Workspace Analysis and Optimal Design of Cable-Driven Parallel Robots via Auxiliary Counterbalances

TL;DR

This paper introduces auxiliary counterbalances in cable-driven parallel robots to expand their workspace, providing analysis, optimization formulas, and algorithms validated through case studies and numerical results.

Contribution

It presents a novel approach using auxiliary counterbalances to enhance the workspace and offers optimization methods for design improvements in CDPRs.

Findings

Expanded workspace with auxiliary counterbalances

Effective optimization algorithms for design parameters

Validated approach through case studies and numerical results

Abstract

Cable-driven parallel robots (CDPRs) are widely investigated and applied in the worldwide; however, traditional configurations make them to be limited in reaching their maximum workspace duo to constraints such as the maximum allowable tensions of cables. In this paper, we introduce auxiliary counterbalances to tackle this problem and focus on workspace analysis and optimal design of CDPRs with such systems. Besides, kinematics, dynamics, and parameters optimization formulas and algorithm are provided to maximize the reachable workspace of CDPRs. Case studies for different configurations are presented and discussed. Numerical results suggest the effectiveness of the aforementioned approaches, and the obtained parameters can also be applied for actual CDPRs design.