High resolution flexible 4-PPR U-base planar parallel microstage robotic manipulator

Numerous compliant manipulators, actuated by voice coil, have been developed and are widely used for micro/nano-manipulation. One of the greatest difficulties lies in optimizing the design with consideration of various parameters like high stiffness, large amplification, higher precise tracking, and highly accurate positioning. A modular and compact planar 3PPR+PPR parallel micro positioning platform is presented (3-degrees of freedom) and its symmetric design equips it with various advantages. The parallel-kinematic arrangement of the manipulator with optimum sizes results in high rigidity and greater load carrying capacities. The proposed planar parallel compliant manipulator possesses higher structural rigidity, better amplification, higher accuracy and precision trajectory tracking ability and positioning. The present work is on a flexure-based micro positioning stage with 3 degrees-of-freedom, incorporating compliant double parallelogram mechanism. An innovative idea of multistage compliant compound parallelogram mechanism is proposed here for the development of a three degrees-of-freedom (X-Y- θ) micro-positioning system, with the range of motion larger than 10 mm. The established models and the performance of the proposed stage are verified through finite-element analysis (FEA). (paper)