description abstract | A novel CAD variation geometric approach is proposed for designing the computer v-a (velocity-acceleration) simulation mechanisms of parallel manipulators with 3-, 4-, 5-linear driving limbs. Some common math foundations, computer aided geometry constraints, and dimension driving technique, and definitions for designing the velocity-acceleration simulation mechanism are presented. The v-a simulation mechanisms of parallel manipulators with 3-, 4-, 5-linear driving limbs are created. When modifying the driving dimension of the driving limbs, the configurations of the v-a simulation mechanisms are varied correspondingly, and the velocity, angular velocity, acceleration, and angular acceleration of the moving platform are solved automatically and visualized dynamically. The results show that the computer aided geometric approach is not only fairly quick and straightforward, but is also advantageous from viewpoint of accuracy and repeatability. | |