Non-singular Transitions Based Optimal Design Methodology for Parallel Manipulators

摘要

In this paper, an optimal design methodology for three-degree-of-freedom planar or spatial parallel manipulators is presented. In particular, cuspidal manipulators, which own the ability of performing non-singular transitions, are addressed. The design procedure incorporates the transitioning ability into the design criteria. An initial stage of the procedure comprises the analysis of different designs by means of characterizing configuration space entities. This gives an overall insight into the capacities of the robot. Then, the dimensional synthesis focuses on cuspidal designs in order to find the set of optimum design parameters such that the operational workspace is as larger as possible having also a regular shape. So as to illustrate the methodology, the 3-SPS-S spatial orientation manipulator is used.