Friday, 20 June 2025
Laser trackers help improve precision and reduce operational costs of industrial robots, new research from the University of Nottingham says.
Published in Robotics, the new study investigates methods to improve the positioning precision of industrial robots that have undergone mechanical modifications to increase their motion resolution – the smallest distance a robot can move.
The resolution of motion within an industrial robot is limited by its integrated sensors, precision of installed control equipment, and installed software.
Industrial robots can be difficult to replace due to their heavy duty, special design and software modifications needed to increase their precision. This minimises industrial robot down-time which contributes to lower production costs and maintenance expenses.
To improve the resolution of motion in an industrial robot, an active gripper with higher motion resolution is added to the industrial robot. This makes motion with higher resolution than originally designed motion resolution feasible.
By using laser tracker technology, the positional accuracy of the modified robots significantly improves, ensuring they meet the required operational standards.
To improve the motion accuracy of robots, a high-resolution joint is integrated into the industrial robot, and a laser tracker provides precision 3D positional feedback for the end-effector of the system - the part of the robot that interacts with its environment.
The study demonstrates that by using laser trackers, companies can effectively extend the life of older robots, reduce production errors and reduce the costs needed to replace older robots that might be less efficient.
Analysis of select points from across 30 measurements showed an 82 percent improvement in positional accuracy with this method compared to the original industrial robot controller.
The research findings obtained in this study are of a significant importance as they result in increasing the industrial robot motion accuracy beyond their intended resolution with minimal changes to the industrial robot.
“Inspired by the results obtained in this study the proposed approach can be applied to a wide range of applications including pick, and place, measurement applications, and additive manufacturing.”
The full study is available here.
Story credits
More information is available from Dr Mojtaba Ahmadieh Khanesar on Mojtaba.Ahmadiehkhanesar@nottingham.ac.uk
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Email: faith.pring@nottingham.ac.uk
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About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 97 in the world and 17th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the third most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2024 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
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