Analysis and synthesis of parallel manipulators

Abstract

In this study, novel parallel manipulators are introduced for industrial and medical applications. New methods are developed for the structural synthesis of Euclidean platform robot-manipulators with variable general constraints (EPRM). New mechanical structures such as serial, parallel and serial-parallel EPRM are designed along with proposed method.A new dimensional synthesis method of two DoF planar and spherical seven link mechanisms is presented. Interpolation and least square approximations are used to design the mechanism. In the solution of dimensional synthesis problems, nonlinear equations are converted to system of linear equations. The motion generation problem of a 3 DoF platform robot manipulator is solved for three, four and five precision poses. It is shown that the synthesis problem can be solved analytically for three prescribed poses. However, the solution is achieved by using a numerical method for four and five poses. The result, which is obtained from three prescribed poses, is used as an initial guess for four and five poses. Kinematic analysis of the manipulators is investigated. After the derivation of vector-loop equations, inverse and direct position analyses of the manipulators are presented. Constant orientation workspace of a three DoF spatial parallel manipulator is presented. The mechanical elements which are necessary for the construction of manipulators are introduced. The information about the motors which is needed for actuation of manipulators is given. Three DoF parallel manipulator is constructed for a industrial packaging system. Assembly of manufactured parts and mechanical elements are shown.