Chapter8.

ManipulatorMechanismDesign
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Note:Thephotoimagesaredownloadedfromtheinternetasnoncopywritedmaterials.
Robottypesandworkenvelopes
Articulating6axis
SCARA
CartesianGantryrobot
Cylindrical
Polar(Spherical)
ParallelStewartmechanism(SpiderMan),doubleSCARAParallelhybrid
OthersMobile,waferhandling,dualarm(LostHead)
Youtube vedeo on robot work envelopes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbQ4O0BYlcc

OSHAsafetyrequirements
https://www.osha.gov/dts/osta/otm/otm_iv/otm_iv_4.html#1

GMUnimaterobot,thefirstindustrialrobot

End Effectors and Force-Torque Sensors

Adaptive gripper with sensor suite installed

(a). Closeups show (b) texture and (c) taxels.
DegreesofFreedom
Normallyequaltothenumberofjoints.Somejointsarelinkedtogetherbyabeltorgearassembly.Insuch
instance,thedegreesoffreedomwillbeoneless.Example:2ndand3rdjointsofawaferhandlingrobot.
ClosedLoopRobotStructures
WhenendeffectormotionisconstrainedbytwoormorelinksasinaStewartmechanismandtwoarmrobots.
GrublersformulafortheDOFofclosedlooprobots
n

F=6(l n1)+ fi
i=1

(8.9)

whereF=thetotalDOF,l=thenumberoflinks,n=thenumberofjoints,fi=thenumberofDOFforjointi.
Solve8.8(uncollectedHomework)
FortheStewartmechanisml=14(top&bottom,2partstoeachof6linearactuators),n=18(6universal,6
ball&socket,6linear),sumoffi=36(2DOFperuniversal,3DOFperball&socket,1peractuator)
Motors

Robotsmotorsaregenerallyservomotorswhichareequippedwithencodersforclosedloopcontrol.
Speed,AccuracyandRepeatability
Speed=SCARArobotsarefast.Parallelrobotsareevenfaster.
Accuracy=ofControlResolutiondeterminedbytheencoderstepangleofthejointmotors
Repeatability(Precision)=3,alwayslessthanAccuracy,duetolinkframedeflectionandjointmotor
backlash.
RobotaccuracyofcontrolresolutionCRdeterminedbyencoderspacing
RepeatabilityMechanicallimitsInherentlylessprecisethansteppermotorwithgearassemblygiven
thesamesteppingangle.
PositionSensing:
Theforceortorquecommandtoanactuatorateachjointisbasedonerrorbetweenthesensedpositionofthe
jointandthedesiredpositioneachjointhavesomesortofpositionsensingdevice.
Forrevolutejointsrotaryopticalencoder,potentiometer,tachometer.
Forprismaticjoints Potentiometer,linearopticalencoderiflinearactuatorisused.
Rotaryencoderifleadscrewmechanismisused.
Properties
RedundancyofjointsHavingextrajointsordegreesoffreedomtoavoidsingularitiesormanipulatethe
robotarmaroundobstructs.
CompliancyofarmsSCARArobotisverticallynoncompliant,i.e.,noforceortorqueisneededtosustain
loadontheendeffector.
StiffnessoflinksForpositionalaccuracyinthepresenceoflinkssaggingduetotheirweightandtheload.
Flexiblemembers
inparallel
inseries

kp=k1+k2
1/ks=1/k1+1/k2

Shafts,Gears,Belts,andLinksEquationsgiveninpp.248,249

RepeatabilityDeterminedexperimentallythroughsamplinginCartesianspace.
2
2
2
2 x + y + z

Actuators
MostlyDCmotors,someACandSteppermotors.
Pneumaticforlinearactuatorsrelativelylowaccuracy.
HydraulicForlargeindustrialrobots.
PositionSensing

OpticalencodersForbothmotorfeedbackcontrolanddistancetravelled.
Incremental(pulsetrain).Absolute(binarypositioncode).
Resolvers Forconversionofshaftpolarangletorectangular(XY)coordinates
Representedbysineandcosineangles(90phaseshiftwindingoutput)
- Provide velocity and position data and DC motor commutation.

TachometersForvelocitychecking.

PotentiometersLinearpositionsensing.Thickfilmvoltagedividers.

LVDT(LinearVariableDifferentialTransformer)Highcost,highaccuracy

ForceandTorqueSensingJoint,wrist,andtip
Measuresthereactionforcesdevelopedattheinterfacebetweenmechanicalassemblies.

JointsensorsmeasuretheCartesiancomponentsofforceandtorqueactingonarobotjoint.Forajoint
drivenbyaDCmotor,sensingisdonesimplybymeasuringthearmaturecurrent.

Wristsensorsaremountedbetweenthetipofarobotarmandtheendeffector.Theyconsistofstrain
gaugesthatmeasurethedeflectionofthemechanicalstructureduetoexternalforces.

Tipsensorsaretheloadcellsoranarrayofstraingagesmountedonthetip.