Modelling of flexible link manipulators

Abstract

The present work describes a method for generating the dynamic equations within the Hamiltonian formalism of flexible robots with open-chain linkage mechanisms. Rotations are presented through vectors as elements of a Lie group with a smart composition law. The exact treatment of the flexible robots leads to partial differential equations which describe the nature of the elasticity. In spite of the fact that examples for control laws obtained from such direct approach exist, the common practice is to work with finite-dimensional approximations. Both approaches are considered and some conclusions are made. An example of single-link flexible manipulator is given. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.