Optimization of the inertial and acceleration characteristics of manipulators

This article investigates the problem of manipula-tor design for increased dynamic performance. Optimization techniques are used to determine the design parameters which improve manipulator performance. The dynamic performance of a manipulator is characterized by the inertial and acceleration properties of the end-eeector. Our study of inertial and acceleration properties have provided separate descriptions of the characteristics associated with linear and angular motions. This allows a more physically meaningful interpretation of these properties and provides simple models for their analysis. The article presents these models, discusses the design optimization criteria, and formulates the optimization problem. The approach is illustrated in the selection of design parameters of a parallel mechanism.