Aiming at the local minima problem of the distance-based artificial potential field (APF) method, an obstacle avoidance path planning method with the artificial potential field method containing obstacle avoidance angle was proposed. In a planar environment, the slope was used to determine the positional relationship during the path planning process, and the magnitude of the repulsive force in the artificial potential field method was derived from the difference between the distance from the robot's current point to the obstacle and the radius of influence of the obstacle, and the deflection angle of the repulsive force was adjusted, thus overcoming the shortcomings of local minima that existed in the traditional artificial potential field method. In addition, the circular arc interpolation theory was utilized to convert the robot planar obstacle avoidance problem into a spatial obstacle avoidance problem in a spatial environment. The improved artificial potential field method was further refined based on the robot configuration to meet the practical obstacle avoidance requirements. The effectiveness of the improved artificial potential field method was verified by simulation and experiment. The results of simulation and experimental studies showed that the artificial potential field method containing obstacle avoidance angles not only solved the problem of local minima when performing obstacle avoidance path planning in single or multiple obstacle environments, but also realized the smooth trajectory profile of the end of the 6-DOF robot with no oscillations during obstacle avoidance, thus verifying the feasibility of the proposed obstacle avoidance path planning method.