How do we differentiate between robots? Is a robot with hobby servos the same as a 30000 dollar industrial robot? Of course not. Industrial robots have stiffer parts, motors are more precise, motion algorithms and motor controllers are advanced... All this and more dictates how usable the robot will be. Some of the aspects that describe that robot usability are accuracy, repeatability, payload, speed, reach, safety... In the field of robotics, there is often confusion between the definitions of repeatability and accuracy when discussing these concepts.
- Accuracy: accuracy refers to error between desired and true position of robotic arm. It measures how closely the robot can position its end effector (such as a tool or gripper) to that true desired location in space. What affects robot accuracy : Mechanical design, backlash, encoder feedback, control software, calibration, wear, payload...
- Repeatability: Repeatability, on the other hand, refers to the robot's ability to consistently return to a programmed position or target point. It might not be the true position (not accurate) we wanted the robot to go to but it will go there every time we command it. Repeatability takes into account variations that might occur due to factors like mechanical play, backlash, or environmental conditions.
This clip is just a short demonstration of PAROL6 repeatability and its abilities.