A GENERALIZED-APPROACH TO THE MODELING OF MODULAR MACHINES

This paper describes a method of graphically simulating modular machin es within a computer aided design environment. This forms part of a mu ch larger Science and Engineering Research Council (SERC) funded progr amme aimed at advancing modern practices when designing and building m anufacturing machines. A generalized approach to the synthesis of the generic features of various kinematic motion pairs is presented and pr ismatic and revolute motion primitives generalized in their functional and geometric aspects. A hierarchical ring and tree data structure ha s been designed and implemented to comprehensively represent these mot ion pairs and to simulate their performance. More complex modular manu facturing machines can be represented using information from a library of up to three degree of freedom motion modules. Seven two degree of freedom motion primitives and twelve three degree of freedom motion pr imitives with articulation configurations have been analysed and inclu ded in the motion primitive library. The configuration of modular mach ines comprised of physically separate but logically connected distribu ted motion primitives are described. Examples of a two-finger industri al robot gripper and a three-finger industrial robot hand are used to demonstrate the general principles.