Application of carbon/epoxy composites to robot console structure for high stiffness with lightweight

Abstract

Under high-precision operation requirements, the structural stability of lightweight console structures is crucial. Here, a robot console structure with various manipulators, including a camera and gripper, acting as end-effectors for assembling heavy-duty vehicles was designed. A parametric study of high-performance metal-composite hybrid structures was conducted to determine the composite layer specifications, including the number of plies required for a high-stiffness, lightweight structure design. Finite element analyses were conducted to estimate the maximum deflection and natural frequency with the corresponding vibration modes were carried out and the mechanical performance of the hybrid structure was compared with that of the original metal structure. Notably, the metal-composite hybrid structure featured 8.57% (0° posture) and 14.50% (90° posture) higher stiffness values than the metal console structure, with a weight reduction rate of 7.7%. The composite parts were fabricated through autoclave degassing moulding and applied to the metal structure using adhesive bonding or mechanical joining to construct the hybrid structure.