Dynamic Accuracy Analysis of a 5PSS/UPU Parallel Mechanism Based on Rigid-Flexible Coupled Modeling

Abstract In order to improve the low output accuracy caused by the elastic deformations of the branch chains, a finite element-based dynamic accuracy analysis method for parallel mechanisms is proposed in this paper. First, taking a 5-prismatic-spherical-spherical (PSS)/universal-prismatic-universal (UPU) parallel mechanism as an example, the error model is established by a closed vector chain method, while its influence on the dynamic accuracy of the parallel mechanism is analyzed through numerical simulation. According to the structural and error characteristics of the parallel mechanism, a vector calibration algorithm is proposed to reduce the position and pose errors along the whole motion trajectory. Then, considering the elastic deformation of the rod, the rigid-flexible coupling dynamic equations of each component are established by combining the finite element method with the Lagrange method. The elastodynamic model of the whole machine is obtained based on the constraint condition of each moving part, and the correctness of the model is verified by simulation. Moreover, the effect of component flexibility on the dimensionless root mean square error of the displacement, velocity and acceleration of the moving platform is investigated by using a Newmark method, and the mapping relationship of these dimensionless root mean square errors to dynamic accuracy is further studied. The research work provides a theoretical basis for the design of the parameter size of the prototype.