Development of a procedure for the in-operation reconfiguration of cable-driven parallel robots as handling systems

由于其并行和模块化结构，电缆驱动的并联机器人非常适合于实现重新配置选项。重新配置一词指的是机器人结构对需求变化的适应。实际的措施是，例如，增加和删除电缆或移动滑轮。因此，在电缆机器人上实现重构功能大大增加了可实现属性的范围。在第一个资助期，开发了可重构电缆机器人的通用数据模型，该模型允许描述离散和连续的可重构选项。在数据模型的基础上，提出了一种根据给定的工作空间需求规划重构过程的策略。此外，还开发了“计算机数控”系统（CNC）的结构和几何重构程序，并通过实际控制系统的仿真验证了该程序的有效性。后续项目的目标是进一步细化使用的工作空间描述，以及重新配置规划的过程，并最终将结果结合在一起。目前，重构的规划是基于工作空间的计算方法，该方法使用一种索力分配算法。可控工作空间是一个纯几何概念，为了消除对索力分配算法的依赖，提出了一种有效求解工作空间边界的方法。关于基于优化的规划过程，整个过程需要进一步形式化。通过对整个过程的统一描述，可以直接比较不同的方法。例如，可以评估不同数值解方案的效率和准确性。最后，通过离散状态建模将规划策略和实际重构结果结合起来，然后在实际机器人中实现。进一步实现可重构电缆机器人所需的步骤分为四个独立的工作包。在第一个包中，要开发一种有效计算可控工作空间的方法。在此基础上，进一步形式化重构过程，以研究不同的数值解格式和质量函数。在最后一个工作包中，需要在现有的目标系统上设计并实现可重构电缆机器人各模块的状态建模。

Due to their parallel and modular structure, cable-driven parallel robots are very well suited for the implementation of a reconfiguration option. The term reconfiguration refers to the adaptation of the robot structure to a changed requirement. Practical measures are, for example, the addition and removal of cables or the displacement of pulleys. Thus, the implementation of a reconfiguration feature on a cable robot increases the range of realizable properties enormously. In the first funding period, a general data model of a reconfigurable cable robot was developed, which allows the depiction of discrete and continuous reconfiguration options. Based on the data model, a strategy to plan a reconfiguration procedure according to a given workspace requirement was introduced. In addition, a procedure for the structural and geometric reconfiguration of a “Computerized-Numeric-Control” system (CNC) was developed and validated by means of a simulation with a real control system.The aim of the follow-up project is to further refine the used workspace description, as well as the process of reconfiguration planning and finally to bring the results together. Currently, the planning of the reconfiguration is based on a method for workspace calculation, that uses an algorithm for cable force distribution. In order to eliminate the dependency on a cable force distribution algorithm, a method for the efficient evaluation of the workspace boundary of the controllable workspace, which is a pure geometric concept, is to be developed. With regard to the planning process based on optimization, the entire process is to be formalized further. With a uniform description of the entire procedure, different methods can be compared directly. For example, it becomes possible to assess the efficiency and accuracy of different numerical solution schemes. Finally, the results of the planning strategy and the practical reconfiguration are to be brought together by a discrete state modelling, followed by the implementation in the real robot afterwards.The steps required for the further implementation of a reconfigurable cable robot are divided into four independent work packages. Within the first package, a method for the efficient calculation of the controllable workspace is to be developed. Based on this, the process of reconfiguration will be further formalized, in order to investigate different numerical solution schemes as well as quality functions. In the last work package a state modelling of the different modules of a reconfigurable cable robot shall be designed and implemented on the existing target system.