A Computer-Aided-Design Technique for the Optimum Synthesis of RRSS Path Generating Spatial Mechanisms With Prescribed Input Timing

Abstract

With the current emphasis on automation, the need for single actuator mechanical devices that can perform simple repetitive tasks much more economically, energy-efficiently and accurately than multiple-degree-of-freedom, multiple-actuator robotic manipulators is greatly felt. This paper presents an optimum synthesis technique for the RRSS path generating spatial mechanism with prescribed input timing. The selective precision synthesis technique is used to formulate the nonlinear constraint equations involving accuracy neighborhoods and corresponding error envelopes and these are then solved using the generalized reduced gradient method of optimization. The mathematical formulation and derivation as well as numerical examples are presented in this paper.