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Design, Construction and Control of a Manipulator Driven by Pneumatic Artificial Muscles
Željko Šitum1, Srečko Herceg2, Nenad Bolf2
1Department of Robotics and Production System Automation, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture, University of Zagreb, Ivana Lučića 5, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)
|January 21, 2023
Summary
This study details a single-joint manipulator arm using pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs) for industrial tasks. The design, modeling, and control of this PAM-actuated system demonstrate its potential for automation.
Area of Science:
- Robotics
- Mechanical Engineering
- Control Systems
Background:
- Pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs) offer unique advantages for robotic actuation, including high power-to-weight ratio and inherent safety.
- Traditional actuators may not be suitable for all automation tasks requiring compact and robust designs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design, construct, and experimentally test a single-joint manipulator arm actuated by PAMs.
- To develop a control-oriented mathematical model for the PAM-driven manipulator.
- To explore the potential of PAMs in industrial applications and assembly automation.
Main Methods:
- Utilized an antagonistic muscle pair for rotational torque generation on a pulley.
- Employed the morphological-matrix conceptual design framework to analyze system realizations.
- Derived a simplified mathematical model for controller design using a proportional control valve.
- Conducted experimental testing on a realized manipulator system.
Main Results:
- Successfully designed and constructed a single-joint manipulator arm actuated by PAMs.
- Developed and validated a mathematical model for the manipulator's control.
- Demonstrated the feasibility of using PAMs for transporting and sorting work pieces.
- Integrated an original subsystem for adding work pieces to the manipulator's workspace.
Conclusions:
- Pneumatic artificial muscles are highly suitable for advanced manipulation systems in industrial automation.
- The developed PAM-actuated manipulator shows promise for tasks requiring compact, powerful, and safe actuation.
- Further research into PAMs can lead to innovative robotic solutions for assembly automation.
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