Development and study of a kind of parallel robot with 3-DOF

In this paper, a parallel robot with three translational degrees of freedom (DOF) is introduced and investigated. The robot consists of three tracks referred to as the base platform, a movable platform, two connecting legs and a translational-motion mechanism referred to as the third leg. The main aspects about its stricture, kinematics, workspace and dynamics are introduced. Through theoretical analyses and relevant tests, it shows some distinctive advantages, such as high stiffness and high ratio of force-to-weight, simple structure and simple kinematic equations, large workspace with no motion coupling and no singularity configuration. The unique performance of the robot gives a high potential and a brilliant prospect for its practical implementation in the manufacturing industry.