Kinematic Clearance Sensitivity Analysis of Spatial Structures With Revolute Joints (*)

Abstract

The paper presents a new method to assess the influence of joint clearances in spatial structures that are composed of links connected by revolute joints. The method allows assessment of the amount by which joint clearances affect the rigid-body position of a generic link of the structure when an external load is exerted on the link. Unlike other procedures, the proposed method relies on the clearance-free idealization of the structure under investigation. An example shows application of the proposed method to the analysis of the structure derived from a multi-loop manipulator by freezing its actuators.