A method for generating a velocity command for an actuator assembly is provided. The actuator assembly includes an actuator arm, which is to move over a plurality of surfaces. The method begins by providing a compensation torque for each of the plurality of surfaces. A position of the actuator arm is determined so that it may be mapped to one of the plurality of surfaces, which is the present surface over which the actuator arm is moving. A target velocity is then provided for the actuator arm and input to a controller, which generates a velocity command from the target velocity and a selected compensation torque, which is the compensation torque of the present surface.