This paper studies the characteristic mechanical stiffness or compliance by means of which the interaction of a manipulator with the environment is controlled. A mechanical model of manipulators with parallel structure is presented in whichcompliance is determined by the shaft stiffnesses in the joints and by the antagonistically acting driving forces. An optimization procedure of the stiffness of a manipulator with a variable structure is proposed. Computer experiments on the compliance of a parallel manipulator have been performed. The results are visualized by means of the compliance ellipses and ellipsoids.
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