FIIR-TCM - 61. Cable-Driven Robots

61. Cable-Driven Robots

Shabbir Kurbanhusen Mustafa, Wei Lin: Industrial Robotics Team, Mechatronics Group, Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology, A*STAR, Singapore
Wen Bin Lim: Institute of Technical Education, Singapore
Guilin Yang: Institute of Advanced Manufacturing, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhenhai District, Ningbo, Zhejiang, People’s Republic of China
Song Huat Yeo: School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Sunil Kumar Agrawal: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, USA

61.1 Introduction

61.2 Mathematical Preliminaries
Kinetostatic Analysis for Modular CDRs
Kinetostatic Analysis for Multi-Bodied CDRs

61.3 Force-Closure Analysis
Force-Closure Analysis of Modular CDRs
Force-Closure Analysis of Multi-Bodied CDRs

61.4 Stiffness Analysis
CDR with Variable Stiffness Characteristics
Case Study Using a 2-DOF Planar CDR

61.5 Workspace Analysis
Workspace Representation
Workspace Volume
Workspace Performance Measures

61.6 Cable Tension Planning
Cable Tension Planning of CDRs Without VSDs
Cable Tension Planning of CDRs with VSDs
Case Study Using a CDR with 2-DOF Orientation

61.7 Summary
Appendix 1: Formulation of the Jacobian and Integration Measure Associated with 2-DOF CDR’s Parameterized Rotations
Jacobian Associated with 2-DOF CDR’s Parameterized Rotations
Integration Measure Associated with 2-DOF CDR’s Parameterized Rotations
Appendix 2: Formulation of the Integration Measure for SO(3) Representation in Cylindrical Coordinates
References

Abstract

Cable-driven robots (CDRs) are a special class of parallel mechanisms in which the end-effector is actuated by cables, instead of rigid-linked actuators. They are characterized by lightweight structures with low moving inertia and large workspace, due to the location of the cable winching actuators at the fixed base of the structure, and thereby reducing the mass and inertia of the moving platform. CDRs also possess an intrinsically safe feature due to the cables’ flexibility, which allows CDRs to provide safe manipulation in close proximity to their human counterparts. This chapter will highlight the various research endeavors in the performance analysis of CDRs such as force-closure analysis, stiffness analysis, workspace analysis, and cable tension planning. Several case studies will also be presented to serve as illustrations on the application of the proposed performance analysis tools.