Task-based configuration design for 3-legged modular parallel robots using simplex methods

This paper presents a methodology for optimal design of 6-DOF modular parallel manipulators. In type synthesis, a general methodology is presented to choose a type of configuration using a look-up table. This table, constructed based on the experience and knowledge in the database, gives suitable robot configurations for different types of tasks. In dimensional synthesis, actuation scheme along with the geometric parameters are considered as design variables. An appropriate objective function and constraints are selected; Simplex optimization algorithm is used. A light machining operation is chosen as the task. The experiment demonstrates that the global coordinates of the task points affects the actuation scheme for better performance.