Dynamic modeling of flexible-links planar parallelrobots

This paper presents a finite element-based method for dynamic modeling of parallel robots with flexible links and rigid moving platform. The elastic displacements of flexible links are investigated while considering the coupling effects between links due to the structural flexibility. The kinematic constraint conditions and dynamic constraint conditions for elastic displacements are presented. Considering the effects of distributed mass, lumped mass, shearing deformation, bending deformation, tensile deformation and lateral displacements, the Kineto-Elasto dynamics (KED) theory and Lagrange formula are used to derive the dynamic equations of planar flexible-links parallel robots. The dynamic behavior of the flexible-links planar parallel robot is well illustrated through numerical simulation of a planar 3-RRR parallel robot. Compared with the results of finite element software SAMCEF, the numerical simulation results show good coherence of the proposed method. The flexibility of links is demonstrated to have a significant impact on the position error and orientation error of the flexible-links planar parallel robot.