Peg-in-Hole Assembly Based on Two-phase Scheme and F/T Sensor for Dual-arm Robot

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Mechanical Engineering
• Assembly Automation

Background:

• Peg-in-hole assembly is a fundamental task in manufacturing and robotics.
• Achieving precise insertion with compliant robots, like the Baxter robot, is challenging due to positioning inaccuracies.
• Human-like dexterity and coordination are desired for complex assembly operations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a two-phase assembly scheme for a compliant dual-arm robot.
• To leverage force/torque sensing for precise control in peg-in-hole tasks.
• To enable robots to perform assembly with human-like performance.

Main Methods:

• A two-phase assembly scheme was implemented on a dual-arm Baxter robot.
• A six degrees-of-freedom (6-DOF) force/torque (F/T) sensor was utilized to derive real-time force and torque data.
• Active compliant control was applied to adjust the position and orientation of assembly components based on sensor feedback.

Main Results:

• The proposed scheme successfully addressed positioning inaccuracies in the compliant dual-arm robot.
• Experiments demonstrated the effectiveness and efficiency of the two-phase assembly approach.
• The robot achieved human-consistent performance in peg-in-hole assembly tasks.
• Successful assembly was achieved for both round and square pegs/holes with a 0.5 mm clearance.

Conclusions:

• The two-phase assembly scheme, combined with F/T sensing, significantly enhances the precision of compliant dual-arm robots.
• The developed method allows robots to replicate human-level dexterity in challenging assembly operations.
• This research contributes to more capable and adaptable robotic assembly systems.