Evaluation on Configuration Stiffness of Overconstrained 2R1T Parallel Mechanisms

Currently,two rotations and one translation(2R1T)three-degree-of-freedom(DOF)parallel mechanisms(PMs)are widely applied in five-DOF hybrid machining robots.However,there is a lack of an effective method to evaluate the configuration stiffness of mechanisms during the mechanism design stage.It is a challenge to select appropriate 2R1T PMs with excellent stiffness performance during the design stage.Considering the operational status of 2R1T PMs,the bending and torsional stiffness are considered as indices to evaluate PMs'configuration stiffness.Subsequently,a specific method is proposed to calculate these stiffness indices.Initially,the various types of structural and driving stiffness for each branch are assessed and their specific values defined.Subsequently,a rigid-flexible coupled force model for the over-constrained 2R1T PM is established,and the proposed evaluation method is used to analyze the configuration stiffness of the five 2R1T PMs in the entire workspace.Finally,the driving force and constraint force of each branch in the whole working space are calculated to further elucidate the stiffness evaluating results by using the proposed method above.The obtained results demonstrate that the bending and torsional stiffness of the 2RPU/UPR/RPR mechanism along the x and y-directions are larger than the other four mechanisms.

Force Analysis of the Overconstrained Mechanisms Based on Equivalent Stiffness Considering Limb Axial Deformation

Overconstrained mechanism has the advantages of large bearing capacity and high motion reliability,but its force analysis is complex and difficult because the mechanism system contains overconstraints.Considering the limb axial deformation,taking typical 2SS+P and 7-SS passive overconstrained mechanisms,2SPS+P and 7-SPS active overconstrained mechanisms,and 2SPS+P and 7-SPS passive-input overconstrained mechanisms as examples,a new force analysis method based on the idea of equivalent stiffness is proposed.The equivalent stiffness matrix of passive overconstrained mechanism is derived by combining the force balance and deformation compatibility equations with consideration of axial elastic limb deformations.The relationship between the constraint wrench magnitudes and the external force,limb stiffness is established.The equivalent stiffness matrix of active overconstrained mechanism is derived by combining the force balance and displacement compatibility equations.Here,the relationship between the magnitudes of the actuated wrenches and the external force,limb stiffness is investigated.Combining with the equivalent stiffness of the passive overconstrained mechanism,an analytical relationship between the actuated forces of passive-input overconstrained mechanism and the output displacement,limb stiffness is explored.Finally,adaptability of the equivalent stiffness to overconstrained mechanisms is discussed,and the effect of the limb stiffness on overconstrained mechanisms force distribution is revealed.The research results provide a theoretical reference for the design,research and practical application of overconstrained mechanism.

Configuration Synthesis and Lightweight Networking of Deployable Mechanism Based on a Novel Pyramid Module

Deployable mechanism with preferable deployable performance,strong expansibility,and lightweight has attracted much attention because of their potential in aerospace.A basic deployable pyramid unit with good deployability and expandability is proposed to construct a sizeable deployable mechanism.Firstly,the basic unit folding principle and expansion method is proposed.The configuration synthesis method of adding constraint chains of spatial closed-loop mechanism is used to synthesize the basic unit.Then,the degree of freedom of the basic unit is analyzed using the screw theory and the link dismantling method.Next,the three-dimensional models of the pyramid unit,expansion unit,and array unit are established,and the folding motion simulation analysis is carried out.Based on the number of components,weight reduction rate,and deployable rate,the performance characteristics of the three types of mechanisms are described in detail.Finally,prototypes of the pyramid unit,combination unit,and expansion unit are developed to verify further the correctness of the configuration synthesis based on the pyramid.The proposed deployable mechanism provides aference for the design and application of antennas with a large aperture,high deployable rate,and lightweight.It has a good application prospect in the aerospace field.

Design and dynamic analysis of a scissors hoop-rib truss deployable antenna mechanism

As the support mechanism of space-borne antennas,space deployable antenna mechanism belongs to complex multi-closed-loop coupling mechanism,configuration design and dynamic analysis are more difficult than general parallel mechanism.In this paper,an unequal-length scissors mechanism(ULSM)is proposed by changing the position of the internal rotational joint through a basic scissors mechanism.A scissors hoop-rib truss deployable antenna mechanism(SHRTDAM)is constructed by replacing the parabolic rib with the ULSM.Kinematic analysis of SHRTDAM is conducted,and the degree of freedom(DOF)of the whole antenna mechanism is analyzed based on screw theory,the result showed that it has only one DOF.Velocity and acceleration characteristics of SHRTDAM are obtained by the screw derivative and rotation transformation.Based on Lagrange equation,dynamic model of this mechanism is established,the torque required to drive the mechanism is simulated and verified by Adams and MATLAB software.In addition,a ground experiment prototype of 1.5-m diameter was fabricated and a deployment test is conducted,which demonstrated the mobility and deployment performance of the whole mechanism.The mechanism proposed in this paper can provide a good reference for the design and analysis of large aperture space deployable antennas.

Kinematic,Workspace and Force Analysis of A Five-DOF Hybrid Manipulator R(2RPR)R/SP+RR

In the present study,the over-constrained hybrid manipulator R(2RPR)R/SP+RR is considered as the research objective.In this paper,kinematics of the hybrid manipulator,including the forward and inverse position,are analyzed.Then,the workspace is checked based on the inverse position solution to evaluate whether the workspace of the hybrid manipulator meets the requirements,and the actual workspace of the hybrid robot is analyzed.After that,the force analysis of the over-constrained parallel mechanism is carried out,and an ADAMS-ANSYS rigid-flexible hybrid body model is established to verify the simulation.Based on the obtained results from the force analysis,the manipulator structure is designed.Then,the structure optimization is carried out to improve the robot stiffness.Finally,calibration and workspace verification experiments are performed on the prototype,cutting experiment of an S-shaped aluminum alloy workpiece is completed,and the experiment verifies the machining ability of the prototype.This work conducts kinematics,workspace,force analyses,structural optimization design and experiments on the over-constrained hybrid manipulator R(2RPR)R/SP+RR,providing design basis and technical support for the development of the novel hybrid manipulator in practical engineering.

Innovative design and optimization of a two-dimensional deployable nine-grid planar antenna mechanism with a flat reflection surface

With the development of the aerospace industry,space missions are becoming more complicated and diversified,and there is a demand for antenna mechanisms with a larger physical aperture.In this paper,a planar deployable mechanism is proposed,which can form a flat reflection surface with a small gap between plates.To this end,a novel large-scale two-dimensional deployable nine-grid planar antenna mechanism is designed.First,two antenna folding schemes and four supporting mechanism schemes are proposed.Through comparison analysis,the antenna configuration scheme with the best comprehensive performance is selected.A kinematic model of the deployable mechanism is established,and its kinematic characteristics are analyzed.Then,the correctness of the kinematic model is verified by comparing the analytical and simulation results of the kinematic model.Subsequently,a finite element model of the antenna is developed.Based on the response surface method,the structural parameters of the support rods of the antenna are optimized,and a set of optimized solutions with lightweight and high fundamental frequency characteristics are obtained.Finally,a prototype of the proposed nine-grid planar antenna is fabricated.The feasibility of the deployment principle and the rationality of the designed mechanism are verified by deployment experiments.

Design and analysis of truss deployable antenna mechanism based on a novel symmetric hexagonal profile division method

As the deployment,supporting,and stability mechanisms of satellite antennas,space-deployable mechanisms play a key role in the field of aerospace.In order to design truss deployable antenna supporting mechanisms with large folding rate,high accuracy,easy deployment and strong stability,aiming at the geometric division of the parabolic reflector,a novel method based on symmetric hexagonal division and its corresponding modular truss deployable antenna mechanism is proposed,and the original method based on asymmetric triangular division and its corresponding mechanisms are presented for comparative analysis.Then,the screw theory is employed to analyze the mobility of different mechanisms.Furthermore,the improved three-dimensional mesh method is used to divide the reflector surface of a large parabolic antenna designed by the two different methods,and the profile accuracy and the type of links are taken as the evaluation indexes to quantitatively analyze the division results.Finally,a three-dimensional model of the modular deployable mechanism based on the symmetric hexagonal design is developed,and the deployable mechanisms with different configurations based on the two design methods are compared and analyzed from the mechanical perspective.The research results provide a good theoretical reference for the design of deployable truss antenna mechanisms and their application in the aerospace field.

Design and analysis of a truss deployable antenna mechanism based on a 3UU-3URU unit

Space deployable structures with large calibers, high accuracy, and large folding ratios are indispensable equipment in the aerospace field. Given that the single-DOF 3 RR-3 RRR deployable unit cannot be fully folded, this study proposes a 3 UU-3 URU deployable unit with two kinds of DOF: folding movement and orientation adjustment. First, based on the G-K formula, the DOF of the 3 UU-3 URU unit is analyzed. Then, the 3 UU-3 URU unit is used to construct a deployable truss antenna with a curved surface, and the DOF of the whole deployable antenna containing multiple 3 UU-3 URU units is calculated. The structural design of a deployable antenna with two loops is carried out with specific parameters and geometric relations. Next, a DOF simulation of a basic combination unit composed of three 3 UU-3 URU units is performed. Finally, a prototype of the basic combination unit is manufactured, and the DOF of the mechanism is experimentally verified.

Type synthesis of deployable mechanisms for ring truss antenna based on constraint-synthesis method

Space deployable antenna is the key equipment in realizing the communication and data transmission between the spacecraft and the earth.In order to enrich the configurations of deployable antennas,the type synthesis of deployable mechanisms for ring truss antenna is conducted in this study.First,the principle of the constraint-synthesis method based on screw theory is briefly described,the structure of the ring truss deployable antenna and its folding principle are analyzed,and the ring truss mechanism is divided into upper edges,lower edges and linkages.Then,based on the constraint-synthesis method,the type synthesis of the basic unit edges is carried out,a series of basic unit mechanisms are obtained from combining the basic unit edge mechanisms,and five mechanism units with fewer joints and simple structures are selected.Furthermore,simulation models of the five ring truss deployable mechanisms are built in Solidworks and Matlab software,and the deploying process is verified by the movement simulation.Finally,mechanism characteristics of the five mechanisms are analyzed and discussed,and a prototype is manufactured,verifying the analysis in this paper.This research provides a new way for the type synthesis of spatial deployable mechanisms,and the ring truss deployable mechanisms obtained in this study can be well applied in the field of aerospace.