On the analysis of large-dimension reconfigurable suspended cable-driven parallel robots

In this paper, a new type of large-dimension reconfigurable suspended cable-driven parallel robots (CDPR) is introduced as a means to substitute for conventional methods of handing large and heavy parts across wide workspaces. The reconfigurability of the proposed CDPR offers better performances in term of workspace, flexibility and power consumption. A systematic procedure to solve a complex nonlinear optimization problem to find optimal reconfiguration for the robot is presented. Critical issues regarding various constraints and performance criteria are addressed. The robot can operate in offline reconfiguration or online reconfiguration modes which offer wide range of solutions to the end-users.