Configuration Robustness Analysis of the Optimal Design of Cable-Driven Manipulators

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua T. Bryson ◽  
Xin Jin ◽  
Sunil K. Agrawal

Designing an effective cable architecture for a cable-driven robot becomes challenging as the number of cables and degrees of freedom of the robot increase. A methodology has been previously developed to identify the optimal design of a cable-driven robot for a given task using stochastic optimization. This approach is effective in providing an optimal solution for robots with high-dimension design spaces, but does not provide insights into the robustness of the optimal solution to errors in the configuration parameters that arise in the implementation of a design. In this work, a methodology is developed to analyze the robustness of the performance of an optimal design to changes in the configuration parameters. This robustness analysis can be used to inform the implementation of the optimal design into a robot while taking into account the precision and tolerances of the implementation. An optimized cable-driven robot leg is used as a motivating example to illustrate the application of the configuration robustness analysis. Following the methodology, the effect on robot performance due to design variations is analyzed, and a modified design is developed which minimizes the potential performance degradations due to implementation errors in the design parameters. A robot leg is constructed and is used to validate the robustness analysis by demonstrating the predicted effects of variations in the design parameters on the performance of the robot.

Author(s):  
Marco Gubitosa ◽  
Jan Anthonis ◽  
Nicolas Albarello ◽  
Wim Desmet

Within companies dealing with the automotive market, and in particular for product designers, the usage of numerical simulations is a well established technique to help achieving faster development cycles. Focusing on the very first phase of the design development chain conceptual (ID) modeling software is better suited. Furthermore considering the multiphysics nature of vehicle subsystems, a multidisciplinary system modeling tool is required, which has to be enriched with optimization capabilities in order to produce a suitable design of complex systems involving multiphysics functionalities (for instance for active safety and energy management). The purpose of this paper is to summarize a procedure that has been applied for the optimal design of an active suspension with hydraulic actuation, governed by a general control strategy based on the sky-hook approach, to be manufactured by Tenneco. A 15 Degrees of Freedom (DOF) vehicle model, built in a commercially available 1D simulation environment, has been validated as a first step towards achieving a good correlation with experimental results obtained on the test tracks. As a next step, the sky-hook based control strategy was implemented to take into account the active behavior of the system, and to define the load profiles acting on the suspension dampers while the vehicle is virtually tested on ride roads. Optimization loops were performed in a nested architecture in order to define the optimal gains needed to meet certain performance requirements dictated by the vehicle manufacturer. A detailed model of the damping system was implemented in LMS Imagine.Lab AMESim capturing its multidisciplinary nature including mechanical, hydraulic and electrical aspects. The mission profiles (force-velocity couples at the dampers) were used as input to the simulations to investigate the damping system design parameters considering performance achievement and energy efficiency goals. The results of this project have been used by Tenneco as guidelines for the physical prototype implementation of the active suspension system.


Author(s):  
Wenzhen Huang ◽  
Zhenyu Kong ◽  
Abishek Chennamaraju

Fixture layout robust design of multistation manufacturing systems aims for an optimal design that enables the dimensional variation of a product insensitive to the variations of process variables in the manufacturing process. The robust design involves a high dimension and complex global optimization problem. Recent advances in stream of variation modeling techniques enable effective formulation of the optimization problem at the system level. However, there is a challenge of computation complexity in terms of searching optimal design parameters in a high dimension, nonconvex, and discontinuous design space. This makes many available algorithms ineffective or even invalid. In this paper, an alternative sequential space filling strategy is proposed, which adopts sampling approaches to search optimal designs. To improve computation efficiency, the search space is sequentially reduced to generate a series of subspaces, and a method is designed to ensure a complete coverage of these subspaces in the original feasible space. In order to validate the proposed method, a floor pan assembly from an automotive body assembly process is modeled, and then the fixture robust design is conducted with the developed methods. To show the effectiveness of the proposed method, genetic algorithm and sequential quadratic programming are also applied in the case study for comparison.


2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Mikhail M. Konstantinov ◽  
Ivan N. Glushkov ◽  
Sergey S. Pashinin ◽  
Igor I. Ognev ◽  
Tatyana V. Bedych

In this paper we consider the structural and technological process of the combine used in the process of separate harvesting of grain crops, as well as a number of its parameters. Among the main units of the combine, we allocate a conveyor and devices for removing beveled stems from under the wheels of the vehicle. The principle of operation of the conveyor at different phases of the Reaper and especially the removal of cut stems from under the wheels of the vehicle during operation of the Reaper. The results of theoretical studies on the establishment of the optimal design of the parameters of the belt conveyor are presented, the ranges of their optimal values are considered and determined. Studies on the establishment of optimal parameters of the screw divider in the Reaper, which is the main component of the device for removal of beveled stems, are presented. Taking into account the optimal design and mode of operation of the screw divider, the correct work is provided to remove the cut stems from under the wheels of the harvester.


Author(s):  
Jannes Daemen ◽  
Arvid Martens ◽  
Mathias Kersemans ◽  
Erik Verboven ◽  
Steven Delrue ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (13) ◽  
pp. 5934
Author(s):  
Georgios Papaioannou ◽  
Jenny Jerrelind ◽  
Lars Drugge

Effective emission control technologies and novel propulsion systems have been developed for road vehicles, decreasing exhaust particle emissions. However, work has to be done on non-exhaust traffic related sources such as tyre–road interaction and tyre wear. Given that both are inevitable in road vehicles, efforts for assessing and minimising tyre wear should be considered. The amount of tyre wear is because of internal (tyre structure, manufacturing, etc.) and external (suspension configuration, speed, road surface, etc.) factors. In this work, the emphasis is on the optimisation of such parameters for minimising tyre wear, but also enhancing occupant’s comfort and improving vehicle handling. In addition to the search for the optimum parameters, the optimisation is also used as a tool to identify and highlight potential trade-offs between the objectives and the various design parameters. Hence, initially, the tyre design (based on some chosen tyre parameters) is optimised with regards to the above-mentioned objectives, for a vehicle while cornering over both Class A and B road roughness profiles. Afterwards, an optimal solution is sought between the Pareto alternatives provided by the two road cases, in order for the tyre wear levels to be less affected under different road profiles. Therefore, it is required that the tyre parameters are as close possible and that they provide similar tyre wear in both road cases. Then, the identified tyre design is adopted and the optimum suspension design is sought for the two road cases for both passive and semi-active suspension types. From the results, significant conclusions regarding how tyre wear behaves with regards to passenger comfort and vehicle handling are extracted, while the results illustrate where the optimum suspension and tyre parameters have converged trying to compromise among the above objectives under different road types and how suspension types, passive and semi-active, could compromise among all of them more optimally.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 3017
Author(s):  
Qiang Gao ◽  
Siyu Gao ◽  
Lihua Lu ◽  
Min Zhu ◽  
Feihu Zhang

The fluid–structure interaction (FSI) effect has a significant impact on the static and dynamic performance of aerostatic spindles, which should be fully considered when developing a new product. To enhance the overall performance of aerostatic spindles, a two-round optimization design method for aerostatic spindles considering the FSI effect is proposed in this article. An aerostatic spindle is optimized to elaborate the design procedure of the proposed method. In the first-round design, the geometrical parameters of the aerostatic bearing were optimized to improve its stiffness. Then, the key structural dimension of the aerostatic spindle is optimized in the second-round design to improve the natural frequency of the spindle. Finally, optimal design parameters are acquired and experimentally verified. This research guides the optimal design of aerostatic spindles considering the FSI effect.


2017 ◽  
Vol 24 (14) ◽  
pp. 3206-3218
Author(s):  
Yohei Kushida ◽  
Hiroaki Umehara ◽  
Susumu Hara ◽  
Keisuke Yamada

Momentum exchange impact dampers (MEIDs) were proposed to control the shock responses of mechanical structures. They were applied to reduce floor shock vibrations and control lunar/planetary exploration spacecraft landings. MEIDs are required to control an object’s velocity and displacement, especially for applications involving spacecraft landing. Previous studies verified numerous MEID performances through various types of simulations and experiments. However, previous studies discussing the optimal design methodology for MEIDs are limited. This study explicitly derived the optimal design parameters of MEIDs, which control the controlled object’s displacement and velocity to zero in one-dimensional motion. In addition, the study derived sub-optimal design parameters to control the controlled object’s velocity within a reasonable approximation to derive a practical design methodology for MEIDs. The derived sub-optimal design methodology could also be applied to MEIDs in two-dimensional motion. Furthermore, simulations conducted in the study verified the performances of MEIDs with optimal/sub-optimal design parameters.


2015 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 341-347 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Rouhani ◽  
M. J. Nategh

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study the workspace and dexterity of a microhexapod which is a 6-degrees of freedom (DOF) parallel compliant manipulator, and also to investigate its dimensional synthesis to maximize the workspace and the global dexterity index at the same time. Microassembly is so essential in the current industry for manufacturing complicated structures. Most of the micromanipulators suffer from their restricted workspace because of using flexure joints compared to the conventional ones. In addition, the controllability of micromanipulators inside the whole workspace is very vital. Thus, it is very important to select the design parameters in a way that not only maximize the workspace but also its global dexterity index. Design/methodology/approach – Microassembly is so essential in the current industry for manufacturing complicated structures. Most of the micromanipulators suffer from their restricted workspace because of using flexure joints compared to the conventional ones. In addition, the controllability of micromanipulators inside the whole workspace is very vital. Thus, it is very important to select the design parameters in a way that not only maximize the workspace but also its global dexterity index. Findings – It has been shown that the proposed procedure for the workspace calculation can considerably speed the required calculations. The optimization results show that a converged-diverged configuration of pods and an increase in the difference between the moving and the stationary platforms’ radii cause the global dexterity index to increase and the workspace to decrease. Originality/value – The proposed algorithm for the workspace analysis is very important, especially when it is an objective function of an optimization problem based on the search method. In addition, using screw theory can simply construct the homogeneous Jacobian matrix. The proposed methodology can be used for any other micromanipulator.


Author(s):  
X. Lachenal ◽  
P. M. Weaver ◽  
S. Daynes

Conventional shape-changing engineering structures use discrete parts articulated around a number of linkages. Each part carries the loads, and the articulations provide the degrees of freedom of the system, leading to heavy and complex mechanisms. Consequently, there has been increased interest in morphing structures over the past decade owing to their potential to combine the conflicting requirements of strength, flexibility and low mass. This article presents a novel type of morphing structure capable of large deformations, simply consisting of two pre-stressed flanges joined to introduce two stable configurations. The bistability is analysed through a simple analytical model, predicting the positions of the stable and unstable states for different design parameters and material properties. Good correlation is found between experimental results, finite-element modelling and predictions from the analytical model for one particular example. A wide range of design parameters and material properties is also analytically investigated, yielding a remarkable structure with zero stiffness along the twisting axis.


2014 ◽  
Vol 532 ◽  
pp. 41-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Myung Jin Chung

Analytic model of electromagnetic linear actuator in the function of electric and geometric parameters is proposed and the effects of the design parameters on the dynamic characteristics are analyzed. To improve the dynamic characteristics, optimal design is conducted by applying sequential quadratic programming method to the analytic model. This optimal design method aims to minimize the response time and maximize force efficiency. By this procedure, electromagnetic linear actuator having high-speed characteristics is developed.


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