Forward kinematics modeling of spatial parallel linkage mechanisms based on constraint equations and the numerical solving method

• Published in: Robotica Vol. 35; no. 2; pp. 293 - 309
• Main Authors: Gao, Liyang, Wu, Weiguo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.02.2017
• Subjects: Algorithms; Convergence; Kinematics; Linkage mechanisms; Mathematical analysis; Mathematical models; Platforms; Test procedures; Spatial parallel linkage mechanism; Forward kinematics; Homotopy continuation method; Numerical solutions; Direct singularity
• ISSN: 0263-5747; 1469-8668
• DOI: 10.1017/S0263574715000508

In order to solve general kinematics modeling problems and numerical stability problems of numerical methods for spatial parallel linkage mechanisms, a general modeling method and its numerical solving algorithm is proposed. According to the need for avoiding direct singular configurations, valid joint variable space and valid forward kinematics solutions (VKSs) are defined. Taking numerical convergence near singular points into account, the pseudo-arc length homotopy continuation algorithm is given to solve the kinematics model. Finally as an example, the joint variable space of the general Stewart platform mechanism is analyzed, which is proved to be divided into subspaces by direct singular surfaces. And then, forward kinematics solutions of 200 testing points are solved separately using the pseudo-arc length homotopy continuation algorithm, the Newton homotopy continuation algorithm and the Newton–Raphson algorithm (NRA). Comparison of the results shows that the proposed method is convergent to the same solution branch with the initial configuration on all the testing points, while the other two algorithms skip to other solution branches on some near singular testing points.