Ultra Large Format Deposition (ULF-D) systems perform precision material deposition over large workspaces, yet their extended and mechanically compliant structures can produce configuration-dependent vibration at the tool mounted to the robot’s end-effector. In inkjet printing, vibration perturbs the deposition tool such that each discrete deposit (a single ink drop) lands displaced from its intended location on the target surface, thus creating errors* in the deposited pattern. Conventional motion-control vibration compensation focuses on suppressing the vibration and may be limited by uncertainty in vibration dynamics models, insufficient control bandwidth, or restricted access to the underlying motion controller.

An alternative approach to reducing deposition error is process control, which monitors and adjusts process variables to achieve a desired output. In inkjet printing, each drop is released by a digital trigger signal, so the instant the trigger fires determines where along the path the drop lands. This timing can be controlled independently of the robot’s trajectory.

Rather than applying corrective robot motion, this thesis presents a process-control framework that adapts deposition-event timing to compensate for errors caused by bounded tool vibration. The framework combines a synchronized, low-latency sensing and actuation architecture; a tool state estimation pipeline that fuses high-rate (1 kHz) inertial measurements with lower-rate (100 Hz) global pose measurements; and a reactive scheduler that triggers deposition events according to the estimated progression of the tool along its planned path. Together, these components decrease deposition error by adjusting deposition timing with high-rate vibrating tool state feedback without modifying the robot’s motion-control stack.

*The mean absolute difference between the desired and measured spacing of adjacent line features in a deposition pattern.