Research Article

Nonlinear active disturbance rejection control for industrial robotic arm and its application

¹ Engineering Training and Innovation Center, Zhengzhou University of Industrial Technology, Zhengzhou, 451100, PR China
² College of Mechanical and Control Engineering, Baicheng Normal University, Baicheng, 137000, PR China

^* Corresponding author: Teng.wwan@outlook.com

Received: 14 May 2025
Accepted: 13 August 2025

Abstract

Industrial robotic arms are widely used, but they face control challenges in complex environments due to strong joint coupling, nonlinear dynamics, uncertain parameters, and external disturbances. Traditional control methods struggle to provide high precision and robustness under these conditions. Therefore, a nonlinear Active Disturbance Rejection Control (ADRC) method is proposed. This approach takes an extended state observer to estimate and compensate for total disturbances, enhancing accuracy and robustness. Experimental results show that the proposed method significantly improves response performance. In response to a step signal, the system shows clear dynamic changes. Under sine excitation, z1 and z2 closely match the input, while z3 shows minimal response. Compared to the traditional sliding mode control, which shows obvious error peaks and fluctuations (0.035–0.05 rad) at 10–15 s, the nonlinear ADRC sliding mode control achieves 30% faster response speed, 60% smaller overshoot, and more stable performance with errors consistently below 0.01 rad. This method effectively observes state variables and disturbances, optimizing motion control and offering a reliable solution for high-performance control of industrial robotic arms.