scholarly journals Review Article: Inventory of platforms towards the design of a statically balanced six degrees of freedom compliant precision stage

2011 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. G. Dunning ◽  
N. Tolou ◽  
J. L. Herder

Abstract. For many applications in precision engineering, a six degrees of freedom (DoF) compliant stage (CS) with zero stiffness is desirable, to deal with problems like backlash, friction, lubrication, and at the same time, reduce the actuation force. To this end, the compliant stage (also known as compliant mechanism) can be statically balanced with a stiffness compensation mechanism, to compensate the energy stored in the compliant parts, resulting in a statically balanced compliant stage (SBCS). Statically balanced compliant stages can be a breakthrough in precision engineering. This paper presents an inventory of platforms suitable for the design of a 6 DoF compliant stage for precision engineering. A literature review on 3–6 DoF compliant stages, static balancing strategies and statically balanced compliant mechanisms (SBCMs) has been performed. A classification from the inventory has been made and followed up by discussion. An obviously superior architecture for a 6 DoF compliant stage was not found. All the 6 DoF stages are either non-statically balanced compliant structures or statically balanced non-compliant structures. The statically balanced non-compliant structures can be transformed into compliant structures using lumped compliance, while all SBCMs had distributed compliance. A 6 DoF SBCS is a great scope for improvements in precision engineering stages.

Author(s):  
Joost R. Leemans ◽  
Charles J. Kim ◽  
Werner W. P. J. van de Sande ◽  
Just L. Herder

Compliant shell mechanisms utilize spatially curved thin-walled structures to transfer or transmit force, motion or energy through elastic deformation. To design with spatial mechanisms designers need comprehensive characterization methods, while existing methods fall short of meaningful comparisons between rotational and translational degrees of freedom. This paper presents two approaches, both of which are based on the principle of virtual loads and potential energy, utilizing properties of screw theory, Plücker coordinates and an eigen-decomposition, leading to two unification lengths that can be used to compare and visualize all six degrees of freedom directions and magnitudes of compliant mechanisms in a non-arbitrary physically meaningful manner.


Author(s):  
Hai-Jun Su ◽  
Denis V. Dorozhkin ◽  
Judy M. Vance

This paper presents a screw theory based approach for the type synthesis of compliant mechanisms with flexures. We provide a systematic formulation of the constraint-based approach which has been mainly developed by precision engineering experts in designing precision machines. The two fundamental concepts in the constraint-based approach, constraint and freedom, can be represented mathematically by a wrench and a twist in screw theory. For example, an ideal wire flexure applies a translational constraint which can be described a wrench of pure force. As a result, the design rules of the constraint-based approach can be systematically formulated in the format of screws and screw systems. Two major problems in compliant mechanism design, constraint pattern analysis and constraint pattern design are discussed with examples in details. This innovative method paves the way for introducing computational techniques into the constraint-based approach for the synthesis and analysis of compliant mechanisms.


Author(s):  
Pratheek Bagivalu Prasanna ◽  
Ashok Midha ◽  
Sushrut G. Bapat

Abstract Understanding the kinematic properties of a compliant mechanism has always proved to be a challenge. A concept of compliance number offered earlier emphasized the development of terminology that aided in its determination. A method to evaluate the elastic degrees of freedom associated with the flexible segments/links of a compliant mechanism using the pseudo-rigid-body model (PRBM) concept is provided. In this process, two distinct classes of compliant mechanisms are developed involving: (i) Active Compliance and (ii) Passive Compliance. Furthermore, these also aid in a better characterization of the kinematic behavior of a compliant mechanism. A more lucid interpretation of the significance of compliance number is provided. Applications of this method to both active and passive compliant mechanisms are exemplified. Finally, an experimental procedure that aids in visualizing the degrees of freedom as calculated is presented.


Author(s):  
Sushrut G. Bapat ◽  
Pratheek Bagivalu Prasanna ◽  
Ashok Midha

Abstract Traditionally, the deflected configuration of compliant segments is determined through rigorous mathematical analysis using Newtonian mechanics. Application of these principles in evaluating the deformed configuration of compliant mechanisms, containing a variety of segment types, becomes cumbersome. This paper introduces a methodology to determine the expected deflected configuration(s) of a compliant mechanism, for a given set of load and/or displacement boundary conditions. The method utilizes the principle of minimum total potential energy, in conjunction with the degrees-of-freedom analysis and the pseudo-rigid-body model concept. The static mode shape(s) of compliant segments are integrated in identifying the possible functional configuration(s) of a given compliant mechanism’s structural configuration. The methodology, in turn, also facilitates the in situ determination of the deformed configuration of the constituent compliant segments. It thus assists in the identification of an appropriate pseudo-rigid-body model for design and analysis of a compliant mechanism.


Author(s):  
Aa¨ron Stapel ◽  
Just L. Herder

Compliant mechanisms have many advantages over their rigid-body counterparts. One disadvantage however is the fact that motion of the mechanism is associated with elastic energy storage in the compliant parts. This is a problem especially in cases where accurate force transmission is of primary concern, such as in medical graspers. A solution to this problem is to statically balance the elastic forces by the addition of a spring force compensation mechanism, such that the effect of the compliance is neutralized. The complete resulting mechanisms resulting from this concept are called statically balanced compliant mechanisms (SBCMs). This paper presents a feasibility study into the design of a grasper for medical purposes and demonstrates that the concept is possible and practically viable. It is shown that the compliant gripper of a laparoscopic forceps can be statically balanced with a single-piece compliant compensation mechanism, with a balancing error of only 0.03N while dimensions are such that the compensation part of the mechanism can be stored inside the hand grip of the instrument.


2011 ◽  
Vol 82 (5) ◽  
pp. 056101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tung Hsien Hsieh ◽  
Wen Yuh Jywe ◽  
Shang Liang Chen ◽  
Chien Hung Liu ◽  
Hsueh Liang Huang

2009 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hai-Jun Su ◽  
Denis V. Dorozhkin ◽  
Judy M. Vance

This paper presents a screw theory based approach for the analysis and synthesis of flexible joints using wire and sheet flexures. The focus is on designing flexure systems that have a simple geometry, i.e., a parallel constraint pattern. We provide a systematic formulation of the constraint-based approach, which has been mainly developed by precision engineering experts in designing precision machines. The two fundamental concepts in the constraint-based approach, constraint and freedom, can be represented mathematically by a wrench and a twist in screw theory. For example, an ideal wire flexure applies a translational constraint, which can be described by a wrench of pure force. As a result, the design rules of the constraint-based approach can be systematically formulated in the format of screws and screw systems. Two major problems in compliant mechanism design, constraint pattern analysis, and constraint pattern design are discussed with examples in details. Lastly, a case study is provided to demonstrate the application of this approach to the design of compliant prismatic joints. This innovative method paves the way for introducing computational techniques into the constraint-based approach for the synthesis and analysis of compliant mechanisms.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pratheek Bagivalu Prasanna ◽  
Sushrut G. Bapat ◽  
Ashok Midha ◽  
Vamsi Lodagala

Abstract Traditionally, the deflected configuration of compliant segments is determined through rigorous mathematical analysis using Newtonian mechanics. Application of this approach in evaluating the deformed configuration of compliant mechanisms, containing a variety of segment types, becomes cumbersome. This paper introduces a methodology to determine the possible deflected configuration(s) of a compliant mechanism, for a given set of load and/or displacement boundary conditions. The methodology utilizes the principle of minimum potential energy, in conjunction with the degrees-of-freedom analysis and the pseudo-rigid-body model concept. The static mode shape(s) of compliant segments are integrated in identifying the possible deflected configuration(s) of a given compliant mechanism. The methodology facilitates the in situ determination of the possible deformed configuration(s) of the compliant mechanism and its constituent segments. This, in turn, assists in the important task of identifying an appropriate pseudo-rigid-body model for the design and analysis of a compliant mechanism. The proposed methodology is illustrated with examples, and supported with experimental validation.


Author(s):  
Ditske J. B. A. de Lange ◽  
Matthijs Langelaar ◽  
Just L. Herder

This paper presents the design of a grasping instrument for minimally invasive surgery. Due to its small dimensions a compliant mechanism seems promising. To obtain force feedback, the positive stiffness of the compliant grasper must be statically balanced by a negative-stiffness compensation mechanism. For the design of compliant mechanisms, topology optimization can be used. The goal of this paper is to investigate the applicability of topology optimization to the design of a compliant laparoscopic grasper and particularly a compliant negative-stiffness compensation mechanism. In this study, the problem is subdivided in the grasper part and the compensation part. In the grasper part the deflection at the tip of the grasper is optimized. This results in a design that has a virtually linear force-displacement characteristic that forms the input for the compensation part. In the compensation part the difference between the force-displacement characteristic of the grasper part and the characteristic of the compensation part is minimized. An optimization problem is formulated enabling a pre-stress to be incorporated, which is required to obtain the negative stiffness in the compensation part. We can conclude that topology optimization is a promising approach in the field of statically balanced compliant mechanism design, even though there is great scope improvement of the method.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document