Optimal trajectory planning for industrial robots using harmony search algorithm

Purpose – This paper aims to present a technique for optimal trajectory planning of industrial robots that applies a new harmony search (HS) algorithm. Design/methodology/approach – The new HS optimization algorithm adds one more operation to the original HS algorithm. The objective function to be minimized is the trajectory execution time subject to kinematical and mechanical constraints. The trajectory is built by quintic B‐spline curves and cubic B‐spline curves. Findings – Simulation experiments have been undertaken using a 6‐DOF robot QH165. The results show that the proposed technique is valid and that the trajectory obtained using quintic B‐spline curves is smoother than the trajectory using cubic B‐spline curves. Originality/value – The proposed new HS algorithm is more efficient than the sequential quadratic programming method (SQP) and the original HS method. The proposed technique is applicable to any industrial robot and yields smooth and time‐optimal trajectories.