Cable-Direct-Driven Robot (CDDR) with Passive SCARA Support: Theory and Simulation

Abstract

This article presents a new planar translational cable-direct-driven robot (CDDR) with actuation redundancy and supported against loading normal to the motion plane with a passive planar two-degree-of-freedom SCARA-type (Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm) serial manipulator. This allows the robot to resist cable sag without being supported on the motion plane. The proposed robot architecture may assure high payload-to-weight ratio, resistance to forces normal to the plane of motion, and a potentially large workspace. Another benefit is that the passive SCARA has structure to provide end-effector moment resistance, which is not possible with many proposed translational CDDRs. Moreover, the passive robot can also serve as an independent Cartesian metrology system. This article derives the kinematics and dynamics models for the proposed hybrid serial/parallel architecture. Additionally it proposes a dynamic Cartesian controller always ensuring positive cable tensions while minimizing the sum of all the torques exerted by the actuators. Simulation examples are also presented to demonstrate the novel CDDR concept, dynamics, and controller.