Ch.

1 Parallel robots & serial robots

1.1 Three robot's structures

When one talks about industrial robots, most of people
imagine robotic arms, or articulated robots, which are doing
painting, welding, moving something, etc. But there is another
type of robots: so-called parallel robots and also there could be a
hybrid type so we could roughly say that there is three types of
robots structure
1) serial robots
2) Parallel robots
3) Hybrid robots
First let's start with the serial robots.

1.1.1 Serial robots

This is the classical structure of robots
Fig. (1.1)
The output link is connected to the base
link by a single open loop kinematic Fig.(1.1)
Chain. The kinematic chain is composed
from a group of rigid links where each pair of adjacent links are
interconnected by an active kinematic pair (controlled motor in
each joint). One of its major advantages is there large work
volume but they suffer from several inherent disadvantages.
These disadvantages include low precision which comes from
cumulative joint errors and deflections in the links, low payload-
to-weight ratio, motors that are not located at the base which
make the actuator not only carry the weight of the successive
link but it also carries the weight of its motor ,
large number of moving parts leading to high inertia.

Another disadvantage of serial manipulators is the existence of

multiple solutions to the inverse kinematics problem. The
inverse kinematics problem is defined as finding the
required values of the active joints that correspond to a desired
position and orientation of the output link.

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Ch.1 Parallel robots & serial robots

The solution of the inverse kinematic problem is a basic control

algorithm in robotics; therefore, the existence of multiple
solutions to the inverse kinematics problem complicates the
control algorithm. The direct kinematics problem of serial
manipulators has
simple and single-valued solution. However, this solution is not
required for control purposes.
The direct kinematics problem is defined as calculating the
position and orientation of the output link for a given set of
active joints’ values.
The low precision and payload-to-weight ratio lead to expensive
serial robots utilizing extremely accurate gears and powerful
motors. The high inertia disadvantage prevents the use
of serial robots for applications requiring high accelerations and
agility, such as flight simulation and very fast pick and place
tasks.

1.1.1 Serial robots

This is the non serial structure for
robots although known for a
century, they were developed mainly
during the last three decades. This
architecture is composed of an
output link connected to a base link
by several kinematic chains, Fig
(1.2). Motion of the output link is
achieved by simultaneous actuation Fig.(1.2)
of the kinematic chains’.
Similarly, the load carried by the output link is supported by the
various kinematic chains; therefore, this architecture is referred
to as parallel architecture. In contrast with the open chain serial
manipulator, the parallel architecture is composed of closed
kinematic chains only and every kinematic chain includes both
active and passive kinematic pairs. For the kinematic chain the
active pair which is located on the base moves and the passive
pairs moves dependence to it's motion.

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Ch.1 Parallel robots & serial robots

Parallel manipulators exhibit several advantages and

disadvantages. The disadvantages of the parallel manipulators
are limited work volume complicated direct kinematics solution
However, the parallel architecture provides high rigidity and
high payload-to-weight ratio, high accuracy, low inertia of
moving parts, and simple solution for the inverse kinematics
problem. The fact that the load is shared by several kinematic
chains results in high payload-to-weight ratio and rigidity. The
high accuracy comes from sharing, not accumulating, joint
errors.

1.1.3 Hybrid robots

The combination of both open and closed kinematic chains in a
mechanism leads to a third architecture, which is referred to as
the hybrid architecture. This architecture combines both
advantages and disadvantages of the serial and parallel
mechanisms. Fig. 1.3 presents an example of a hybrid
manipulator constructed from two parallel manipulators
connected in series

Fig.(1.3)

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Ch.1 Parallel robots & serial robots

1.2 Parallel & serial robot comparison

Comparison between Serial and Parallel

manipulators
Property Serial manipulator Parallel manipulator

Open kinematic Closed kinematic

Types of chain chain
kinematics chain

Types of joints Active joint Active and passive

joint

Joint error cumulative Non-cumulative

Positional poor Average

accuracy

Work volume Large Small

Inertia High Low

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Ch.1 Parallel robots & serial robots

1.3 Types of parallel robots

There is many types of parallel robots we will give a brief

summary on the types of parallel robots and their applications
before we talk in detail about clavel delta robot.

1.3.1 Stewart plat form

A Stewart platform is a type of parallel
robot that incorporates six prismatic actuators
Fig.(1.4), commonly hydraulic jacks. These
actuators are mounted in pairs to the
mechanism's base, crossing over to three
mounting points on a top plate. Devices placed
on the top plate can be moved in the six degrees
of freedom in which it is possible for a freely- Fig.(1.4)
suspended body to move.
The Stewart platform design is extensively used in flight
simulation, particularly in the so-called full flight simulator for
which all 6 degrees of freedom are required.

1.3.2 Cartesian parallel manipulator

This mechanism has been invented by (Kim &
Tsai, 2002) fig.(1.5) for the linear actuation
method, a linear actuator drives the prismatic
joint in each limb whereas all the other joints
are passive. This method has the advantage of
having all actuators installed on the fixed
base. The forward and inverse kinematic
analyses are easy due to the simplicity of
design which makes the motion of one arm in
a specific direction makes the end effector
moves exactly like the motion of the arm.
Fig.(1.5)

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Ch.1 Parallel robots & serial robots

1.3.3 The robot presented by Behi [1988].

This robot presented by behi,
for each the kinematic chain
there is a linear motion,
rotational motion and linear
motion ended with spherical
joint connected to the moving
plate(PRPS) Fig.(1.6) however
there is several actuators to do
the move but they all still
fixed on the lower base so it is Fig.(1.6)
still considered a parallel robot.

1.3.4 Delta robot

Delta robot was first introduced by the
Swiss professor Raymond clavel in 1983
Fig.(1.7) it is considered as the fastest
picking up solution and it was greatly used
in the chocolate factories in Switzerland it
has many structures and models which we
are going to talk about each one of them in
detail.

Fig.(1.7)