A New 2T-2R Hybrid Parallel Manipulator

Abstract

Though computer technology has brought about virtual manufacturing to expedite design and analysis through simulation and visualization, machines remain essential, as ultimately products need to be made. There is a need for equipment providing more than three degrees of freedom (DOF) arranged in parallel and based on simpler arrangements than 6-DOF arrangements in application. This paper presents a new 4-DOF hybrid parallel platform manipulator with fixed-leg lengths and base mounted prismatic actuators. The movable platform of the manipulator can translate along two directions and rotate around two axes respectively (2T-2R). The kinematics model is formulated, which describes the inverse and forward kinematics transformation. It is very easy to develop a 5-axis NC machine-tool which is of large-workspace based on the 2T-2R, 4-DOF parallel mechanism presented in this paper.