Optimal design of the Delta robot based on dynamics

Dynamic modeling and optimal design of a 3-DOF parallel robot with flexible links for high-speed pick-and-place operation is presented in this paper. The dynamic model is formulated using substructure displacement method. Meanwhile, the exactitude of the model is verified through the software ANSYS. A novel index, which is represented by the ratio of the sum of power consumption to the total movable mass, is proposed. The dynamic performance constraint is represented by minimal value of the first natural frequency. The appropriate design variables are selected through monotonic analysis. The effects of the constraints on the feasible domain of design variables are investigated in depth via an example, and a set of optimized design parameters are obtained for minimizing power consumption throughout the entire workspace.