Abstract
In this paper, we present a general and systematic analysis of planar parallel mechanisms actuated with cables. The equations for the velocities are derived, and the forces in the cables are obtained by the principle of virtual work. Then, a detailed analysis of the workspace is performed and an analytical method for the determination of the boundaries of an x-y two-dimensional subset is proposed. The new notion of dynamic workspace is denned, as its shape depends on the accelerations of the end-effector. We demonstrate that any subset of the workspace can be considered as a combination of three-cable sub-workspaces, with boundaries being of two kinds: two-cable equilibrium loci and three-cable singularity loci. By using a parametric representation, we see that for the x-y workspace of a simple no-spring mechanism, the two-cable equilibrium loci represent a hyperbolic section, degenerating, in some particular cases, to one or two linear segments. Examples of such loci are presented. We use quadratic programming to choose which sections of the curves constitute the boundaries of the workspace for any particular dynamic state. A detailed example of workspace determination is included for a six-cable mechanism.
