This book has evolved from a course on Mechanics of Robots that the author has thought for over a dozen years at the University of Cassino at Cassino, Italy. It is addressed mainly to graduate students in mechanical engineering although the course has also attracted students in electrical engineering. The purpose of the book consists of presenting robots and robotized systems in such a way that they can be used and designed for industrial and innovative non-industrial applications with no great efforts. The content of the book has been kept at a fairly practical level with the aim to teach how to model, simulate, and operate robotic mechanical systems. The chapters have been written and organized in a way that they can be red even separately, so that they can be used separately for different courses and readers. However, many advanced concepts are briefly explained and their use is empathized with illustrative examples. Therefore, the book is directed not only to students but also to robot users both from practical and theoretical viewpoints. In fact, topics that are treated in the book have been selected as of current interest in the field of Robotics. Some of the material presented is based upon the author's own research in the field since the late 1980's.

Inhalt

Preface 1: Introduction to Automation and Robotics 1.1 Automatic systems and robots 1.2 Evolution and applications of robots 1.3 Examples and technical characteristics of industrial robots 1.4 Evaluation of a robotization 1.4.1 An economic estimation 1.5 Forum for discussions on Robotics 2: Analysis of Manipulations 2.1 Decomposition of manipulative actions 2.2 A procedure for analyzing manipulation tasks 2.3 Programming for robots 2.3.1 A programming language for robots: VAL II 2.3.2 A programming language for robots: ACL 2.4 Illustrative examples 2.4.1 Education practices 2.4.1.1 Simulation of an industrial process 2.4.1.2 Writing with a robot 2.4.1.3 An intelligent packing 2.4.2 Industrial applications 2.4.2.1 Designing a robotized manipulation 2.4.2.2 Optimizing a robotized manipulation 3: Fundamentals of Mechanics of Manipulators 3.1 Kinematic model and position analysis 3.1.1 Transformation Matrix 3.1.2 Joint variables and actuator space 3.1.3 Workspace analysis 3.1.3.1 A binary matrix formulation 3.1.3.2 An algebraic formulation 3.1.3.3 A Workspace evaluation 3.1.4 Manipulator design with prescribed workspace 3.2 Inverse kinematics and path planning 3.2.1 A formulation for inverse kinematics 3.2.1.1 An example 3.2.2 Trajectory generation in Joint Space 3.2.3 A formulation for path planning in Cartesian coordinates 3.2.3.1 Illustrative examples 3.3 Velocity and acceleration analysis 3.3.1 An example 3.4 Jacobian and singularity configurations 3.4.1 An example 3.5 Statics of manipulators 3.5.1A mechanical model 3.5.2 Equations of equilibrium 3.5.3 Jacobian mapping of forces 3.5.4 An example 3.6 Dynamics of manipulators 3.6.1 Mechanical model and inertia characteristics 3.6.2 Newton-Euler equations 3.6.2.1 An example 3.6.3 Lagrange formulation 3.6.3.1An example 3.7 Stiffness of manipulators 3.7.1 A mechanical model 3.7.2 A formulation for stiffness analysis 3.7.3 A numerical example 3.8 Performance criteria for manipulators 3.8.1 Accuracy and repeatability 3.8.2 Dynamic characteristics 3.8.3 Compliance response 3.9 Fundamentals of Mechanics of parallel manipulators 3.9.1 A numerical example for CaPaMan (Cassino Parallel Manipulator) 4: Fundamentals of Mechanics of Grasp 4.1 Gripping devices and their characteristics 4.2 A mechatronic analysis for two-finger grippers 4.3 Design parameters and operation requirements for grippers 4.4 Configurations and phases of two-finger grasp 4.5 Model and analysis of two-finger grasp 4.6 Mechanisms for grippers 4.6.1 Modeling gripper mechanisms 4.6.2 An evaluation of gripping mechanisms 4.6.2.1 A numerical example of index evaluation 4.7 Designing two-finger grippers 4.7.1 An optimum design procedure for gripping mechanisms 4.7.1.1 A numerical example of optimum design 4.8 Electropneumatic actuation and grasping force control 4.8.1 An illustrative example for laboratory practice 4.8.1.1 An acceleration sensored gripper 4.9 Fundamentals on multifinger grasp and articulated fingers Bibliography Index Biographical Notes