Tracking control for underactuated non-minimum phase multibody systems

We consider tracking control for multibody systems which are modeled using holonomic and non-holonomic constraints. Furthermore, the systems may be underactuated and contain kinematic loops and are thus described by a set of differential-algebraic equations that cannot be reformulated as ordinary differential equations in general. We propose a control strategy which combines a feedforward controller based on the servo-constraints approach with a feedback controller based on a recent funnel control design. As an important tool for both approaches, we present a new procedure to derive the internal dynamics of a multibody system. Furthermore, we present a feasible set of coordinates for the internal dynamics avoiding the effort involved with the computation of the Byrnes–Isidori form. The control design is demonstrated by a simulation for a nonlinear non-minimum phase multi-input, multi-output robotic manipulator with kinematic loop.

Principal vectors and equivalent mass descriptions for the equations of motion of planar four-bar mechanisms

The use of principal points and principal vectors in the formulation of the equations of motion of a general 4R planar four-bar linkage is shown with two kinds of methods, one that opens kinematic loops and one that does not. The opened kinematic loop approach analyses the moving links as a system with a tree connectivity, introducing reaction forces for closing the loops. Compared with the conventional Newton–Euler method, this approach results in fewer equations and constraint forces, whereas the mass matrix entries remain meaningful, but there is a stronger coupling between the equations. Two equivalent mass formulations for the closed kinematic loop approach are presented, which need not open the loop and introduce loop constraint forces in the equations of motion. With the method of complex joint masses, the mass of the links closing the loops is represented by real and virtual equivalent masses, defining the principal points. The principle of virtual work with the inclusion of inertia terms is used to derive the equations of motion. As an example the dynamic balance conditions of the four-bar linkage are derived. With the method of the equivalent mass matrix it is shown how a constant mass matrix can be used to describe the dynamics of binary links with an arbitrary mass distribution. A four-bar linkage could be modelled with only three truss elements instead of the conventional result with three or more beam elements, which gives a significant reduction of the computational complexity.

A Single-Loop 7R Spatial Mechanism That Has Three Motion Modes With the Same Instantaneous DOF but Different Finite DOF

Multi-mode mechanisms, including kinematotropic mechanisms, are a class of reconfigurable mechanisms that can switch motion modes with the same or different DOF (degree-of-freedom). For most of the multi-mode mechanisms reported in the literature, the instantaneous (or differential) DOF and finite DOF in a motion mode are equal. In this paper, we will discuss the construction, reconfiguration analysis, and higher-order mobility analysis of a multi-mode single-loop 7R mechanism that has three motion modes with the same instantaneous DOF but different finite DOF. Firstly, the novel multi-mode single-loop 7R spatial mechanism is constructed by inserting one revolute (R) joint into a plane symmetric Bennett joint-based 6R mechanism for circular translation. The reconfiguration analysis is then carried out in the configuration space by solving a set of kinematic loop equations based on dual quaternions and the natural exponential function substitution using tools from algebraic geometry. The analysis shows that the multi-mode single-loop 7R spatial mechanism has three motion modes, including a 2-DOF planar 5R mode and two 1-DOF spatial 6R modes and can transit between each pair of motion modes through two transition configurations. The higher-order mobility analysis shows that the 7R mechanism has two-instantaneous DOF at a regular configuration of any motion mode and three instantaneous DOF in a transition configuration. The infinitesimal motions that are not tangential to finite motions are of second-order in transition configurations between 2-DOF motion mode 1 and 1-DOF motion modes 2 or 3 or first-order in transition configurations between 1-DOF motion modes 2 and 3.

Reconfiguration Analysis of Multimode Single-Loop Spatial Mechanisms Using Dual Quaternions

Although kinematic analysis of conventional mechanisms is a well-documented fundamental issue in mechanisms and robotics, the emerging reconfigurable mechanisms and robots pose new challenges in kinematics. One of the challenges is the reconfiguration analysis of multimode mechanisms, which refers to finding all the motion modes and the transition configurations of the multimode mechanisms. Recent advances in mathematics, especially algebraic geometry and numerical algebraic geometry, make it possible to develop an efficient method for the reconfiguration analysis of reconfigurable mechanisms and robots. This paper first presents a method for formulating a set of kinematic loop equations for mechanisms using dual quaternions. Using this approach, a set of kinematic loop equations of spatial mechanisms is composed of six polynomial equations. Then the reconfiguration analysis of a novel multimode single-degree-of-freedom (1DOF) 7R spatial mechanism is dealt with by solving the set of loop equations using tools from algebraic geometry. It is found that the 7R multimode mechanism has three motion modes, including a planar 4R mode, an orthogonal Bricard 6R mode, and a plane symmetric 6R mode. Three (or one) R (revolute) joints of the 7R multimode mechanism lose their DOF in its 4R (or 6R) motion modes. Unlike the 7R multimode mechanisms in the literature, the 7R multimode mechanism presented in this paper does not have a 7R mode in which all the seven R joints can move simultaneously.

Kinematic Analysis of Conventional and Multi-Mode Spatial Mechanisms Using Dual Quaternions

Although kinematic analysis of conventional mechanisms is a well-documented fundamental issue in mechanisms and robotics, the emerging reconfigurable mechanisms and robots (or mechanisms and robots with multiple operation modes) require re-examining this fundamental issue. Recent advances in mathematics, especially algebraic geometry and numerical algebraic geometry, make it possible to develop an efficient method for the kinematic analysis of not only conventional mechanisms and robots but also reconfigurable mechanisms and robots. This paper first presents a method for setting up a set of kinematic loop equations for mechanisms using dual quaternions. Using this approach, a set of kinematic loop equations of a spatial mechanism is composed of six equations. The effectiveness of the proposed kinematic loop equations is then demonstrated by deriving the explicit input-output equations of a line symmetric 1-DOF (degree-of-freedom) 7R single-loop spatial mechanism, the re-configuration analysis of a novel multi-mode 1-DOF 7R spatial mechanism. In the former case, an explicit input-output equation of degree 8 is derived. In the latter case, it is found that the 7R multi-mode mechanism has three motion modes, including a planar 4R mode, an orthogonal Bricard 6R mode, and a plane symmetric 6R mode. Unlike the 7R multi-mode mechanisms in the literature, the 7R multi-mode mechanism presented in this paper does not have a 7R mode in which all the seven R joints can move simultaneously.

Singularity Analysis of Planar Multiple-DOF Linkages

Singularity analysis of multi-DOF (multiple-degree-of-freedom) multiloop planar linkages is much more complicated than the single-DOF planar linkages. This paper offers a degeneration method to analyze the singularity (dead center position) of multi-DOF multiloop planar linkages. The proposed method is based on the singularity analysis results of single-DOF planar linkages and the less-DOF linkages. For an N-DOF (N>1) planar linkage, it generally requires N inputs for a constrained motion. By fixing M (M<N) input joints or links, the N-DOF planar linkage degenerates an (N-M)-DOF linkage. If any one of the degenerated linkages is at the dead center position, the whole N-DOF linkage must be also at the position of singularity. With the proposed method, one may find out that it is easy to obtain the singular configurations of a multiple-DOF multiloop linkage. The proposed method is a general concept in sense that it can be systematically applied to analyze the singularity for any multiple-DOF planar linkage regardless of the number of kinematic loop or the types of joints. The velocity method for singularity analysis is also used to verify the results. The proposed method offers simple explanation and straightforward geometric insights for the singularity identification of multiple-DOF multiloop planar linkages. Examples are also employed to demonstrate the proposed method.

Parallel Algorithm for Modeling Constrained Multi-Flexible Body System Dynamics

This paper presents an algorithm for modeling the dynamics of multi-flexible body systems in closed kinematic loop configurations where the component bodies are modeled using the large displacement small deformation formulation. The algorithm uses a hierarchic assembly disassembly process in parallel implementation and a recursive assembly disassembly process in serial implementation to achieve highly efficient simulation turn-around times. The operational inertias arising from the rigid body modes of motion at the joint locations on a component body are modified to account for the nonlinear inertial effects and body forces arising from the body based deformations. Traditional issues, such as motion induced stiffness and temporal invariance of deformation field related inertia terms, are robustly addressed in this algorithm. The algorithm uses a mixed set of coordinates viz. (i) absolute coordinates for expressing the equations of motion of a body fixed reference frame, (ii) relative or internal coordinates to express the kinematic joint constraints and (iii) body fixed coordinates to account for the body’s deformation field. The kinematic joint constraints and the closed loop constraints are treated alike through the formalism of relative coordinates, joint motion spaces and their orthogonal complements. Verification of the algorithm is demonstrated using the planar fourbar mechanism problem that has been traditionally used in literature.

Research on Inverse Kinematic Design of a Certain Hydraulic Stewart Platform

Stewart platforms have recently attracted attention as simulator and machine tools because of their conceptual potentials in high motion dynamics and accuracy combined with high structural rigidity due to their closed kinematic loop. This paper, composed of inverse kinematic design and optimization, attempts to ground the foundation on dynamics design and choice in the future.