A reconfigurable 5-DoF 5-SPU parallel platform

Abstract

This paper presents a 5-SPU platform whose base leg attachments can be easily reconfigured, statically or dynamically, without altering its singularity locus. This permits to adapt the platform’s geometry to particular tasks without increasing the complexity of its control. The allowed reconfigurations permit to reduce the risk of collisions between legs, or even improving the stiffness of the platform, in a given region of its configuration space. It is also shown that no architectural singularities are introduced by the proposed reconfigurations.