Analysis and Application of a 2-DOF Planar Parallel Mechanism

This paper deals with the optimal kinematic design, dynamic analysis, and application of a 2 degree of freedom (2-DOF) planar parallel mechanism. In the optimal kinematic design phase, the singularities and workspace are investigated, and the optimal kinematic parameters of the mechanism are achieved by minimizing a global and comprehensive conditioning index. The Newton–Euler method is employed to derive the inverse dynamic model. Dynamic simulations show that the inertia force of moving parts is an important factor affecting the dynamic characteristics of the mechanism. The parallel mechanism is incorporated into a 4-DOF hybrid machine tool which also includes a 2-DOF worktable to demonstrate its applicability.