Module-based method for design and analysis of reconfigurable parallel robots

doi:10.1007/s11465-011-0121-6

Front Mech Eng

2011, Vol. 6

Issue (2) : 151-159 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11465-011-0121-6

FEATURE ARTICLE

Module-based method for design and analysis of reconfigurable parallel robots

Fengfeng XI¹(

), Yuwen LI¹, Hongbo WANG²

1. Department of Aerospace Engineering, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, M5B 2K3, Canada; 2. School of Mechanical Engineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, China

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Abstract

This paper presents a method for the design and analysis of reconfigurable parallel robots. The inherent modularity in a parallel robot lends itself as a natural candidate for reconfiguration. By taking the branches as building blocks, many modular parallel robots can be constructed, from which a reconfigurable parallel robot can be realized. Among three types of reconfigurations, namely, geometry morphing, topology morphing, and group morphing, the method presented here is for the last two reconfigurations, thereby advancing the current research that is mainly limited to geometry morphing. It is shown that the module-based method not only provides a systematic way of designing a reconfigurable parallel robot, but also offers a unified modeling for robot analysis. Two examples are provided, one showing the topology morphing and the other showing the group morphing.

Keywords reconfigurable parallel robot topology morphing group morphing

Corresponding Author(s): XI Fengfeng,Email:fengxi@ ryerson.ca

Issue Date: 05 June 2011

Cite this article:

Fengfeng XI,Yuwen LI,Hongbo WANG. Module-based method for design and analysis of reconfigurable parallel robots[J]. Front Mech Eng, 2011, 6(2): 151-159.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/fme/EN/10.1007/s11465-011-0121-6
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fme/EN/Y2011/V6/I2/151

Fig.1 Parallel robot model

Fig.2 Hexapod decomposed to planar tripod (red line) and spatial tripod (blue line)

Fig.3 Hexapod decomposed to spherical tripod (red line) and translational (blue line)

Fig.4 General decomposed hexapod model with two separate tripods (red and blue)

Fig.5 Triangulated connection

Fig.6 Building blocks. (a) Extensible; (b) sliding; (c) swing

Tab.1 Table 1 Mobility of parallel robots

Fig.7 Locking/releasing for extensible branch (case 1)

Fig.8 Locking/releasing for extensible branch (case 2)

Fig.9 Locking/releasing for sliding branch

Fig.10 Extensible branch vs. sliding branch

Fig.11 Extensible branch vs. swing branch

Fig.12 In-plane and out-of-plane motion of a branch for the tripod (top view)

Fig.13 Geometry morphing – slots (orange dash line)

Fig.14 Topology morphing – detached branch (blue line)

Fig.15 Reconfigurable hexapod with topology morphing

Fig.16 Group morphing – combining two tripods side by side

Fig.17 Walking parallel robot through group morphing

Fig.18 Robotic bird through group morphing

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