Optimised assembly mode reconfiguration of the 5-DOF Gantry-Tau using mixed-integer programming

Abstract

This paper presents a systematic approach based on Mixed Integer Linear Programming for finding an optimal singularity-free reconfiguration path of the 5-DOF Gantry-Tau parallel kinematic machine. The results in the paper demonstrate that singularity-free reconfiguration (change of assembly mode) of the machine is possible, which significantly increases the usable workspace. The method has been applied to a full-scale prototype and the singularity-free path has been verified both in simulations and with physical experiments using real-time control of the prototype. The toolpoint positions have been verified by using measurements from a high precision laser tracker. © 2010 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.