Design, analysis and realization of tendon-based parallel manipulators

Regarding aspects like light-weight structure or fast dynamics, tendon-based platforms with a parallel kinematic structure—i.e. Stewart–Gough-platform—represent a promising design and contain a large potential of various research topics in mechanics and mechatronics. This paper is a report about the state of the research project “Tendon-Based Stewart-Platforms in Theory and Application (Seilgetriebene Stewart–Plattformen in Theorie und Anwendung (SEGESTA))”. The aim of the paper is the analysis of this type of manipulator under the aspects workspace, forward kinematics and trajectory planning. In parallel to the theoretical investigation a prototype has been set up.