Workspace research on 3DOF parallel pneumatic flexible actuator

SHI Kai, LI Jun, ZHANG Yuanyuan

(Pneumatic technology center, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150080, China)

Abstract: Aiming at the problems of workspace calculation of 3DOF parallel pneumatic flexible actuator, a method of workspace calculation and an evaluation standard were studied. The kinematics characteristics of this actuator was analyzed, and this actuator could utilize the flexible structure and compressed air to make an action. The actuator is composed of three pneumatic flexible components and two disks, and through the study of the structures kinematics relationship, the relationship between the lengths of the three flexible components and the position of the end of the actuator was gotten. The mathematic relation was computed with search method, workspace envelope surface of this actuator was obtained, and changing characteristics and differences of workspace under different parameters were analyzed. The results indicate that: when the volume of workspace, maximum working radius and maximum angel of bending were selected as indexes to measure the size of workspace, above three indexes increases with the increase of the flexible components elongation k and the installation structure parameters S. The conclusion can provide theoretical guidance to design structure and research theory for this actuator.

Key words: pneumatic; flexible; workspace