The diploma thesis deals with the design of rotary manipulator for positioning weldments, which could be 5000 mm long and weight 500 kg. The beginning of the thesis presents the research of welding manipulators which could be founded on the market. Three variants of the positioner are proposed in the next section. The resulting variant is optimized using strength analysis in ANSYS software. Furthermore, two variants of drive, by hand drive or electric motor, are presented. The manipulator is interconnected in a single part using a designed frame constructure. Critical points of the manipulator are checked by strength calculation. The final part contains the risk analysis of the proposed manipulator.

A unique Unmanned Aerial Manipulator (UAM), also termed an aerial robot, is the subject of this thesis. A UAM is composed of a floating base attached to a manipulator that enables it to interact physically with the environment. The floating base is an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and the manipulator is defined as a two-cable underactuated Cable Driven Parallel Robot (CDPR). This specific design of a UAM is, to the author’s best knowledge, a novel concept. The thesis is done in collaboration with Airforestry, a company currently developing a solution for aerial forest thinning aiming to provide a more sustainable and efficient way to thin forests. Forest thinning today involves using heavy ground equipment that can cause damage to the surrounding environment and climate. The solution includes a UAV hovering over a chosen tree and attaching a tool (the manipulator) to it, cutting it, lifting it, and then transporting it. The thesis presents a planar model, control method, and simulation of the UAM system. The kinematic and dynamic models of the UAM are derived. A Proportional-Derivative (PD) controller is implemented for flying the UAV and another for controlling the cables. The model is simulated and examined by commanding the UAM to specific set-points under different circumstances such as comparing the UAV flying with and without the tool, changing the length of the cables, and changing the placement of the manipulators Center of Mass (CoM). Overall, the degree project provides a solid model foundation for the specific UAM which can be built upon and further improved. / En specifik Obemannad Flygande Manipulator (UAM), även kallad en flygande robot, är ämnet för denna avhandling. En UAM består av en flytande bas som är fäst vid en manipulator, vilket gör det möjligt för den att interagera med omgivningen. Den flytande basen är ett Obemannat Flygfordon (UAV) och manipulatorn definieras som en tvåkabel-aktuerad kabeldriven parallellrobot (CDPR). Denna specifika design av en UAM är, enligt författarens bästa kunskap, ett nytt koncept. Avhandlingen utförs i samarbete med Airforestry, ett företag som för närvarande utvecklar en lösning för skogsavverkning från luften i syfte att erbjuda ett mer hållbart och effektivt sätt att tunna ut skogar. Skogsavverkning idag innebär användning av tunga markmaskiner som kan skada den omgivande miljön och klimatet. Lösningen inkluderar en UAV som svävar över ett valt träd och fäster ett verktyg (manipulatorn) på det, skär det, lyfter det och transporterar det sedan bort. Avhandlingen presenterar en planarmodell, kontrollmetod och simulering av UAM-systemet. De kinematiska och dynamiska modellerna för UAM härleds. En proportionell-derivativ (PD) kontroller implementeras för att styra UAV:n och en annan för att kontrollera kablarna. Modellen simuleras och undersöks genom att styra UAM:n till specifika målpunkter under olika omständigheter, såsom att jämföra UAV-flygning med och utan verktyget, ändra längden på kablarna och ändra placeringen av manipulatorns masscentrum (CoM).svis ger examensarbetet en stabil modellgrund för den specifika UAM:n, som kan byggas vidare och förbättras.

Given the advantages of parallel manipulators and lightweight manipulators, a 3-PRR planar parallel manipulator with three lightweight intermediate links has been developed to provide an alternative high-speed pick-and-place positioning mechanism to serial architecture manipulators in electronic manufacturing, such as X-Y tables or gantry robots. Lightweight members are more likely to exhibit structural defection and vibrate due to the inertial forces from high speed motion, and external forces from actuators. Structural flexibility effects are much more pronounced at high operational speeds and accelerations. Therefore, this thesis presents the dynamics and vibration control of a 3-PRR parallel manipulator with three flexible links. Firstly, a procedure for the generation of dynamic equations for a 3-PRR parallel manipulator with three flexible intermediate links is presented based on the assumed mode method. The dynamic equations of the parallel manipulator with three flexible intermediate links are developed using pinned-pinned boundary conditions. Experimental modal tests are performed using an impact hammer and an accelerometer to identify the mode shapes, frequencies, and damping ratios of flexible intermediate links. The mode shapes and frequencies, obtained from experimental modal tests, match very well the assumed mode shapes and frequencies obtained based on pinned-pinned boundary conditions, and therefore the dynamic model developed is validated. Secondly, this thesis presents the investigation on dynamic stiffening and buckling of the flexible links of a 3-PRR parallel manipulator by including the effect of longitudinal forces on the modal characteristics. Natural frequencies of bending vibration of the intermediate links are derived as the functions of axial force and rigid-body motion of the manipulator. Dynamic stiffening and buckling of intermediate links is investigated and configuration-dependant frequencies are analyzed. Furthermore, using Lagrange multipliers, the fully coupled equations of motions of the flexible parallel manipulator are developed by incorporating the rigid body motions with elastic motions. The mutual dependence of elastic deformations and rigid body motions are investigated from the analysis of the derived equations of motion. Open-loop simulation without joint motion controls and closed-loop simulation with joint motion controls are performed to illustrate the effect of elastic motion on rigid body motions and the coupling effect amongst flexible links. These analyses and results provide valuable insight into the design and control of the parallel manipulator with flexible intermediate links. Thirdly, an active vibration control strategy is developed for a moving 3-PRR parallel manipulator with flexible links, each of which is equipped with multiple PZT control pairs. The active vibration controllers are designed using the modal strain rate feedback (MSRF). The amplification behavior of high modes is addressed, and the control gain selection strategy for high modes is developed through modifying the IMSC method. The filters are developed for the on-line estimation of modal coordinates and modal velocity. The second compensator is used to cut off the amplified noises and unmodeled dynamics due to the differentiation operation in the developed controller. The modal coupling behavior of intermediate links is examined with the modal analysis of vibrations measured by the PZT sensors. The error estimation of the moving platform is examined using the measurement of PZT sensors. Finally, an active vibration control experimental system is built to implement the active vibration control of a moving 3-PRR parallel manipulator with three flexible links. The smart structures are built through mounting three PZT control pairs to each intermediate flexible link. The active vibration control system is set up using National Instruments LabVIEW Real-Time Module. Active vibration control experiments are conducted for the manipulator moving with high-speed, and experimental results demonstrate that the vibration of each link is significantly reduced.

Given the advantages of parallel manipulators and lightweight manipulators, a 3-PRR planar parallel manipulator with three lightweight intermediate links has been developed to provide an alternative high-speed pick-and-place positioning mechanism to serial architecture manipulators in electronic manufacturing, such as X-Y tables or gantry robots. Lightweight members are more likely to exhibit structural defection and vibrate due to the inertial forces from high speed motion, and external forces from actuators. Structural flexibility effects are much more pronounced at high operational speeds and accelerations. Therefore, this thesis presents the dynamics and vibration control of a 3-PRR parallel manipulator with three flexible links. Firstly, a procedure for the generation of dynamic equations for a 3-PRR parallel manipulator with three flexible intermediate links is presented based on the assumed mode method. The dynamic equations of the parallel manipulator with three flexible intermediate links are developed using pinned-pinned boundary conditions. Experimental modal tests are performed using an impact hammer and an accelerometer to identify the mode shapes, frequencies, and damping ratios of flexible intermediate links. The mode shapes and frequencies, obtained from experimental modal tests, match very well the assumed mode shapes and frequencies obtained based on pinned-pinned boundary conditions, and therefore the dynamic model developed is validated. Secondly, this thesis presents the investigation on dynamic stiffening and buckling of the flexible links of a 3-PRR parallel manipulator by including the effect of longitudinal forces on the modal characteristics. Natural frequencies of bending vibration of the intermediate links are derived as the functions of axial force and rigid-body motion of the manipulator. Dynamic stiffening and buckling of intermediate links is investigated and configuration-dependant frequencies are analyzed. Furthermore, using Lagrange multipliers, the fully coupled equations of motions of the flexible parallel manipulator are developed by incorporating the rigid body motions with elastic motions. The mutual dependence of elastic deformations and rigid body motions are investigated from the analysis of the derived equations of motion. Open-loop simulation without joint motion controls and closed-loop simulation with joint motion controls are performed to illustrate the effect of elastic motion on rigid body motions and the coupling effect amongst flexible links. These analyses and results provide valuable insight into the design and control of the parallel manipulator with flexible intermediate links. Thirdly, an active vibration control strategy is developed for a moving 3-PRR parallel manipulator with flexible links, each of which is equipped with multiple PZT control pairs. The active vibration controllers are designed using the modal strain rate feedback (MSRF). The amplification behavior of high modes is addressed, and the control gain selection strategy for high modes is developed through modifying the IMSC method. The filters are developed for the on-line estimation of modal coordinates and modal velocity. The second compensator is used to cut off the amplified noises and unmodeled dynamics due to the differentiation operation in the developed controller. The modal coupling behavior of intermediate links is examined with the modal analysis of vibrations measured by the PZT sensors. The error estimation of the moving platform is examined using the measurement of PZT sensors. Finally, an active vibration control experimental system is built to implement the active vibration control of a moving 3-PRR parallel manipulator with three flexible links. The smart structures are built through mounting three PZT control pairs to each intermediate flexible link. The active vibration control system is set up using National Instruments LabVIEW Real-Time Module. Active vibration control experiments are conducted for the manipulator moving with high-speed, and experimental results demonstrate that the vibration of each link is significantly reduced.

Como tópico de fundamental importância na robótica, o planejamento de rotas tem encontrado excelentes resultados nos últimos anos através da utilização de algoritmos baseados no conceito de árvore de exploração rápida, RRT. No entanto, a aplicação desses métodos em sistemas robóticos espaciais revela um cenário ainda a ser explorado. O comportamento não-holonômico e a presença de singularidades dinâmicas são alguns fatores que dificultam a consideração de obstáculos no planejamento de rotas desses sistemas. Além disso, os trabalhos relacionados ao planejamento de movimento para manipuladores espaciais mostram-se concentrados na estratégia ponto-a-ponto, com interesse especial nos aspectos particulares da dinâmica desses sistemas. De modo geral, para manipuladores espaciais, o planejamento de trajetória envolvendo o desvio de obstáculos depende de uma rota previamente computada. Contudo, essa tarefa carece de formulações ou técnicas solidificadas, sobretudo para manipuladores espaciais de base livre flutuante. Com esta motivação, o trabalho proposto nesta dissertação de mestrado cria um planejador de rotas com suporte a desvio de obstáculos para um manipulador espacial planar de base livre flutuante. O modelo dinâmico utilizado é baseado no conceito de manipulador dinamicamente equivalente e incorporado a um algoritmo baseado no conceito de RRT. / As major challenge in the field of robotics, path planning has experienced successful results in recent years by means of the RRT algorithm. However, the application of such algorithms in space manipulators reveals a scenario yet to be explored. The non-holonomic behavior, added to the presence of dynamic singularities are only a few factors that make collision-avoidance path planning of these systems such a hard task. Besides, works in the field of motion planning of space manipulators often concentrate in the strategy pointto- point, with particular interest in the complex dynamics of such systems. As a rule of thumb, collision-avoidance for space manipulators depends on a previous computed path. However, this task still lacks robust formulations, specially in the case of free-floating manipulators. With this motivation, the proposed work creates a collision-avoiding path planning for a free-floating planar manipulator. The dynamic model is based on the Dynamically Equivalent Manipulator and the concept of Rapidly-Exploring Random Trees serves as a frame for the developed algorithm.

Motion planning for redundant manipulators poses special challenges because the required inverse kinematics are difficult and not complete. This thesis investigates and proposes methods for motion planning for these systems that do not require inverse kinematics and are potentially complete. These methods are also compared in performance to standard inverse kinematics based methods.

Como tópico de fundamental importância na robótica, o planejamento de rotas tem encontrado excelentes resultados nos últimos anos através da utilização de algoritmos baseados no conceito de árvore de exploração rápida, RRT. No entanto, a aplicação desses métodos em sistemas robóticos espaciais revela um cenário ainda a ser explorado. O comportamento não-holonômico e a presença de singularidades dinâmicas são alguns fatores que dificultam a consideração de obstáculos no planejamento de rotas desses sistemas. Além disso, os trabalhos relacionados ao planejamento de movimento para manipuladores espaciais mostram-se concentrados na estratégia ponto-a-ponto, com interesse especial nos aspectos particulares da dinâmica desses sistemas. De modo geral, para manipuladores espaciais, o planejamento de trajetória envolvendo o desvio de obstáculos depende de uma rota previamente computada. Contudo, essa tarefa carece de formulações ou técnicas solidificadas, sobretudo para manipuladores espaciais de base livre flutuante. Com esta motivação, o trabalho proposto nesta dissertação de mestrado cria um planejador de rotas com suporte a desvio de obstáculos para um manipulador espacial planar de base livre flutuante. O modelo dinâmico utilizado é baseado no conceito de manipulador dinamicamente equivalente e incorporado a um algoritmo baseado no conceito de RRT. / As major challenge in the field of robotics, path planning has experienced successful results in recent years by means of the RRT algorithm. However, the application of such algorithms in space manipulators reveals a scenario yet to be explored. The non-holonomic behavior, added to the presence of dynamic singularities are only a few factors that make collision-avoidance path planning of these systems such a hard task. Besides, works in the field of motion planning of space manipulators often concentrate in the strategy pointto- point, with particular interest in the complex dynamics of such systems. As a rule of thumb, collision-avoidance for space manipulators depends on a previous computed path. However, this task still lacks robust formulations, specially in the case of free-floating manipulators. With this motivation, the proposed work creates a collision-avoiding path planning for a free-floating planar manipulator. The dynamic model is based on the Dynamically Equivalent Manipulator and the concept of Rapidly-Exploring Random Trees serves as a frame for the developed algorithm.

Ein Haupteinsatzgebiet der Großraummanipulatoren stellen Betonverteilermasten dar. Aufgrund der langen schmalen Armkonstruktionen fällt bei diesen Maschinen der Trend zum Leichtbau bezüglich der Dynamik besonders ins Gewicht. Um die Vorteile leichter Konstruktionen wie geringere Achslasten, geringerer Kraftstoffverbrauch und kleinere Antriebe nutzen zu können, werden Regelungen benötigt, die die Struktur stabilisieren und ein Schwingen der Mastspitze verhindern. Zur Systemanalyse und Regelungsauslegung wurde ein Mehrkörpermodell aus starren und elastischen Körpern sowie den notwendigen Hydraulikzylindern erstellt und durch Messungen validiert. Am Modell konnte gezeigt werden, dass die Regelung im letzten Gelenk die Schwingung an der Mastspitze maßgeblich beeinflusst und zur Schwingungstilgung eingesetzt werden kann. Hierfür wird die Bewegung des Verteilermastes durch eine Ausgleichsbewegung im letzten Gelenk kompensiert, sodass die Mastspitze keine starken Schwingungen ausführt. Die Schwingungen werden über Beschleunigungsmessung detektiert und nach entsprechender Filterung kann die Bewegung bestimmt werden. Mittels Sliding Mode Control erfolgt die Berechnung der schwingungsmindernden Zylinderkraft und garantiert somit Robustheit gegenüber Modellierungsungenauigkeiten und äußeren Störungen. Die Kraftregelung des Hydraulikzylinders wird anschließend über eine Integrator-Backstepping Regelung realisiert. Die resultierende Schwingungsminimierung beträgt in unterschiedlichsten Maststellungen bis zu 95%. / A special case of multi-link manipulators are truck mounted concrete pumps. Due to the lightweight design of the long and slender boom, it is vulnerable to vibrations. The advantages are smaller masses and therefore less actuation power which results in smaller actuators with less fuel consumption. In order to retain the advantages of lightweight design, special controllers are needed to stabilize the overall system and result in a vibration free motion of the boom tip. A multibody system with flexible bodies has been built in order to analyse the system's behaviour and to test and design appropriate control strategies. It could be demonstrated, that controlling only the last joint of the boom decisively effects the motion of the boom tip and is therefore suitable to suppress vibrations. The idea is to compensate the boom's motion by adjusting the last joint angle in a way, so that the boom tip stays at its initial position. In order to implement these findings and obtain a robust control three steps are necessary: the boom's motion must be measured and a vibration reducing force defined which has to be applied by the hydraulic actuator. The vibrations are detected by acceleration measurement and after appropriate filtering a joint angle trajectory can be determined. The cylinder force is found using Sliding Mode Control which guarantees robustness against modeling inaccuracies and external disturbances. A mathematical description of the last segment is necessary for the design of this nonlinear control strategy. The force control of the hydraulic cylinder is then implemented via backstepping control. The resulting vibration is minimized by this control by up to 95% at different boom positions.

The goal of this thesis is to develop a concept of a casting manipulator. The manipulator is intended for manipulation of very precise casts weighing up to 2 tons. The manipulator performs rotary movement in range 90 degrees. In this thesis a strength calculation, solution of the individual structural units and necessary drawings are presented.

The diploma thesis deals with the design of manipulator construction for folding two-part molds. In the thesis, an analysis of the current state of knowledge in the field of handling equipment and industrial robots is generally performed. Subsequently, the work introduces the current issue of handling equipment that is used in foundry. Furthermore, the work deals with the analysis of the manipulator construction, choosing the appropriate solution for the construction of its own handling equipment. Design solution is supported by computational message, 3D model and drawing documentation of selected nodes. The conclusion is devoted to the evaluation of work and practical recommendations.