A brief overview of parallel robots and parallel kinematic machines

Abstract

In this paper, a brief overview is presented, resulting from a recent literature review of some representative books or papers regarding various research on different types of parallel robots, parallel kinematic machines, or hybrid parallel mechanisms. Starting from a short introduction regarding the motivation and necessity of the emergence of such parallel mechanisms, some basic terms are presented, in the context of founding the existence of several terminologies for certain specific expressions of this subject, as well as different definitions for them. Then, after a short presentation of the advantages and disadvantages of the parallel robots, compared to serial ones, and of the parallel kinematic mechanisms compared to the conventional machine tools, some publications related to kinematics, dynamics, modeling and simulation of these types of mechanisms are highlighted. This research is realized in order to identify a solution that will be the basis for the development of a prototype, both virtual and experimental, for such mechatronic system.