Actuator Characterization Test Rig

I designed an actuator characterization rig that measured output torsional stiffness. I mounted an actuator with a mechanically locked rotor to an instron machine so the instron could apply a point load at a fixed lever arm away from the actuator’s output. The Instron machine is able to measure deflection of the lever arm along with force, and with those two values I was able to calculate output torsional stiffness. We used the measured values to help inform errors in simulation and quantify the sim-to-real gap, as well as build confidence that our custom actuators designed were “stiff enough” for our applications.