EGEE 559: Introduction to Robotics

Fall 2016

Force/Torque Relations
(Statics): Part I
Dr. J. Huang
11/2/16
Reference: Robotics: Basic Analysis and Design, William A.
Wolovich, Oxford University Press, 1995

Robots physically interact

with the environment
through mechanical contacts
Picking up an object
Turning nuts and bolts
Manipulating tools

Question: How much force/torque

is needed from the links/arms in
order to maintain equilibrium; or
to manipulate an object or tool?

A force is any influence

that causes a free body to
undergo an acceleration

A torque (a.k.a. moment

of force) is an influence
which tends to change the
rotational motion of an
object.

The relation of
force/torque is expressed
in the cross product format

r F

Magnitude is given by

r F sin

and direction is determined

through the right hand rule

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/torq.html

An object at equilibrium
has no net influences to
cause it to move, either in
translation (linear
displacement) or rotation.
Conditions for equilibrium
Net Force = 0
Net Torque = 0

Given force Fk and Torque Mk applied at link frame

k, what is the transmitted force/moment applied at
the link frame q.
Effect of moment is independent on the particular point
(frame origin) of application
free vectors that can be translated directly

Effect of force is dependent on the point of application

Convert to moment/torque before translation

m
mkx
qx

k
k
k
k
k
k

m
m
Mq
Rq ky Dq Rq F k Rq M k Dq Rq F k
qy

m
kz
mqz
f
f
qx

kx
k
k

& F q f qy Rq f ky Rq F k
f
f
kz
qz

The inverse relations from frame q to frame k may

also be obtained

k
k
k

R
F

D
M k Rk q q q k Rk M q Rk q Fq
q

Since

F R F R F R F
k 1
q

and

k T
q

Rk Dqk Fq Rk Dq Rk F q
q

Rk M q Dk Rk F q
q

Given the planar robot given in the

specific configuration that corresponds
to ==0 as depicted; with tool
force/moment ftx, fty and mtz, applied as
shown; determine the transmitted link
force or torque at each link frame,
assuming d=f=h=1, and

and

F t F 4 f
f

f
tx

f
ty

f
tz

1
4x
2
4y

0
4z

mtx m4 x 0

M t M 4 mty m4 y 0
m m 4
tz 4 z

Force at link frame 3

0 1 0 1 2 f 3 x
4
1 0 0 2 1

F 3 R3 F 4
f 3 y
0 0 1 0 0

f 3z

Moment at link frame 3

0 1 0 0 1 2
4
4
4
1 0 0 0 0 1

M 3 R3 M 4 D3 R3 F 4

0 0 1 4 0 0

0 0 0 m3 x

0 0 0 m3 y
4 1 3 m3 z

Force at link frame 2

0 1 0 2 1 f
3

F 2 R2 F 3 0 0 1 1 0 f
1 0 0 0 2
f

Moment at link frame 2

2x

2y

2z

0 1 0 0 0 m2 x

3
0 0 1 0 3

M 2 R2 M 3
m2 y
1 0 0 3 0 m2 z

Force/Moment at link frame 1

1 f 1x
2

F 1 R1 F 2 2 f 1 y
0

f 1z

0 m1x

2
2
2
0

M 1 R1 M 2 D1 R1 F 2 m1 y
0 m1z

Principle of virtual work

If a system of connected bodies (links), which is in
equilibrium, is acted upon by a set of forces and moments
(or torques), then the total virtual work done by these
forces and moments is zero for any virtual displacement of
the connected bodies
Generalized tool force Ft
f

F t f
f

ty

tz
tx

and

mtx

M t mty
m
tz

Virtual displacement

p x
p
y
p
X z
x
y

z

Generalized force/moment pair relative to frame 0

f
f
tx

xt
f ty
f yt

t
t

0
F Rt0 F t R0 0 t f tz = f zt
R0 mtx mxt
R0 M t
mty
m yt

Base frame
Tool frame mtz
mzt
Virtual work done in equilibrium
The virtual work done by the generalized force F is
equalized by the work done by a generalized link torque

W F X T 0

By replacing the dot product in vector transposition

multiplications

F X F T X T T T

Notice, from motion kinematics

X J

X J

or

F J T
T

T JTF
Relates force/torque from
task space with joint space.

Given the planar robot as depicted,

translate the force/torques from tool
frame (task space) to joint frames (joint
spaces).
Given the configurations

F X

f
f
f

p x
xt

p y

yt

zt

f 2 h T

3
1

m1z 1 ds hc fc

T f f
s
2z
2

fc
m3 z 3

dc hs fs
c
fs

1 f xt

0 f J T F
yt

1 m
zt

Given ==0; and d=f=h=1

1 2 1 1 f xt

f 2 0 1 0 f yt

1 0 1
3
mzt

Since

f xt f tx 1
f f 2
yt ty
mzt mtz 4

in this case
1 2 1 1 1 0

2 2

0
1
0
f 2

1 0 1 4 3
3

As illustrated earlier

T JTF

Thus, for the microbot robot

1 s1 ec2 fc 23 c1 ec2 fc 23
0

T 2 c1 es 2 fs 23 s1 es 2 fs 23 ec2 fc 23
fc1s23
fs1s23
fc 23
3

0
s1

0
c1

s1

c1

f
xt
f
1 yt
0 f zt J T F

0 mxt
m yt

mzt

Given the right configuration, e=3, f=4, and 1=

2= -3=90;
1 4

2 0
0
3

f
xt
f
0 0 0 0 1 yt
3 4 1 0 0 f zt

m
0 4 1 0 0 xt
m yt

m
zt

mzt 4 f xt

4
f

3
f
zt
yt
2
xt
mxt 4 f zt