C2 - Actuators

Transmission

1
Why Transmissions?
• Optimize the transfer of mechanical torque from actuating motors to driven loads (i.e
links)

• Quantitative transformation (from low torque/high velocity to high torque/low velocity).

They:
o work as torque amplifiers
o can use smaller motors (lighter robot)

• Qualitative transformation (e.g. from rotational motion of an electrical motor to a linear

motion in the case of a prismatic joint)

• locating the motors closer to the robot base, allows improvement of static and dynamic
performance by reducing the inertia of the actual robot structure in motion

2
Quantitative Transformation
• Typical robot applications need actuators able to provide:
o LARGE TORQUES 1 ÷ 103 𝑁𝑚
o LOW SPEED 1 ÷ 102 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠 𝑟𝑎𝑑 60
1 = 𝑟𝑝𝑚 ≈ 9.55 𝑟𝑝𝑚
𝑠 2𝜋
• Unfortunately, typical DC motors provide:
o LOW TORQUES
o HIGH SPEED

• The transmission trades off speed for torque: from low torque/high velocity to high
torque/low velocity but there is some inefficiency and loss (as friction)

• In this case, the transmission acts as a speed reducer/torque amplifier

Load
3
Quantitative transformation
• Here we have a motor with a single stage reduction gearbox. We
call it a reduction gearbox because for every rotation of the
motor, the output shaft (on the load side) rotates less than once

# 𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑙

𝑛=
# 𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑜𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑙

• For a reduction gearbox n > 1, where n is the gear reduction ratio

• Output speed:
𝑞ሶ 𝑙 = 𝑞ሶ 𝑚 /𝑛

• Power equivalence (neglecting losses):

𝑃𝐼𝑁 = 𝑃𝑂𝑈𝑇 ⟺ 𝜏𝑚 𝑞ሶ 𝑚 = 𝜏𝑙 𝑞ሶ 𝑙 𝑞ሶ 𝑚 𝑛 𝑞ሶ 𝑙
torque × angular velocity

• Output torque:
𝜏𝑙 = 𝑛𝜏𝑚

• The output shaft speed is lower than the motor speed

and the output torque is greater than the motor torque
4
 Inertia amplification
• Same relation for accelerations: 𝑟𝑙 𝑞
𝑙 𝜏𝑙
𝑞ሷ 𝑙 = 𝑞ሷ 𝑚 /𝑛
𝜏𝑙 𝐽𝑙
𝑞𝑚
• To accelerate the load shaft the motor should 𝑓
provide a torque: 𝐽𝑚
𝑏𝑙
𝑟𝑚
1
𝜏𝑚 = 𝐽𝑚 𝑞ሷ 𝑚 + 𝑏𝑚 𝑞ሶ 𝑚 + (𝐽𝑙 𝑞ሷ 𝑙 + 𝑏𝑙 𝑞ሶ 𝑙 )
𝑛 𝑏𝑚
1
𝜏𝑚 = 𝐽𝑚 𝑛𝑞ሷ 𝑙 + 𝑏𝑚 𝑛𝑞ሶ 𝑙 + (𝐽𝑙 𝑞ሷ 𝑙 + 𝑏𝑙 𝑞ሶ 𝑙 )
𝑛

• If we map load side:

𝜏𝑙 = 𝑛𝜏𝑚 = (𝐽𝑙 + 𝑛2 𝐽𝑚 )𝑞ሷ 𝑙 + (𝑏𝑙 + 𝑛2 𝑏𝑚 )𝑞ሶ 𝑙

• The transmission magnifies rotor inertia and viscous friction link side!!!!!

7
Optimal Choice of Reduction Ratio

• Let’s neglect losses, and express motor side:

𝐽𝑙
𝜏𝑚 = 𝑛𝐽𝑚 + 𝑞ሷ
𝑛 𝑙

• To find 𝑛𝑜𝑝𝑡 minimizing 𝜏𝑚 , compute the derivative of 𝜏𝑚 w.r.t. 𝑛 and set it to zero:
𝜕𝜏𝑚 𝐽𝑙
ቤ = 𝐽𝑚 − 2 𝑞ሷ = 0
𝜕𝑛 𝑛 𝑛𝑜𝑝𝑡 𝑙
𝑜𝑝𝑡

• Obtaining:
𝐽𝑙 «Matching»
𝑛𝑜𝑝𝑡 = condition between
𝐽𝑚
inertias

• Provides minimum motor torque for the same acceleration of the load

8
 Transmissions in Robotics Spur gears Bevel gears
• Spur gears, Bevel gears: modify direction and/or translate
axis of (rotational or translational) motor displacement
• Problems: deformations, backlash

• Worm gear: convert rotational into translational motion

(prismatic joints). Composed of a lead screw and a gear.
High reduction ratio (up to 1000)
• Problems: friction, elasticity, backlash

• Toothed belts and chains: dislocate the motor axis w.r.t.

the joint axis. Reduction ratio (up to 10).
• Problems: compliance (belts) or vibrations induced by
larger mass at high speed (chains)

• Harmonic drives: compact, in-line, power efficient, with

high reduction ratio (up to 150-200:1)
• Problems: elasticity

9
Harmonic Drives
• Harmonic gearboxes are a solid option for systems that need low-backlash, require a high
reduction, and can avoid impacts
• 3 elements: wave generator (slightly elliptical part connected to the motor), placed
inside a flexible element called flex spline (FS) that has teeth outside. Both are placed
inside a fixed circular spline (CS) that is not moving (connected to the load) that has
teeth inside
• 𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑟 #𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑡ℎ 𝐶𝑆 = 𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑒𝑟 #𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑡ℎ 𝐹𝑆 + 𝑘 for example (k=2)

• Reduction Ratio

#𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑡ℎ 𝐹𝑆 #𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑡ℎ 𝐹𝑆
n= #𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑡ℎ 𝐶𝑆 −#𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑡ℎ 𝐹𝑆 = 𝑘

10
Harmonic Drives

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzRh672peNk

• (+): In line construction (no occupy space)

• (+): High reduction ratio

• (+): Zero backlash 11