Determining Maximum Allowable Load of Flexible Manipulator along Predefined Path

This paper presents the general formulation and numerical solution of the dynamic load carrying capacity (DLCC) problem of flexible link manipulators for a given two-end-point task. The main constraints for flexible in determining the maximum allowable load for a prescribed dynamic trajectory are the actuator torque capacity and the limited error bound for the end-effector during motion on a given trajectory. The accuracy constraint on allowable deformation at the end effector must be imposed because either lighter-weight links or operating at a higher speed could cause unacceptable fluctuations when moving along a trajectory. Gibbs-Appel method (G-A), which is able to consider the full nonlinear dynamic of flexible manipulators is applied to derive the kinematic and dynamic equations, including both joint and deflection motions. In order to verify the effectiveness of the presented method, a simulation study considering a flexible two-link planar manipulator is explained in details and the results are discussed. The simulation results demonstrate the validity of the proposed method.