Modeling and Analysis of a Compliance Model and Rotational Precision for a Class of Remote Center Compliance Mechanisms

• Main Authors: Lei-Jie Lai, Zi-Na Zhu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2016-11-01
• Series: Applied Sciences
• Subjects: remote center compliance; stiffness matrix; screw theory; rotational precision; finite element analysis
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/6/12/388

The remote center compliance (RCC) mechanism is of great use for practical designs, especially if a pure rotation about a virtual point is required. The analysis of compliance properties and rotational precision for RCC mechanisms are very important for mechanical design in applications where precision is required. This paper formulates an analytical method for the compliance and rotational precision calculations of a class of RCC mechanisms, combined in parallel with two round beam-based isosceles-trapezoidal flexural pivots. The analytical model of the mechanism is established based on the stiffness matrix method to directly obtain the compliance factors that completely define the elastic response of the mechanism. The rotational precision of the mechanism—That is, the position of rotation center—Is then derived using screw theory and a compliance matrix. The validity of this model is demonstrated using finite element analysis simulation and experimental tests. The results of both simulation and experiment verify that the analytical model has high accuracy and promising practical applications. Moreover, the influences of the geometry parameters on the compliance factors and the center shifts are also graphically evaluated and discussed using the analytical model. The results in this paper provide an effective configuration and analytical method for the design and optimization of RCC mechanisms, and are of great practical significance.