I'll not bother to read the article if you feel it loses its way, but just a thumbs-up for your thread title, it says it all.
If you create control algorithms to hide poor mechanical design, it creates rods for peoples backs, because as sure as eggs is eggs, some day the mechanics will wear, loosen, bind, break, vibrate, even oscillate.
Of course, you have to expect those sorts of failures, even with a good mechanical system. But not after 2 weeks of use.... A well-designed, and well-maintained system will give many years of use.
When I started in industrial automation, way back then (circa 1972), my "mentor" taught me many things, I can remember some of them word-for-word ...
"When you've thought of all the failure modes you can test for, think again"
"If you don't believe something can possibly happen, it probably will - deal with it"
Lastly, and most pertinent to your post, Peter...
"You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear"