Kinematics of single-loop mechanisms and serial robot arms: A systematic approach

This paper presents a systematic approach, based on displacement group properties, to the kinematic analysis of spatial linkages with one closed loop and to the solution of the inverse kinematic problem for robot manipulators. By using the proposed approach, a set of kinematic chains can be determined such that a first closure equation with one unknown can be derived directly and explicitly. Then the remaining closure equations are obtained: it is proved that they can be expressed in triangular form. The basic algorithms used to solve these equations in closed form are also presented. For each algorithm, the conditions of applicability, the initial information required, the results, the type and form of equations, and the maximum number of solutions are given. The proposed approach is well suited to the symbolic explicit solution of the inverse kinematic problem of a wide range of robut mechanisms. An example of its application is given.

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Sommario Il lavoro presenta un appreceio sistematico, basato sulle proprietà dei gruppi di spostamento, all'analisi cinematica di posizione di meccanismi spaziali ad una maglia e alla cinematica inversa di robot manipolatori seriali. L'approccio consente di determinare un insieme di catene cinematiche per le quali può essere scritta e risolta direttamente una prima equazione di chiusura in una sola incognita. Viene successivamente dimostrato esaustivamente che, per tali catene, le successive equazioni di chiusura possono essere espresse e risolte in forma triangolare. Inoltre sono presentati gli algoritmi di base utilizzabili per la soluzione del problema posto. Per ciascuno di essi sono dati: le condizioni di applicabilità, l'informazione iniziale richiesta, i risultati ottenuti, il tipo e la forma delle equazioni e il massimo numero di soluzioni possibili. L'approccio presentato è utilizzabile per la soluzione simbolica esplicita, manuale o automatica, di un esteso insieme di meccanismi per robot. Viene dato un esempio di uso del metodo.

     

On the Characterization of the Dynamic Performances of Planar Manipulators

The characterization of the dynamic performances of a manipulator is important both to compare different manipulators and to improve the dynamic performances of a manipulator during the design stage. In a previous paper the concepts of swiftness and of dynamic isotropy were used to characterize some dynamic performances of 3-dof manipulators. This paper analyzes the usefulness of these concepts for three-dof planar manipulators and shows that the concept of swiftness is still significant, whereas the concept of dynamic isotropy has no practical interest. Moreover, it introduces three new dynamic properties that are useful in the design of a 3-dof planar manipulator. Finally, it proposes some indices that measure both the swiftness and the three new dynamic properties and shows how to use them, both for evaluating the dynamic performances of a given 3-dof planar manipulator and for improving the dynamic performances during its design.     

Use of genetic algorithms for the design of rotors

The problem of finding an optimum shape for rotating discs is a classical one and has received considerable attention; in the present paper an attempt to use genetic algorithms is described.The problem of finding the constant stress profile by using genetic algorithms is tackled, firstly using the well known results of conventional methods. The problem of optimizing the shape of pierced discs is then attempted with results which are affected by strong stress concentrations, owing to simplifying assumptions in the stress analysis implicit in the so-called disc theory. This drawback is exactly the same which limits the usefulness of conventional solutions. In order to overcome this problem, particular formulations of the fitness function aimed to discourage shapes leading to strong stress concentrations are introduced, showing that profiles which lead to very favourable stress patterns when analysed using tri-dimensional methods can be obtained even with an optimization procedure essentially based on the disc theory. A profile of a disc flywheel with the rim and hub obtained using the genetic approach shows the results which can be obtained using this optimization technique.

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Sommario Il problema di ricavare il profilo ottimale per un disco rotante ha ricevuto in passato considerevole attenzione e soluzioni analitiche sono conosciute da circa un secolo. Scopo del presente lavoro è quello di illustrare un tentativo di soluzione basato sugli algoritmi genetici.Per prima cosa è affrontato il problema della definizione del disco di uniforme resistenza, ottenendo un profilo che coincide con la ben nota soluzione descritta in letteratura. Viene poi affrontata l'ottimizzazione di dischi forati, ottenendo profili che portano a forti concentrazioni di tensione, dovute alle ipotesi semplificative usate per il calcolo dello stato di tensione, generalmente note come teoria dei dischi. Per superare questo problema, che limita peraltro l'utilità delle soluzioni classiche, sono state introdotte formulazioni delle funzioni obiettive che scoraggiano profili che portano a forti concentrazioni di tensione. Si mostra cosi come sia possibile ottenere profili che, analizzati con procedure di calcolo tridimensionale, portano a distribuzioni di tensione molto favorevoli, anche operando con procedure di ottimizzazione basate essenzialmente sulla teoria dei dischi. Un volano a disco con mozzo e corona ottenuto mediante l'approccio genetico mostra i risultati che possono essere ottenuti attraverso questa tecnica di ottimizzazione.

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Symbols e kinetic energy - h thickness at radiusr - m mass - r radial coordinate - r _o outer radius - B parameter for constant stress profile - I _p performance index - difference between the maximum and minimum values of - density - stress - _c circumferential stress - _e equivalent stress - _r radial stress - nondimensional radial coordinate (=r/r _o ) - angular velocity     

Kinematic analysis of a novel pin-wheel joint

In this paper an innovative joint for the transmission of motion between parallel and incident axes is presented. It is made up of two frontal pin-wheels with cylindrical pins. The kinematics in case of parallel axes is discussed in detail. It is shown that, quite surprisingly, it may behave in many different ways, depending on the value of the center distance between the two axes. A systematic way to analyze the joint kinematics is provided.     

Optimum synthesis of spatial function generator mechanisms

In this study a numerical method for optimum synthesis of spatial function generator four-bar linkages is presented. The key features of the method are: the embedding of the assembly criterion and of the transmission ratio in the penalty function; the non-derivative minimization procedure; the parametric variation of the first-guess mechanism. The effectiveness of the method is illustrated by means of examples of optimum design. In some examples articulated mechanisms, which can replace cam systems in automatic machinery, are synthesized.

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Sommario In questo studio si presenta un metodo per la sintesi ottimale di quadrilateri articolati spaziali generatori di funzione. Le principali caratteristiche del metodo proposto sono: l'inclusione del criterio di assemblabilità e dell'angolo di pressione nella funzione penalità; l'utilizzazione di un algoritmo di minimizzazione non derivativo; la variazione parametrica del meccanismo di primo tentativo. L'efficacia del metodo è messa in luce tramite una serie di esempi di progetto ottimale; in alcuni di essi sono stati sintetizzati dei quadrilateri spaziali in grado di sostituire i sistemi a camma spaziale nelle macchine automatiche.

     

Spatial-based iterative learning control for motion control applications

For many motion control applications spatial constraints are often more important than temporal constraints. In recent work, we have developed a spatial control strategy called the ε-controller for mobile robot applications. The control strategy is based solely on static path geometry with position (in space) feedback. Motivated by this idea, in this paper, we consider the notion of spatial-based iterative learning control (ILC). Specifically, we consider repetitive operation problems where corrections are made to the control signal from trial to trial. Unlike traditional ILC, however, which updates control signals based on the time elapsed along a trajectory, we instead make updates based on path errors and progress along the path. The idea is demonstrated via simulation for a system with bang–bang velocity control. Experimental results using a high-precision, two-axis gimbal mechanism are presented to show the effectiveness of the strategy.     

Rotor whirl damping by dry friction suspension systems

An efficient and automatic attenuation technique for the whirling motion of rotating machinery can be achieved by supporting the journal boxes elastically and providing them with suitable rubbing surfaces subject to dry friction normal to the shaft axis. The critical flexural speeds are easily cut off and the whirl amplitude is minimized throughout the frequency range. Confining the usual operative angular speed of the rotor in the range of adhesive contact between the dry friction surfaces, there is no significant increase of power dissipation or heat production as a whole due to this type of suspension system, whose task is just to suppress the resonant peaks when passing the critical speeds. Moreover, the wear of the rubbing surfaces can be easily compensated by use of suitable spring loading systems for the friction contact. The dry friction damping is also compared with an equivalent viscous damping, where the equivalence has to be understood in terms of work dissipated per single revolution of the rotor. As for other conventional cases, the shaft hysteresis is found to exert a destabilizing effect above the first critical speed, which however can be compensated by the other dissipation sources. The system stability is here studied perturbing the periodic motion and applying the Floquet theory.     

Vibration reduction in a flexible-link mechanism through synthesis of an optimal controller

In this paper, reduction of vibration of a flexible planar mechanism is achieved through synthesis of an optimal controller. A finite element model, based on the equivalent rigid-link system theory, is used to accurately describe the dynamic behavior of the system. The model, which accounts for geometric and inertial nonlinearities of the mechanism, has been fully validated through experimental tests. In order to be able to employ the classical optimal control theory, a suitable linear model has been derived from the original one by means of a suitable linearization procedure. Vibration reduction can then be obtained by first defining an adequate performance index, which accounts for vibration amplitude, then by solving Riccati’s equation in order to find the controller that minimizes the performance index, i.e. the optimal controller. The results of several tests that have been carried out are also reported, to show the effectiveness of the synthesized control system.     

Detection of rolling bearing defects using discrete wavelet analysis

In the detection of bearing faults the so much desired objective remains the extraction of the defect vibratory signature from the measured signal in which immerses the random noise and other components of the machine. In this article a denoising method of the measured signals is presented. Based on the optimization of wavelet multiresolution analysis, it uses the kurtosis as an optimization and evaluation criterion, several parameters were then selected. The experimental results show the validity of this method within the detection of several defects simulated on ball bearings. The various configurations, in which the signals were measured, allow leading to optimum conditions of its application. The application of WMRA on filtered signals allows better results than its application on wide bands signals or a simple band pass filtering.     

On the Logical Status of the Virtual Work Law

The law of virtual work (VWL) is probably the first law in the history of mechanics; it is previous to the one on the lever, though not completely distinct from it. Here I will discuss the logical status of VWL, that is whether it is an autonomous principle or a theorem of some sort of mechanics. The problem is complicated by the fact that up to now no universally recognised expression has been accepted for it. From this article the problematical nature of VWL demonstrability is quite clear when the mechanics does not characterise completely the constraints. Italian schools in the XVIII century, even if we do not take Lagrange into consideration, had an important role, both in the development of VWL and in the discussion of its role.     

Dynamic instability of axially loaded shafts in the Mathieu map

It is shown that the Mathieu eigenvalues can be straightforwardly utilized to study the instability regions of an axially loaded simply supported shaft, the shaft being modeled as a continuous rotating beam. When a harmonic axial load is taken into account, the equation of motion of the system, here written according to the Lagrangian formulation of continuous systems, proves to be the Mathieu equation. It follows that the conditions for the stable or unstable motion of the shaft can be graphically investigated once the operation line corresponding to an actual rotating shaft is drawn in the Mathieu map.     

On the Role of Vibrational Excitation in Hypersonic Flow Computations

Abstract. The paper investigates the influence of the thermochemical modeling on the flow-field properties for both compressing and expanding flows. For the nitrogen hypersonic flow over a cylinder a comparison between a model neglecting vibrational energy and two-temperature Park's nonequilibrium model has been performed in a wide variety of experimental and free flight conditions. It is shown that the differences are confined in a thin layer behind the bow shock while the overall flow properties are slightly affected. For the expanding air flows inside hypersonic facilities, besides the two models mentioned above, vibrational equilibrium and CVDV model have been compared. It was found that vibrational nonequilibrium can not be disregarded but no discernible differences have been observed between Park's and CVDV model results, unless the enthalpy is very large.Sommario. L'articolo analizza l'influenza della modellizzazione termochimica sul campo fluidodinamico nel caso di flussi ipersonici sia in compressione che in espansione. Per il flusso di azoto attorno ad un cilindro è stato effettuato un confronto fra un modello che trascura l'energia vibrazionale ed il modello di non-equilibrio a due temperature di Park. L'analisi è stata condotta per un ampio intervallo di variazione dei parametri caratteristici comprendente condizioni sia di volo che di prove in laboratorio. Il confronto ha mostrato che l'effetto del non-equilibrio vibrazionale è sempre limitato ad una regione molto sottile dietro l'onda d'urto e che l'influenza sulle proprietà generali del flusso è in ogni caso modesta. Per il caso dei flussi in espansione in gallerie ipersoniche si è invece assunto come gas l'aria ed oltre ai due modelli già menzionati sono stati utilizzati anche il modello di equilibrio vibrazionale ed il modello CVDV. Si è osservato che per i flussi in espansione il non-equilibrio vibrazionale non può essere trascurato ma che comunque i modelli di Park e CVDV sono sostanzialmente equivalenti tranne nei casi di valori molto elevati dell'entalpia totale.     

Cycle-to-cycle oscillations of heat release in a spark ignition engine

Fluctuations of combustion were studied using experimental time series of internal pressure in one of four cylinders in a spark ignition engine. Employing standard statistical methods like histograms and return maps, cycle-to-cycle variations of heat release were analyzed. A substantial difference in system behavior corresponding to quality of combustion was observed with a changing spark advance angle. Examining recurrence plots for a higher spark advance angle formation of specific patterns of vertical lines characteristic to intermittent behavior was found.     

On optimum design of structures and materials

A survey of problems of optimum design of structures and materials is presented with the main emphasis on fundamental aspects and on current methods and capabilities for topology and shape optimization.The methods are selected from conditions of versatility and suitability for integration into an engineering design optimization system which realizes the design process as an iterative solution procedure of a multicriterion optimization problem based on the concept of integration of finite element analysis, sensitivity analysis, and optimization by mathematical programming.A picture of current possibilities and the present status of the field is given through a number of examples.General invited lecture presented at the 12th Italian Congress on Theoretical and Applied Mechanics AIMETA '95, Naples, 3–6 October 1995.     

Dynamic Analysis of Spatial Linkages: A Recursive Approach

In this paper, recursive equations of motion of spatial linkages are presented. The method uses the concepts of linear and angular momentums to generate the rigid body equations of motion in terms of the Cartesian coordinates of a dynamically equivalent constrained system of particles, without introducing any rotational coordinates and the corresponding rotational transformation matrix. For the open-chain system, the equations of motion are generated recursively along the serial chains. Closed-chain system is transformed to open-chain by cutting suitable kinematic joints and introducing cut–joint constraints. An example is chosen to demonstrate the generality and simplicity of the developed formulation.     

Combustion process in a spark ignition engine: analysis of cyclic peak pressure and peak pressure angle oscillations

In this paper we analyze the cycle-to-cycle variations of peak pressure p _max and peak pressure angle α _pmax in a four-cylinder spark ignition engine. We examine the experimental time series of p _max and α _pmax for three different spark advance angles. Using standard statistical techniques such as return maps and histograms we show that depending on the spark advance angle, there are significant differences in the fluctuations of p _max and α _pmax . We also calculate the multiscale entropy of the various time series to estimate the effect of randomness in these fluctuations. Finally, we explain how the information on both p _max and α _pmax can be used to develop optimal strategies for controlling the combustion process and improving engine performance.     

On the experimental determination of some mechanical properties of porcine periodontal ligament

This work analyzes some aspects of the experimental determination of the mechanical properties of the periodontal ligament (PDL). The necessity of extracting small samples, with a geometry as regular as possible, from a complex biological structure, makes it quite difficult both to establish a correct testing protocol and to obtain reliable results, for instance usable by bioengineers to develop constitutive models. Here, by means of more than 250 experiments performed on small samples of porcine PDL, we try both to provide some statistically significant information, and to clarify some issues related to the testing protocols. Some basic mechanical parameters for the PDL (Young’s modulus, shear modulus, failure stress and strain for tension, compression, and shear tests) are measured, and a relevant statistical analysis is provided. The influence of some experimental parameters (sample conservation procedure, testing modalities), is also studied; on the basis of our results, we can conclude that (i) if conservation is needed, a cooling at −80° is sufficient to guarantee statistically significant results, (ii) it is important to perform at least the compression tests keeping the samples immersed in pressurized fluid, and (iii) preconditioning cycles are necessary only for studying the initial (toe) region of the stress–strain curves. It is also observed that, with these types of samples, some special care is required when computing stresses and strains from force and displacement measurements. In order to illustrate this aspect, some non-linear Finite Element analyses are performed, aimed at evaluating the influence of the sample geometry on the stress and strain calculation. Finally, the issue of fiber damage due to the cutting procedures is briefly discussed.     

On The Maximum Friction Law for Rigid/Plastic,Hardening Materials

For a rigid/plastic, hardening material model, it is shown that the velocity fields adjacent to surfaces of maximum friction must satisfy the sticking condition. This means that the stress boundary condition, the maximum friction law, may be replaced by the velocity boundary condition. Axisymmetric flows without rotation and planar flows are considered.     

On the propagation of elastic waves in a multiperiodically reinforced medium

By a multiperiodically reinforced medium (multiperiodic composite) we mean a composite in which the matrix material is reinforced by two or more families of periodically spaced fibres. Moreover, at least along one direction the periods corresponding to different families are different. An example of this composite is shown in Fig. 1, where along the x ¹-axis we deal with two different periods . The aim of the contribution is twofold. First, we propose a macroscopic (averaged) model of a multiperiodic composite, describing the effect of period lengths on the overall dynamic behaviour of the medium, in contrast to the known homogenized models. Second, we apply this model to the analysis of elastic waves propagating across a composite reinforced by two pairs of families of parallel periodically spaced fibres with different periods along certain direction.