{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,27]],"date-time":"2026-04-27T10:15:20Z","timestamp":1777284920363,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":15,"publisher":"Emerald","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2012,1,6]],"date-time":"2012-01-06T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1325808000000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/site-policies"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2012,1,6]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Purpose<\/jats:title><jats:p>The purpose of this paper is to investigate the use of a laser tracker, a laser interferometer system and a telescopic ballbar for assessing the positioning performance of a six\u2010axis industrial serial robot. The paper also aims to illustrate the limitations of these three metrology instruments for the assessment of robot positioning performance and to demonstrate the inadequacy of simplistic performance tests.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Design\/methodology\/approach<\/jats:title><jats:p>Specific test methods in the case of the laser interferometer system and the telescopic ballbar are proposed. Measurements are analyzed in accordance to the ISO 9283 norm.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Findings<\/jats:title><jats:p>It is found that, in static conditions and after a relatively short warm\u2010up, the unidirectional position repeatability of the non\u2010calibrated industrial robot under study (an ABB IRB 1600) is better than 37\u2009\u03bcm, the unidirectional orientation repeatability is at worst 87\u2009\u03bcrad, the linear position accuracy is better than 650\u2009\u03bcm, and the rotation accuracy is at worst 2.8\u2009mrad (mainly because of the sixth robot axis). It was also found that the dynamic (radial) errors due to vibrations can be up to approximately \u00b1250\u2009\u03bcm along a small circular path at TCP speed of 700\u2009mm\/s.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Practical implications<\/jats:title><jats:p>It is pointed out that the use of a laser tracker (or any other large range portable 3D measurement system) is questionable for assessing \u2013 let alone analyzing in depth \u2013 the unidirectional position repeatability of some of today's industrial robots. It is also demonstrated that the laser interferometer system can be used for measuring linear errors along a linear path of motion as well as angular errors about axes orthogonal to the path of motion. Finally, it is shown that the telescopic ballbar is an excellent, comparably low\u2010cost, high\u2010precision tool for assessing the static and dynamic positioning performance of industrial robots and its use in robotics should be further developed.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-heading\">Originality\/value<\/jats:title><jats:p>This work is the first to detail the use of three metrology equipments for assessing the positioning performance of an industrial robot. Experimental results are presented and discussed. Some guidelines for optimizing the positioning performance of an industrial robot are provided.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1108\/01439911211192501","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2012,1,14]],"date-time":"2012-01-14T07:14:08Z","timestamp":1326525248000},"page":"57-68","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":120,"title":["Assessment of the positioning performance of an industrial robot"],"prefix":"10.1108","volume":"39","author":[{"given":"Mohamed","family":"Slamani","sequence":"first","affiliation":[]},{"given":"Albert","family":"Nubiola","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]},{"given":"Ilian","family":"Bonev","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[]}],"member":"140","reference":[{"key":"key2022030720274643000_b1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Abderrahim, M., Khamis, A., Garrido, S. and Moreno, L. (2006), \u201cAccuracy and calibration issues of industrial manipulators\u201d, Industrial Robotics: Programming, Simulation and Applications, Pro Literatur, Mammendorf.","DOI":"10.5772\/4895"},{"key":"key2022030720274643000_b2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Breth\u00e9, J.\u2010F., Vasselin, E., Lefebvre, D. and Dakyo, B. (2006), \u201cModelling of repeatability phenomena using the stochastic ellipsoid approach\u201d, Robotica, Vol. 24 No. 4, pp. 477\u201090.","DOI":"10.1017\/S0263574705002481"},{"key":"key2022030720274643000_b3","unstructured":"Eastwood, S.J. (2004), \u201cError mapping and analysis for hybrid kinematic machines\u201d, PhD thesis, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham."},{"key":"key2022030720274643000_b4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Eastwood, S.J. and Webb, P. 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(2001), \u201cA new calibration method for industrial robots\u201d, Robotica, Vol. 19 No. 6.","DOI":"10.1017\/S0263574799002374"},{"key":"key2022030720274643000_b9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Lei, W.T., Paung, I.M. and Yu, C.\u2010C. (2009), \u201cTotal ballbar dynamic tests for five\u2010axis CNC machine tools\u201d, International Journal of Machine Tools & Manufacture, Vol. 49 No. 6, pp. 488\u201099.","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijmachtools.2009.01.003"},{"key":"key2022030720274643000_b10","unstructured":"Muelaner, J.E., Wang, Z. and Maropoulos, P.G. (2010), \u201cConcepts for and analysis of a high accuracy and high capacity (HAHC) aerospace robot\u201d, paper presented at The 21st International Computer\u2010Aided Production Engineering Conference (CAPE 2010), Edinburgh."},{"key":"key2022030720274643000_b11","unstructured":"Ota, H., Shibukawa, T. and Uchiyama, M. (2000), \u201cForward kinematic calibration method for parallel mechanism using pose data measured by a double ball bar system\u201d, Proceedings of the Year 2000 Parallel Kinematic Machines International Conference, Ann Arbor, MI, USA, pp. 57\u201062."},{"key":"key2022030720274643000_b12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Schr\u00f6er, K. (1999), \u201cPrecision and calibration\u201d, Handbook of Industrial Robotics, 2nd ed., Wiley, Hoboken, NJ.","DOI":"10.1002\/9780470172506.ch39"},{"key":"key2022030720274643000_b13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Summers, M. (2005), \u201cRobot capability test and development of industrial robot positioning system for the aerospace industry\u201d, paper presented at SAE 2005 AeroTech Congress & Exhibition, Grapevine, TX, Paper No. 2005\u201001\u20103336.","DOI":"10.4271\/2005-01-3336"},{"key":"key2022030720274643000_b14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Vira, N. and Lau, K. 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