Flexible rotor beam element for the manipulators with joint and link flexibility

Abstract

This paper presents a new flexible rotor beam element to study the dynamic behaviour of manipulators with flexible links and joints. Both link and joint flexibility are incorporated together by using the element model which is the combination of a finite element model for links and a torsional spring model for joints. The coupling terms of link and joint flexibility are considered in the dynamic equations of the manipulator. A planar 3R manipulator with flexible links and joints is analyzed as an example. The results of numerical simulation show the significant effect of joint flexibility in the dynamics of compliant manipulators.