Stiffness Control for a 3-DOF Parallel Robot Based Machine Tools

In this paper, the topic studied comprehensively is based on the constant stiffness mechanism of a clamp plate installed on a Parawrist robot and the optimization of the manipulator's functionality. Currently situated at the Ryerson University, the Parawrist robot is used for mold polishing applications to provide a smooth surface for a finished product. The content of this research focuses on improving the stiffness of the clamp plates previously installed on the Parawrist robot to counteract the out of plane movement of its legs when performing mold polishing operations. Finite Element Analysis is utilized as the tool to produce the results and obtain optimization design for the constant stiffness mechanism. The overall structure of the manipulator is also improved, and improvement techniques are established.