An approach on stability analysis of cable-driven parallel robots considering cable mass

Abstract

This paper presents an approach on stability analysis of cable-driven parallel robots (CDPRs) considering cable mass based on cable tensions and stiffness matrix condition numbers. A cable model is introduced considering the effect of cable mass. A stiffness model is established based on the cable model. Then, the stiffness matrix condition numbers are presented. Furthermore, the stability of CDPRs is discussed. Numerical simulations show that the stability is better in the center and at the top of the whole workspace than in other places, which agrees well with theoretical predictions. The mixed evaluation stability indices considering cable mass and neglecting cable mass are, respectively, compared. The results show that cable mass is not negligible when evaluating accurately the stability of a cable-driven parallel robot.