Optimal structural design of a planar parallel platform for machining (Q1433248)

Parallel manipulators, and in particular Stewart platforms, have received a great attention in the field of robotic research. They have many advantages over traditional serial manipulators, the main of which are high stiffness and high load-to-weight ratio. In this paper, Euler-Bernoulli beam elements and flat shell elements with drilling degrees of freedom are used to model the platform assembly. The main objective is to quantify the plane stiffness, particularly the out of plane stiffness, of a planar parallel platform for machining operations. The aim is to obtain a design that is able to carry out machining operations to an accuracy of \(10\mu m\) for a given tool force. The proposed design optimizes the weight in the presence of displacement and stress constraints to ensure the feasible stiffness and structural integrity.