Dongming Gan

Mobility Change in Two Types of Metamorphic Parallel Mechanisms

This paper presents a new joint coined as the rT joint and proposes two types of metamorphic parallel mechanisms assembled with this rT joint. In the first type, the mechanism changes its topology by turning the rT joints in all limbs into different configurations. This change in mobility is completed by two cases illustrated by a 3(rT)PS metamorphic parallel mechanism having variable mobility from 3 to 6 and a 3(rT)P(rT) parallel mechanism having various configurations including pure translations, pure rotations, and mobility 4. In the second type, a central strut with the rT joint is added in a parallel mechanism. The variable mobility of the mechanism results from the topological change of the central (rT)P(rT) strut. This is illustrated in a 3SPS-1 (rT)P(rT) metamorphic parallel mechanism, which changes its mobility from 4 to 5. It is demonstrated in mobility analysis that the change in local mobility of each limb results in the change in the platform mobility that a metamorphic process can be achieved. This particular analysis leads to advancement of improved Grubler-Kutzbach criterion by introducing the local mobility factor in the mobility analysis.

Unified Kinematics and Singularity Analysis of a Metamorphic Parallel Mechanism With Bifurcated Motion

This paper introduces a new metamorphic parallel mechanism consisting of four reconfigurable rTPS limbs. Based on the reconfigurability of the reconfigurable Hooke (rT) joint, the rTPS limb has two phases while in one phase the limb has no constraint to the platform, in the other it constrains the spherical joint center to lie on a plane. This results in the mechanism to have ability of reconfiguration between different topologies with variable mobility. Geometric constraint equations of the platform rotation matrix and translation vector are set up based on the point-plane constraint, which reveals the bifurcated motion property in the topology with mobility 2 and the geometric condition with mobility change in altering to other mechanism topologies. Following this, a unified kinematics limb modeling is proposed considering the difference between the two phases of the reconfigurable rTPS limb. This is further applied for the mechanism modeling and both the inverse and forward kinematics is analytically solved by combining phases of the four limbs covering all the mechanism topologies. Based on these, a unified singularity modeling is proposed by defining the geometric constraint forces and actuation forces in the Jacobian matrix with their change in the variable topologies in terms of constraint screws. Analysis of workspace with singularity distribution is carried out using this model and corresponding singularity loci are obtained with special singular configurations illustrated. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4024292]

Dual quaternion-based inverse kinematics of the general spatial 7R mechanism

The theory of dual quaternion and its use in serial mechanisms are described in this paper. A closed-form solution to the inverse kinematic analysis of the general 7-link 7R mechanism is presented. Dixons resultant is used and the input—output equation is expressed in the form of a 6×6 determinant equated to zero, and the formulae to determine other angular displacements are expressed in the closed form. Numerical example confirms these theoretical results. The whole process is very simple and easy to program, which supplies a new method for the real use of the 7R mechanism.

Design and kinematics analysis of a new 3ccc parallel mechanism

A CCC limb and a new 3CCC parallel mechanism have been designed in this paper based on geometry analysis. Their mobility and geometrical constraints are discussed by using screw theory and geometrical equations separately. Following that both the inverse and forward kinematics of the 3CCC parallel mechanism are proposed, in which Dixons resultant is used to get the forward solutions for the orientation and a eighth-order polynomial equation in one unknown is obtained, leading to the results for the position analysis, numerical examples confirm these theoretical results. A short comparison with the traditional Stewart platforms is presented in terms of kinematics, workspace and trajectory planning.

Forward displacement analysis of a new 1CCC-5SPS parallel mechanism using Grobner theory

Abstract A new parallel mechanism 1CCC–5SPS which has distance and angle constraints is introduced in this article. Degree of freedom and forward kinematic analysis of this new parallel mechanism are presented, in which four equivalent polynomial equations are obtained from the original six geometrical constraint equations. The Gröbner basis theory is used with the four equations and the problem of forward displacement is reduced to a 40th degree polynomial equation in a single unknown from a constructed 10 × 10 Sylvesters matrix which is small in size, from which 40 different locations of the moving platform can be derived. A numerical example confirms the efficiency of the procedure.

Stiffness Design for a Spatial Three Degrees of Freedom Serial Compliant Manipulator Based on Impact Configuration Decomposition

This paper proposes a method of stiffness design for a spatial Three Degrees of Freedom (3DOF) serial compliant manipulator with the objective of protecting the compliant joint actuators when the manipulator comes up against impact. System dynamic equations of serial compliant manipulators integrated with an impact model are linearized to identify the maximum joint torques in the impact. Based on this, a general procedure is given in which maximum joint torques are calculated with different directions of end-effector velocity and impact normal in the manipulator workspace based on a given magnitude of end-effector velocity. By tuning the stiffness for each compliant joint to ensure the maximum joint torque does not exceed the maximum value of the actuator, candidate stiffness values are obtained to make the compliant actuators safe in all cases. The theory and procedure are then applied to the spatial 3DOF serial compliant manipulator of which the impact configuration is decomposed into a 2DOF planar serial manipulator and a 1DOF manipulator with a 2DOF link based on the linearized impact-dynamic model. Candidate stiffness of the 3DOF serial compliant manipulator is obtained by combining analysis of the 2DOF and 1DOF manipulators. The method introduced in this paper can be used for both planar and spatial compliant serial manipulators.

Singularity-Free Workspace Aimed Optimal Design of a 2T2R Parallel Mechanism for Automated Fiber Placement

A bstract: This paper introduces a new concept of applying a parallel mechanism in automated fiber placement for aerospace part manufacturing. By investigating the system requirements, a 4-DOF parallel mechanism consisting of two RPS(revolute-prismatic-spherical joints) and two UPS(universal-prismatic-spherical joints) limbs with two rotational and two translational motions is proposed. Both inverse and forward kinematics models are obtained and solved analytically. Based on the overall Jacobian matrix in screw theory, singularity loci are presented and the singularity-free workspace is correspondingly illustrated. To maximize the singularity-free workspace, locations of the two UPS limbs with the platform and base sizes are used in the optimization which gives a new design of a 4-DOF parallel mechanism. A dimensionless Jacobian matrix is also defined and its condition number is used for optimizing the kinematics performance in the optimization process. A numerical example is presented with physical constraint considerations of a test bed design for automated fiber placement.

Variable Motion/Force Transmissibility of a Metamorphic Parallel Mechanism With Reconfigurable 3T and 3R Motion

This paper presents a metamorphic parallel mechanism which can switch its motion between pure translation (3T) and pure rotation (3R) motion. This feature stems from a reconfigurable Hooke (rT) joint of which one of the rotation axes can be altered freely. More than that, based on the reconfiguration of the rT joint, workspace of both 3T and 3R motion can be tunable and the rotation center of the 3R motion can be controlled along a line perpendicular to the base plane. Kinematics analysis is presented based on the geometric constraint of the parallel mechanism covering both 3T and 3R motion. Following these screw theory based motion/force transmission equations are obtained and their characteristics are investigated and linked to the singularity analysis using Jacobian matrix. Motion/force transmission indices can be used to optimize basic design parameters of the metamorphic parallel mechanism. This provides reference of this mechanism for potential applications requiring 3T and 3R motion.Copyright

Forward Kinematics Solution Distribution and Analytic Singularity-Free Workspace of Linear-Actuated Symmetrical Spherical Parallel Manipulators

This paper presents a new kinematics model for linear-actuated symmetrical spherical parallel manipulators (LASSPMs) which are commonly used considering their symmetrical kinematics and dynamics properties. The model has significant advantages in solving the forward kinematic equations, and in analytically obtaining singularity loci and the singularity-free workspace. The Cayley formula, including the three Rodriguez‐Hamilton parameters from a general rotation matrix, is provided and used in describing the rotation motion and geometric constraints of LASSPMs. Analytical solutions of the forward kinematic equations are obtained. Then singularity loci are derived, and represented in a new coordinate system with the three Rodriguez‐Hamilton parameters assigned in three perpendicular directions. Limb-actuation singularity loci are illustrated and forward kinematics (FK) solution distribution in the singularity-free zones is discussed. Based on this analysis, unique forward kinematic solutions of LASSPMs can be determined. By using Cayley formula, analytical workspace boundaries are expressed, based on a given mechanism structure and input actuation limits. The singularity-free workspace is demonstrated in the proposed coordinate system. The work gives a systematic method in modeling kinematics, singularity and workspace analysis which provides new optimization design index and a simpler kinematics model for dynamics and control of LASSPMs. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4029808]

Reconfiguration and Actuation Scheme of 3rTPS Metamorphic Parallel Mechanisms with Parallel Constraint Screws

This paper presents reconfiguration with mobility change of a class of metamorphic parallel mechanisms consisting of three reconfigurable rTPS limbs with parallel bracket rotation axes. Stemming from the reconfiguration of the reconfigurable Hooke (rT) joint, the rTPS limb has two phases with one having full mobility and the other giving a constraint force to the platform based on the constraint screws. The platform constraint screw systems show that the new metamorphic parallel mechanisms have four topologies by altering the limb phases with mobility change among 1R2T (one rotation with two translations), 2R2T, 3R2T and mobility 6. Special topologies are identified considering the limb arrangement. Following these, actuation scheme is discussed by covering all the topologies of the metamorphic parallel mechanisms based on constraint screws.