Performance of gain-tuned harmonic drive torque sensor under load and speed conditions

Addresses the topic of torque sensing by using strain gauges, which are cemented directly onto the flexspline of a harmonic drive gear reducer. Conventionally, two or four strain gauges are used to reduce the ripple signal, which is generated by the gear operation. However, our analysis shows that an odd number of strain gauges is more suitable for the ripple compensation. The method does not need online calculations and reduces the needed accuracy of the strain gauges positioning, so it can be practically implemented. Two techniques to define the gains are presented in the paper. One is based on a mathematical model of the fluctuation signal, and the other employs a heuristic approach. Practical results show effectiveness and usefulness of the proposed method. We present the new method and evaluate its performance under load torque and rotational speed conditions. No significant deterioration of the performance under load torque and at various rotational speeds was confirmed.