Six Dimensional Compliance Analysis and Validation of Orthoplanar Springs

Abstract

This paper for the first time investigates the sixdimensional compliance characteristics of orthoplanar springs using a compliancematrix based approach, and validates them with both finite element (FEM) simulation and experiments. The compliance matrix is developed by treating an orthoplanar spring as a parallel mechanism and is revealed to be diagonal. As a consequence, corresponding diagonal compliance elements are evaluated and analyzed in forms of their ratios, revealing that an orthoplanar spring not only has a large linear outofplane compliance but also has a large rotational bending compliance. Both FEM simulation and experiments were then conducted to validate the developed compliance matrix. In the FEM simulation, a total number of 30 types of planarspring models were examined, followed by experiments that examined the typical sidetype and radialtype planar springs, presenting a good agreement between the experiment results and analytical models. Further a planarspring based continuum manipulator was developed to demonstrate the largebending capability of its planarspring modules.