Performance evaluation of parallel manipulators for milling application

TL;DR

This paper evaluates the performance of parallel manipulators in milling composite materials, introducing a new stiffness matrix calculation method and optimizing multiple performance criteria.

Contribution

It presents a novel approach for stiffness matrix calculation and a multicriterion optimization framework for performance evaluation of parallel manipulators in milling.

Findings

Stiffness is identified as a key performance factor.

A new stiffness matrix calculation method is proposed.

Optimization of geometric, kinematic, and dynamic properties improves manipulator performance.

Abstract

This paper focuses on the performance evaluation of the parallel manipulators for milling of composite materials. For this application the most significant performance measurements, which denote the ability of the manipulator for the machining are defined. In this case, optimal synthesis task is solved as a multicriterion optimization problem with respect to the geometric, kinematic, kinetostatic, elastostostatic, dynamic properties. It is shown that stiffness is an important performance factor. Previous models operate with links approximation and calculate stiffness matrix in the neighborhood of initial point. This is a reason why a new way for stiffness matrix calculation is proposed. This method is illustrated in a concrete industrial problem.