EXPERIMENT -02

AIM: -
To determine the forward kinematics of 2 degree of freedom of robot using Roboanalyser.

Methodology: -
RoboAnalyzer is a 3D model-based software that can be used to teach and learn the Robotics
concepts. It is an evolving product developed in Mechatronics Lab, Department of Mechanical
Engineering at IIT Delhi, New Delhi, India.
Mathematics involved in the study of robotics, e.g., forward and inverse kinematics etc. is
initially difficult to understand by students and same is the case by a teacher to convey the
essence of mathematics of robotics to the students. This is due to fact that, for example, forward
and inverse kinematics involve 3D transformations etc. It is also to be noted that the industrial
robots are represented using Denavit and Hartenberg (DH) parameters  which are difficult to
perceive and visualize in 3D. RoboAnalyzer aims to ease out the above difficulties for students
and teachers.

Theory: -

Denvit and Hartenberg (DH) Parameters:

A robot manipulator consists of several links connected by, usually, single degree of freedom
joints, say, a revolute or a prismatic joint. In order to control the end-effector with respect to the
base, it is necessary to find the relation between the coordinate frames attached to the end-
effector and the base. This can be obtained from the description of the coordinate
transformations between the coordinate frames attached to all the links and forming the overall
description in a recursive manner.
 FIG 1: D-H Parameters for a general manipulator

1. Link Length: Link length ai is distance from zi-1 to zi measured along xi.
2. Joint Offset: Joint offset di is distance from origin of frame i-1 to the intersection xi
with zi-1, measured along zi-1.
3. Joint Angle: Joint angle θi is angle from xi-1 to xi measured in plane normal to zi-1
(right-hand rule).
4. Twist Angle: Twist angle αi is angle between zi-1 and zi measured in plane normal to x
(right -hand rule).
FIG 2: Prismatic Joint Manipulator with 2 DOF

FIG 3: D-H parameter of two prismatic joint

FIG 4: Revolute Joint Manipulator with 2 DOF

FIG 5: D-H parameter of two revolute joint

Results: -
Graph of Link Manipulator: Prismatic

FIG 6: Graph of link Prismatic Joint Manipulator

Graph of Joint Manipulator: Prismatic

FIG 7: Graph of Joint Prismatic Joint Manipulator

Graph of Link Manipulator: Revolute

FIG 8: Graph of link Revolute Joint Manipulator

Graph of Joint Manipulator: Revolute

FIG 9: Graph of Joint Revolute Joint Manipulator

Discussions:

A 3D-model based software to learn robotics concepts is presented in this paper. It is developed
using Visual C# and OpenGL that takes the description of a serial robot with revolute joints
using DH parameters as input. A student using this software can learn DH parameters and
forward kinematics through “Model to Concept” approach, thus bypassing the modeling of robot
which is required in the commercial software. FKin analysis can be performed between initial
and final values of joint variables and the simulation data can be used to animate all the links of
the robots at the same time. Useful graph plots of end-effector position can also be drawn inside
the software and also be exported to a spreadsheet for further processing if needed