Matching the Free-Vibration Response of a Delta Robot with Pick-and-Place Tasks Using Multi-Body Simulation

Abstract

Nowadays one of the key aspects in the study and design of industrial robots is the energy efficiency. These robots are not only expected to perform the task accurately and rapidly but also to minimize the energy consumption. One method that has shown high potential in reducing the energy consumption of pick-and-place robots is the addition of elastic elements and the use of the natural motion of the system. In this method, the system is designed such that its free-vibration response matches the task frequency and amplitude of oscillation. Consequently, after releasing the robot from the starting position, it moves towards the end position, where the end-effector stops at the given time for the task. In this paper, we propose a method for finding the appropriate springs and the resulting motion of the mechanism using multi-body simulation and a numerical optimization. This method can be applied to different robots and springs configurations, and requires no formulation of the equations of motion.