An influence of the stepping motor control and friction models on precise positioning of the complex mechanical system

•Non-linear model of the complex mechanical system driven by the stepping motor.•Measurement and control devices for precise positioning of the mechanical system.•Experimental and numerical realization of several positioning scenarios.•An influence of the stepping motor control parameters on the positioning accuracy.•Testing of the most adequate bearing friction models for simulations of positioning.

This paper aims to investigate, both experimentally and theoretically, the electromechanical dynamic interaction between a driving stepping motor and a driven laboratory belt-transporter system. A test-rig imitates the operation of a robotic device in the form of a working tool-carrier under translational motion. The object under consideration is equipped with measurement systems, which enable the registration of electrical and mechanical quantities. Analytical considerations are performed by means of a circuit model of the electric motor and a discrete, non-linear model of the mechanical system. Various scenarios of the working tool-carrier motion and positioning by the belt-transporter are measured and simulated; in all cases the electric current control of the driving motor has been applied. The main goal of this study is to investigate the influence of the stepping motor control parameters along with various mechanical friction models on the precise positioning of a laboratory robotic device.