Abstract
This paper presents a novel class of hybrid manipulators composed of two serially connected parallel mechanisms, each of which has three degrees of freedom. The lower and upper platforms respectively control the position and orientation of the end-effector. The advantages of this type of hybrid manipulator are larger workspace (as compared with parallel manipulators) and better rigidity and higher load-carrying capability (as compared with serial manipulators). The closed-form solutions of the forward and inverse position analyses are discussed. For forward position analysis, it is shown that the resultant equation for the positional mechanism is an 8-th order, a 6-th order, a 4-th order, or a 2-nd order polynomial, depending on the geometry and joint types of the passive subchain, while for the orientational mechanism, it is an 8-th order, or a 2-nd polynomial depending on the geometry. For inverse position analysis, it is demonstrated that the positional and orientational mechanisms both possess analytical closed-form solutions.
The Effect of the Optimization Selection of Position Analysis Route on the Forward Position Solutions of Parallel Mechanisms
