Wrench-Closure Workspace Generation for Cable Driven Parallel Manipulators Using a Hybrid Analytical-Numerical Approach

2011 ◽  
Vol 133 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Darwin Lau ◽  
Denny Oetomo ◽  
Saman K. Halgamuge

In this paper, a technique to generate the wrench-closure workspace for general case completely restrained cable driven parallel mechanisms is proposed. Existing methods can be classified as either numerically or analytically based approaches. Numerical techniques exhaustively sample the task space, which can be inaccurate due to discretisation and is computationally expensive. In comparison, analytical formulations have higher accuracy, but often provides only qualitative workspace information. The proposed hybrid approach combines the high accuracy of the analytical approach and the algorithmic versatility of the numerical approach. Additionally, this is achieved with significantly lower computational costs compared to numerical methods. It is shown that the wrench-closure workspace can be reduced to a set of univariate polynomial inequalities with respect to a single variable of the end-effector motion. In this form, the workspace can then be efficiently determined and quantitatively evaluated. The proposed technique is described for a 3 degrees of freedom (3-DOF) and a 6-DOF cable driven parallel manipulator. A detailed example in workspace determination using the proposed approach and comparison against the conventional numerical approach is presented.

2003 ◽  
Vol 125 (4) ◽  
pp. 709-716 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hai-Jun Su ◽  
Peter Dietmaier ◽  
J. Michael McCarthy

This paper presents an algorithm for generating trajectories for multi-degree of freedom spatial linkages, termed constrained parallel manipulators. These articulated systems are formed by supporting a workpiece, or end-effector, with a set of serial chains, each of which imposes a constraint on the end-effector. Our goal is to plan trajectories for systems that have workspaces ranging from two through five degrees-of-freedom. This is done by specifying a goal trajectory and finding the system trajectory that comes closest to it using a dual quaternion metric. We enumerate these parallel mechanisms and formulate a general numerical approach for their analysis and trajectory planning. Examples are provided to illustrate the results.


Author(s):  
Michael John Chua ◽  
Yen-Chen Liu

Abstract This paper presents cooperation and null-space control for networked mobile manipulators with high degrees of freedom (DOFs). First, kinematic model and Euler-Lagrange dynamic model of the mobile manipulator, which has an articulated robot arm mounted on a mobile base with omni-directional wheels, have been presented. Then, the dynamic decoupling has been considered so that the task-space and the null-space can be controlled separately to accomplish different missions. The motion of the end-effector is controlled in the task-space, and the force control is implemented to make sure the cooperation of the mobile manipulators, as well as the transportation tasks. Also, the null-space control for the manipulator has been combined into the decoupling control. For the mobile base, it is controlled in the null-space to track the velocity of the end-effector, avoid other agents, avoid the obstacles, and move in a defined range based on the length of the manipulator without affecting the main task. Numerical simulations have been addressed to demonstrate the proposed methods.


2009 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Carricato ◽  
Clément Gosselin

Gravity compensation of spatial parallel manipulators is a relatively recent topic of investigation. Perfect balancing has been accomplished, so far, only for parallel mechanisms in which the weight of the moving platform is sustained by legs comprising purely rotational joints. Indeed, balancing of parallel mechanisms with translational actuators, which are among the most common ones, has been traditionally thought possible only by resorting to additional legs containing no prismatic joints between the base and the end-effector. This paper presents the conceptual and mechanical designs of a balanced Gough/Stewart-type manipulator, in which the weight of the platform is entirely sustained by the legs comprising the extensible jacks. By the integrated action of both elastic elements and counterweights, each leg is statically balanced and it generates, at its tip, a constant force contributing to maintaining the end-effector in equilibrium in any admissible configuration. If no elastic elements are used, the resulting manipulator is balanced with respect to the shaking force too. The performance of a study prototype is simulated via a model in both static and dynamic conditions, in order to prove the feasibility of the proposed design. The effects of imperfect balancing, due to the difference between the payload inertial characteristics and the theoretical/nominal ones, are investigated. Under a theoretical point of view, formal and novel derivations are provided of the necessary and sufficient conditions allowing (i) a body arbitrarily rotating in space to rest in neutral equilibrium under the action of general constant-force generators, (ii) a body pivoting about a universal joint and acted upon by a number of zero-free-length springs to exhibit constant potential energy, and (iii) a leg of a Gough/Stewart-type manipulator to operate as a constant-force generator.


Author(s):  
Richard Stamper ◽  
Lung-Wen Tsai

Abstract The dynamics of a parallel manipulator with three translational degrees of freedom are considered. Two models are developed to characterize the dynamics of the manipulator. The first is a traditional Lagrangian based model, and is presented to provide a basis of comparison for the second approach. The second model is based on a simplified Newton-Euler formulation. This method takes advantage of the kinematic structure of this type of parallel manipulator that allows the actuators to be mounted directly on the base. Accordingly, the dynamics of the manipulator is dominated by the mass of the moving platform, end-effector, and payload rather than the mass of the actuators. This paper suggests a new method to approach the dynamics of parallel manipulators that takes advantage of this characteristic. Using this method the forces that define the motion of moving platform are mapped to the actuators using the Jacobian matrix, allowing a simplified Newton-Euler approach to be applied. This second method offers the advantage of characterizing the dynamics of the manipulator nearly as well as the Lagrangian approach while being less computationally intensive. A numerical example is presented to illustrate the close agreement between the two models.


2003 ◽  
Vol 125 (1) ◽  
pp. 92-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Han Sung Kim ◽  
Lung-Wen Tsai

This paper presents the design of spatial 3-RPS parallel manipulators from dimensional synthesis point of view. Since a spatial 3-RPS manipulator has only 3 degrees of freedom, its end effector cannot be positioned arbitrarily in space. It is shown that at most six positions and orientations of the moving platform can be prescribed at will and, given six prescribed positions, there are at most ten RPS chains that can be used to construct up to 120 manipulators. Further, solution methods for fewer than six prescribed positions are also described.


Author(s):  
Chin-Hsing Kuo ◽  
Jian S. Dai

Abstract This paper presents the structure synthesis of a special class of parallel manipulators with motion decoupleability. The manipulator is synthesized by grouping a motion constraint leg and a set of constraint-free legs. The desired motion, i.e., the output degrees of freedom (DOFs), of the end-effector is expressed by a projective angle representation. It was found that the fully decoupled design for parallel manipulators with any DOFs is achievable when the output motion is described by the projective angles. A synthesis procedure is proposed based on the reasoning of the screw systems and reciprocal screws of the decoupled motion. Several design examples of fully decoupled 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-, and 6-DOF parallel manipulators are provided.


Author(s):  
Saeed Behzadipour ◽  
Robert Dekker ◽  
Amir Khajepour ◽  
Edmon Chan

The growing needs for high speed positioning devices in the automated manufacturing industry have been challenged by robotic science for more than two decades. Parallel manipulators have been widely used for this purpose due to their advantage of lower moving inertia over the conventional serial manipulators. Cable actuated parallel robots were introduced in 1980’s to reduce the moving inertia even further. In this work, a new cable-based parallel robot is introduced. For this robot, the cables are used not only to actuate the end-effector but also to apply the necessary kinematic constraints to provide three pure translational degrees of freedom. In order to maintain tension in the cables, a passive air cylinder is used to push the end-effector against the stationary platform. In addition to low moving inertia, the new design benefits from simplicity and low manufacturing cost by eliminating joints from the robot’s mechanism. The design procedure and the results of experiments will be discussed in the following.


Author(s):  
Change-de Zhang ◽  
Shin-Min Song

Abstract This paper presents a novel class of hybrid manipulators composed of two serially connected parallel mechanisms, each of which has three degrees of freedom. The lower and upper platforms respectively control the position and orientation of the end-effector. The advantages of this type of hybrid manipulator are larger workspace (as compared with parallel manipulators) and better rigidity and higher load-carrying capability (as compared with serial manipulators). The closed-form solutions of the forward and inverse position analyses are discussed. For forward position analysis, it is shown that the resultant equation for the positional mechanism is an 8-th order, a 6-th order, a 4-th order, or a 2-nd order polynomial, depending on the geometry and joint types of the passive subchain, while for the orientational mechanism, it is an 8-th order, or a 2-nd polynomial depending on the geometry. For inverse position analysis, it is demonstrated that the positional and orientational mechanisms both possess analytical closed-form solutions.


Author(s):  
Tobias Bruckmann ◽  
Lars Mikelsons ◽  
Manfred Hiller ◽  
Dieter Schramm

Wire robots (also called Tendon-based parallel manipulators) use a movable end-effector which is connected to a machine frame by motor driven tendons. Since tendons can transmit only pulling forces, at least m = n + 1 cables are needed to tense a system having n degrees-of-freedom. The resulting redundancy gives m − n degrees-of-freedom in the wire force distribution, making workspace analysis a complex and computationally expensive task. Discrete methods are widely used to solve this problem, but their drawback is that intermediate points on the discrete calculation grid are neglected which may lead to false results. This paper provides detailed algorithms for continuous workspace analysis for wire robots which avoid the discretization and have additional advantages. Especially, it is easy to extend the analysis methods to methods usable for the workspace synthesis.


Author(s):  
T S Zhao ◽  
J S Dai ◽  
Z Huang

Manipulators with fewer than six degrees of freedom meet specific tasks and have the advantage of reducing structural complexity, design redundancy and cost. In order to construct parallel manipulators for given tasks, this paper develops an algebraic approach to type synthesis of spatial parallel mechanisms with fewer than six degrees of freedom based on the screw theory. With the proposed steps (i.e. describing restraining screws, identifying basic kinematic pair (KP) screws reciprocal to the restraining screws, linearly transforming the basic KP screws to obtain equivalent serial limbs and allocating the serial limbs) new parallel mechanisms can be constructed. The approach converts a mechanism design into a screw algebra operation, in which screws describe kinematic pairs and constraints between links. As examples, synthesis procedures of parallel mechanisms with four degrees of freedom are given, from which five novel parallel mechanisms result.


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