Design and analysis of PKM robots for ultra fast blanking

This paper presents the methodology and results of a feasibility study for design and analysis of PKM robots suitable for high speed blanking applications in a press shop. A concept of a robotic blanking line is used to extract requirements on the robots. The scalability of PKM robots are investigated using model-based design methods. CAD models of the PKM robots are prepared to extract parameters for the models that are implemented in Dymola for dynamic simulation and visualization/animation. Robot movements for blanking are simulated and various design quantities are extracted, which give input for drive train design, and thus give good indications of the feasibility of the design solution, considering known drive train components that are available. Evaluations and comparisons of designs for different PKM configurations are made as well as a benchmark against a serial robot. The results show the great potential of the PKM concept for high speed blanking application.