Parallel Robots with Configurable Platforms

Doctoral thesis (2013)

Authors

Contributors

R.H. Munnig Schmidt (promotor)
J.L. Herder (promotor)
Department
Precision and Microsystems Engineering (Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering) (TU Delft)
Copyright: © 2013 Lambert, P.
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Published Date

21-05-2013

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Faculty

Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering

Department

Precision and Microsystems Engineering

Abstract

This thesis explores the fundamentals of a new class of parallel mechanisms called parallel mechanisms with configurable platforms as well as the design and analysis of parallel robots that are based on those mechanisms. Pure parallel robots are formed by two rigid links, the base and the end-effector, connected in parallel by independent serial chains, called legs. The novel concept behind parallel robots with configurable platforms is that the rigid end-effector is replaced by a closed-loop chain, the configurable platform. Some of the links of this closed-loop chain are attached to the legs so its configuration can be fully controlled from the actuators located on the base. The use of a closed-loop chain instead of a rigid end-effector allows the robot to interact with the environment using multiple contact points on the platform. This results in a robot that can combine motion and grasping capabilities into a structure that provides an inherent high structural stiffness. All the actuators are grounded on the base requiring no additional motor at the end-effector location to provide the grasping. High-speed pick-and-place robots and haptic interfaces are examples of devices that can benefit from this new type of architecture.