Abstract: | Robotic transfer of silicon wafers in semiconductor fabrication facilities is becoming increasingly attractive. This paper discusses the benefits of a DSP-based computed torque controller over standard PID algorithms for a three degree of freedom, cleanroom material transfer manipulator. Formulation of robot kinematics, dynamic modeling, and numerical simulation assist in the implementation of this nonlinear controller. Simulation and experimental data correlate well and show that a factor of 2–3 times improvement in performance can be obtained. |