Kinematic Calibration of a Cable-Driven Parallel Robot for 3D Printing.

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Additive Manufacturing
• Mechanical Engineering

Background:

• Traditional 3D printing faces limitations in workspace and accuracy.
• Cable-driven parallel robots offer extended range and flexibility for complex tasks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a cable-driven parallel robot for 3D printing with an enlarged workspace.
• To propose and validate a kinematic calibration method for enhanced accuracy.

Main Methods:

• Development of a cable-driven parallel robot for 3D printing.
• A kinematic calibration method based on cable length residuals.
• Establishment of a mapping model for error analysis.
• Optimization of measurement positions for calibration efficiency.
• Verification through numerical simulation and motion capture experiments.

Main Results:

• The proposed kinematic calibration method effectively reduces end-effector position error.
• Experimental results show a position error decrease to 0.6157 mm.
• The calibration method's effectiveness is confirmed even for non-optimal measurement positions.

Conclusions:

• Cable-driven parallel robots can overcome workspace limitations in 3D printing.
• The developed kinematic calibration method enhances precision and efficiency.
• The approach is robust and applicable in real-world scenarios.