Study on modeling and dynamic performance of a planar flexible parallel manipulator based on finite element method

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Mechanical Engineering
• Dynamics and Control

Background:

• High-speed parallel manipulators require lightweight designs to minimize dead weight.
• Lightweighting can increase component elastic deformation, negatively impacting system dynamics.
• Understanding these trade-offs is crucial for optimizing manipulator performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a dynamic model for a 2-DOF planar flexible parallel manipulator with fully flexible links.
• To analyze the dynamic performance under different driving torque modes.
• To validate the model's accuracy using simulation software.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a floating reference coordinate system.
• Employed a combination of the finite element method and augmented Lagrange multiplier method.
• Performed dynamic analysis under three distinct driving torque modes and validated with Adams software.

Main Results:

• Axial deformation was found to be three orders of magnitude smaller than transverse deformation.
• Redundant drive configurations demonstrated superior kinematic and dynamic performance with suppressed vibrations compared to non-redundant drives.
• Driving Mode 2 exhibited the best overall comprehensive performance.

Conclusions:

• The developed dynamic model accurately represents the behavior of a fully flexible link parallel manipulator.
• Redundant drive systems are effective in enhancing performance and reducing vibrations in flexible parallel manipulators.
• The modular modeling approach facilitates future extensions and programming for similar systems.