Preparing the published article.
Backlash, Compliance and Repeatability
Three different reasons a robot misses the same point.
Terms compared
| Term | What it describes |
|---|---|
| Backlash | Lost motion when direction reverses |
| Compliance | Elastic deflection under load |
| Repeatability | Spread of positions when returning to the same point |
| Hysteresis | Different result depending on the direction of approach |
Why the distinction helps
- Backlash shows up as a pattern after direction changes.
- Compliance grows with force, so it shows up during machining or pushing.
- Repeatability figures hide all three unless tested with load.
Diagnosing positioning problems requires measurement on the actual cell.