Selection and Design of Drive Modules for Robot Joint Based on Dynamic Load Characteristics

This paper presents the selection and design process of joint motors and gears for robot systems. The velocity, acceleration, and torque profiles of each joint that satisfy a given task are calculated using dynamic and kinematic analysis, and the required motor torque to drive the joint is calculated with respect to the combination of module inertia and gear ratios. Considering energy efficiency, motor parameters, and switching characteristics of the inverter, the correlation between the module inertia and gear ratio for driving joints is investigated, and the final combination is determined by referring to commercial gear data sheets. From the determined motor inertia, various motor designs are possible. To compare the performance and determine the optimal model, performance metrics of drive motors, torque matching, coil temperature, and the motor constant, are proposed and the significance of these figures are discussed.