Workspaces of Planar Parallel Manipulators

Abstract

This paper presents geometrical algorithms for the determination of various workspaces of planar parallel manipulators. Workspaces are defined as regions which can be reached by a reference point C located on the mobile platform. First, the maximal workspace is determined as the region which can be reached by point C with at least one orientation. From the above regions, the inclusive workspace, i.e., the region which can be attained by point C with at least one orientation in a given range, can be obtained. Then, the total orientation workspace, i.e., the region which can be reached by point C with every orientation of the platform in a given range, is determined. Three types of planar parallel manipulators are described and one of them is used to illustrate the algorithms.KeywordsParallel ManipulatorMobile PlatformParallel RobotAnnular RegionExtreme LengthThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.