Modular reconfigurable machines: theory and application

模块化可重构机器(MRM)代表了机器历史上的一种范式转变，因为它们能够根据环境和任务要求重新排列模块和改变结构。尽管世界各地已经开发了一些MRM，但它们仍然受到以前为传统机器开发的方法的控制，但最近在个案的基础上适应了MRM。当MRM改变其配置时，所有的方程，包括运动学、动力学、运动学和定标，都必须重新推导。因此，必须发展新的理论来处理磁流变液的变化的拓扑性质。在这项拟议的研究中，目标是开发一种基于模块的理论，用于有效地分析和控制MRM。本研究包括五个部分。第一部分是模块建模，根据运动轴的数目和组合对MRM的模块进行分类，然后提出一种对相邻模块之间的连通性进行建模的方法。第二个部分是运动学建模，每种类型的模块将使用一个模块固定的坐标系，并使用零参考平面法统一所有模块相对于全局坐标系的运动学表示。第三个部分是系统建模，建立相邻模块之间的转换函数，包括姿态/扭转(运动)、扳手(力)、变形和误差，然后将这些转换函数嵌入到模块功能块中，这些模块功能块将被创建以自动生成用于磁流变液各种分析和控制的系统方程。第四个部分是配置优化，其中将开发枚举法和基于遗传算法(GA)的方法来搜索给定任务要求的MRM的最优配置。最后一个组成部分是工业应用，将研究两种类型的MRM，一种是模块化可重构机床(MRMT)，另一种是模块化可重构机器人(MRR)，应用于制造和航空航天。

Modular Reconfigurable Machines (MRMs) represent a paradigm shift in the history of machines, because they are able to rearrange their modules and change their structures according to environment and task requirements. Although a number of MRMs have been developed around the world, they are still controlled by methods previously developed for traditional machines, but recently adapted to MRMs on a case-by-case basis. When the MRM changes its configuration, all equations, including kinematics, dynamics, kinetostatics, and calibration, must be derived all over again. Therefore, new theory must be developed in order to deal with the varying topological nature of MRMs. In this proposed research, the objective is to develop a module-based theory for effective analysis and control of MRMs. This research includes five components. The first component is module modeling in which the modules of MRMs will be classified in terms of the number and combinations of motion axes, and then a method will be developed to model the connectivity between adjacent modules. The second component is kinematic modeling in which a module-fixed coordinate frame will be used for each type of modules, and a zero-reference plane method will be used to unify the kinematic representation of all modules with respect to the global coordinate frames. The third component is system modeling in which transformation functions will be developed between adjacent modules, including pose/twist (motion), wrench (force), deformation and error, and then these transformation functions will be embedded in the module function blocks, which will be created to automatically generate the system equations for various analyses and controls of MRMs. The fourth component is configuration optimization in which both an enumeration method and Generic Algorithms (GA)-based method will be developed to search for an optimal configuration of a MRM for given task requirements. The last component is industrial applications in which two types of MRMs will be studied, one being modular reconfigurable machine tools (MRMTs) and the other being modular reconfigurable robots (MRRs), with applications to manufacturing and aerospace.