The precise control of multi-joint manipulators presents significant challenges in the context of replacing internal liners of large grinding machines. These challenges arise due to the uncertainty of system parameters and external disturbance. A terminal sliding mode control based on a recursive stochastic configuration network is proposed to ensure that the system is stable, and it reduces system oscillations in this article. In addition, a disturbance observer based on recursive stochastic configuration network is designed to estimate and compensate for the uncertainties in the system, thereby improving the robustness of the system. To enhance the realism of the simulations, the simulation modeling process incorporated uncertainty parameters and external disturbance information. The simulation results demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed terminal sliding mode control approach in meeting the practical control requirements. This accomplishment presents a valuable new method for controlling mechanical arms. The method is applicable under conditions of system uncertainty and external disturbance.