Workspace analysis for a 3-DOF compliant parallel mechanism based on SimMechanics

This paper presents workspace analysis for a three-degree of freedom(3-DOF) compliant parallel mecha-nism(CPM) using SimMechanics software based on PZT´s output forces. In order to meet the requirements of precision mechanism for application, it is necessary to evaluate the workspace performance of the designed stage, taking the fabrication tolerance and modeling inaccuracies of flexure joints into consideration. The work on obtaining the workspace of a manipulator was done in past using the geometrical approach, screw theory, and other methods. Unlike the above aforementioned methods, using SimMechanics to get the workspace is much easier. In this paper, the stage is modeled with elasto-slide element and then the PZT force and displacement behaviour are obtained, based on the pseudo-rigid-body (PRB) method, the model of CPM is established, and a complete analysis of a planar 3-RRR parallel flexure based manipulator is made.