Optimum design of a planar 3-DOF parallel manipulator for good motion and force transmissibility

Abstract

Since motion and force transmissibility is the inherent characteristic of a closed-chain manipulator, the design of a parallel manipulator should take into account this performance. This paper presents the optimum design of a 3-RRR parallel manipulator by considering motion and force transmission performance. Based on the screw analysis of the manipulator, some performance indices, such as good transmission workspace (GTW) and global transmission index (GTI), are then defined as the criterion for the design of the manipulator. By using the parameter design space, the corresponding performance atlases are plotted to illustrate the relationship between indices and geometrical parameters. The optimum design result, which is actually an optimum region, is then reached. The designed manipulator is far from singularity and has good motion and force transmissibility in its workspace. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2012.