The combinations are obtained on
a case by case study.
From section 2, when z . - ~and z. are
parallel, the additional parameder p . muht be
introduced. In this case, we remard that the
errors on r. will not be calculated because it is
in the samb direction of ri-l. So the maximum
nomber of geometric errors is 4 and the
maximum number of non geometric errors of
each frame is 3.
As a conclusion the definition of the
geometric and non geometric parameters of an
n link robot will need a maximum number of
7.n independent parameters.
5 - THE LIMIT OF ABSOLUTE ACCURACY
To perform an analytical programming,
the robot needs to use two types of elements :
- the positionning control system of
the joints,
- the geometric control system wich
contain the robot model.
The limit of the robot accuracy depends
on the limits of these two elements.
5.1 PRECISION OF THE POSITIONNING
CONTROL SYSTEM
This Drecision is defined bv the
repeatability-of the robot wich charactehze the
behaviour of the robot mecanics under control.
Measured using the I.S.O. TC 184/SC2
specifications, the repeatability includes
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steady state errors, friction and the dynamic
effects on the robot links.
5.2 PRECISION OF THE GEOMETRIC
CONTROL SYSTEM
When the robot is under a geometric
control, the positionning software must
transform the analytic orders (positions and
orientations) into joint orders. Even if the
geometric parameters of the robot are well
known, roundoff errors and errors due to the
encoder resolutions may occur. So these errors
constitute a new cause of the robot
positionning uncertainty. The value of this
uncertainty is obtained using a simulation
program.
The sum of the tool location errors
defined in 5.1 and 5.2 is used to express the
limit of absolute accuracy of the robot.
This limit includes the real behaviour of
the robot (with friction, dynamic...) and the
influence of geometric uncertainties wich can
not be defined in the identification model of
the calibration.
This limit constitutes the purpose to
attain during the calibration process.
6 - EXPERIMENTATION AND RESULTS
Experimental results are carried out on a
TH8-ACMA robot, wich is a six degree of
freedom robot of cylindrical type (figure 2).
6.1 INSTRUMENTATION
The instrumentation is based on the use
of two theodolites and a cylindrical tool fixed
on the robot terminal link. The coordinates of
the robot point tool is determined with an
accuracy about &0,02mm/m. The point tool is
materialized by a 2 mm diameter sphere. The
dimensions of this tool are measured with
precision.
6.2 MEASUREMENTS
The measurements are expressed in the
robot fixed frame to satisfy the definition of
the identification model (4). The location of the
robot fixed frame with respect to the
theodolites frame is obtained by using a lot of
specific procedures [9]. In the case of the TH8
robot, this location is defined as follow :
- axis Z is the perpendicular on the
circular plane h t a i n e d by rotating joint 1.
- axis YO is obtained by identifying the
translation of joint 3.
- the origin of the frame is the center of
the circle during the rotation of joint 1 (other
robot joints on their position of geometric
initialisation).
The measurement points are divided in
 the complete volume of work of the robot. A
total of 48 configurations are obtained from Two identifications are carried out.
significant displacements of the robot. For each Including only the geometrical parameters, the
of them, the values of the joint encoders and first calibration permit to obtain an accuracy
the corresponding coordinates of the tool point about 0,69 mm with a standard deviation about
are recorded. The measured absolute accuracy 0,34 mm. The second calibration includes the
before calibration is 2,82 mm in average with a geometric and non geometric parameters. The
standard deviation about 0,88 mm. obtained accuracy is about 0,58 with a
standard deviation about 0,21 mm. The values
6.3 LIMIT OF ABSOLUTE ACCURACY of the correspondent parameters errors are in
The repeatability of the tested robot is the following tables :
about 0,3mm. Identification of geometrical parameters:
The resolution of the encoders is about frame P a d e r
0,l mm and 0,12 mm for the translation joints
and between 1.10-2 and 2.10-3 degrees for the 1 0 0 0 0,015 0
revolute joints. Dimensional parameters are I I I I I I I

taken into account in the robot software with

a roundoff about 0,l mm. The simulated
precision of the geometric control system is 3 0 0,099 0,874 0 2,087
found about 0,25 mm.
4 -0,062 0,031 0 -0,133 0
So the limit of absolute accuracy of the
robot is about 0,55 mm. 5 0 0,014 -0,041 -0,114 0

6.4 IDENTIFICATION RESULTS 6 0 0,063 0 0 -3,703

The identifiable and eliminated
parameters of the TH8 robot are as follow : angles in degrees and dimensions in mm
Identification of geometrical and non
frame /3 a d 8 r Ke K, K8 geometrical parameters:
I I

1 E E I I E E E E frame P a d e r

2 I I E E I E I I 1 0 0 0 0,014 0

2 0,049 -0,049 0 0 0,940

0,076 3 I 827

and
frame
Ke Ka Ks
1 0 0 0

2 0 0 0,021

3 0 0,076 0

4 I 0,011 I 0,043 I -0,032 I

9 Figure 2, the TH8 robot.

5

6
0,'006

angles in degrees and dimensions in mm

For this robot, we see that the accuracy
0 009

0
0

1036
by calibrating the geometrical parameters is
near to the limit of the absolute accuracy of
;the robot. The accuracy is improved by the
complete" calibration wich permit to obtain a
result comparable to the limit of absolute
precision of the robot. All these identified
values ma be used in an compensation
algorithm [& to correct the robot.
7.CONCLUSION
This paper presents a general calibration
procedure wich take into account geometric
and non geometric parameters of robots. The
limit of absolute accuracy is defined as the
limit to attain by the identification.
Experimental results are applied on a six
degree of freedom robot including revolute and
prismatic joints. The improvements permit to
obtain an accuracy value comparable to the
limit of the robot.
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[Z] J.L CAENEN, J.C ANGUE, "Robot Calibration", Proc.

International Symposium o n Industrial Robot, Tokyo,
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[3] S.A.HAYAT1, "Robot arm geometric link calibration"

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IS] JSSHAMMA, D.E. WHITNAY, "A method for inverse

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[SI W.KHALIL, J.L.CAENEN, C.H.ENGUEHARD,

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