An Algorithm for Computing Cusp Points in the Joint Space of 3-RPR Parallel Manipulators

TL;DR

This paper introduces an algorithm to detect and compute cusp points in the joint space of 3-RPR planar parallel manipulators, which are crucial for understanding assembly mode changes.

Contribution

It provides a novel algorithm that solves complex algebraic conditions to identify all cusp points, advancing kinematic analysis of these manipulators.

Findings

Successfully detects all cusp points in the joint space.

Enables better understanding of nonsingular assembly mode changes.

Improves kinematic modeling and control of 3-RPR manipulators.

Abstract

This paper presents an algorithm for detecting and computing the cusp points in the joint space of 3-RPR planar parallel manipulators. In manipulator kinematics, cusp points are special points, which appear on the singular curves of the manipulators. The nonsingular change of assembly mode of 3-RPR parallel manipulators was shown to be associated with the existence of cusp points. At each of these points, three direct kinematic solutions coincide. In the literature, a condition for the existence of three coincident direct kinematic solutions was established, but has never been exploited, because the algebra involved was too complicated to be solved. The algorithm presented in this paper solves this equation and detects all the cusp points in the joint space of these manipulators.