A contribution to the analysis of flexible link systems

A numerical method of analysis for the inverse kinematics problem of flexib le link systems is presented. The proposed method is based upon an iterativ e scheme, which consists of updating the system configuration stepwise, by correcting the positioning error due to link deformations through rigid bod y motions of finite amplitude. The resulting nonlinear compensation scheme reduces to the solution of the inverse and direct kinematics problems of a sequence of equivalent rigid link systems. These solutions are symbolically derived by means of the Grobner basis method. The convergence analysis of the proposed algorithm is developed. The applicability and the performance of the present method are verified trough some numerical tests, highlightin g its advantages and disadvantages in comparison with other methods found i n the literature. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.