Dimensional synthesis of a 3-DOF parallel manipulator based on dimensionally homogeneous Jacobian matrix

• Published in: Science China. Technological sciences Vol. 53; no. 1; pp. 168 - 174
• Main Authors: Sun, Tao, Song, YiMin, Li, YongGang, Liu, LinShan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg SP Science in China Press 01.01.2010
• Subjects: Engineering; workspace; PKMs (parallel kinematic machines); 3-PRS manipulator; dimensionally homogeneous Jacobian; dimensional synthesis
• ISSN: 1674-7321; 1869-1900
• DOI: 10.1007/s11431-009-0375-y

A study of dimensional synthesis of a 3-DOF parallel manipulator with coupling of translation and rotation is carried out. The architecture of the manipulator is composed of a moving platform attached to a fixed base through three identical PRS (prismatic-revolute-spherical) serial limbs, whose unique topology leads to the physical unit inconsistency of the conventional Jacobian matrix and the emergence of the parasitic motion. Then this paper introduces a kinetostatic performance index of the manipulator based on the condition of a dimensionally homogeneous Jacobian matrix, later, the workspace of the aforementioned manipulator is searched and the influence of the crucial design variables on the workspace is analyzed. Finally, a dimensional synthesis method of the manipulator is proposed, which may be regarded as a nonlinear programming problem with subject to the parasitic motion and other several engineering constraints.