Design of a Motor Bracket Multi-Axis Force/Torque Sensor

We report on the development of a multi-axis force/torque sensor that is also a motor bracket, mounting between the motor and the frame. The shape of the bracket was designed to be sensitive to the two-axis forces and one-axis motor torque applied in the plane perpendicular to the direction of the motor shaft. By using four strain gauges, the described force/torque can be reconstructed. The relation between the forces/torque applied on the motor shaft and the strains in the bracket was investigated by using the commercial software Abaqus. By using the commercial multi-axis force transducer as the reference, the sensor was empirically built, calibrated, and evaluated with both static and dynamic loads.