Cusp points in the parameter space of degenerate planar 3-RPR parallel manipulators

Abstract

This paper investigates the conditions in the design parameter space for the existence and distribution of the cusp locus for planar parallel manipulators. Cusp points make possible nonsingular assembly-mode changing motion, which increases the maximum singularity-free workspace. An accurate algorithm for the determination is proposed amending some imprecisions done by previous existing algorithms. This is combined with methods of cylindric algebraic decomposition, Gröbner bases, and discriminant varieties in order to partition the parameter space into cells with constant number of cusp points. These algorithms will allow us to classify a family of degenerate 3-RPR manipulators. © 2012 American Society of Mechanical Engineers.