• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.326-332
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• 2019

In the case of conventional soft robots, the basic stiffness is small due to the use of flexible materials. Therefore, there is a limitation that the load that can bear is limited. In order to overcome these limitations, a study on a variable stiffness method has been conducted. And it can be seen that the jamming mechanism is most effective in increasing the stiffness of the soft robot. However, the jamming mechanism as a method in which a large number of variable act together is not even theoretically analyzed, and there is no study on intrinsic principle. In this paper, a study was carried out to increase the stability of the force chain to increase the stiffness due to the jamming transition phenomenon. Particle size variables, backbone mechanisms were used to analyze the stability of the force chains. We choose a jamming mechanism as a variable stiffness method of a soft robot, and improve the effect of stiffness based on theoretical analysis, modeling FEM simulation, prototyping and experiment.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.846-855
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• 1994

An effective stiffness, analogous to that of a wound spring, can be created by antagonistic redundant actuation of general closed-chain mechanisms. The qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the effective stiffness are investigated through a Four-bar mechanism, and a load distribution method is introduced which simultaneously guarantees the required system motion and the effective stiffness of the Four-bar mechanism. Furthermore, a simulation is performed to understand the inter-relationship among the effective stiffness, the Four-bar geometry, and the actuation effort. Based on this analysis, the Four-bar synthesis problem for effective stiffness generation is discussed.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.631-637
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• 2005

This paper presents a stiffness analysis method for a low-DOF parallel manipulator, which takes into account of elastic deformations of joints and links. A low-DOF parallel manipulator is defined as a spatial parallel manipulator which has less than six degrees of freedom. Differently from the case of a 6-DOF parallel manipulator, the serial chains in a low-DOF parallel manipulator are subject to constraint forces as well as actuation forces. The reaction forces due to actuations and constraints in each limb can be determined by making use of the theory of reciprocal screws. It is shown that the stiffness model of an F-DOF parallel manipulator consists of F springs related to the reciprocal screws of actuations and 6-F springs related to the reciprocal screws of constraints, which connect the moving platform to the fixed base in parallel. The $6{times}6$ stiffness matrix is derived, which is the sum of the stiffness matrices of actuations and constraints. The six spring constants can be precisely determined by modeling the compliance of joints and links in a serial chain as follows; the link can be considered as an Euler beam and the stiffness matrix of rotational or prismatic joint can be modeled as a $6{times}6$ diagonal matrix, where one diagonal element about the rotation axis or along the sliding direction is zero. By summing the elastic deformations in joints and links, the compliance matrix of a serial chain is obtained. Finally, applying the reciprocal screws to the compliance matrix of a serial chain, the compliance values of springs can be determined. As an example of explaining the procedure, the stiffness of the Tricept parallel manipulator has been analyzed.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.320-328
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• 2007

This paper presents a stiffness modeling of a low-DOF parallel robot, which takes into account of elastic deformations of joints and links, A low-DOF parallel robot is defined as a spatial parallel robot which has less than six degrees of freedom. Differently from serial chains in a full 6-DOF parallel robot, some of those in a low-DOF parallel robot may be subject to constraint forces as well as actuation forces. The reaction forces due to actuations and constraints in each serial chain can be determined by making use of the theory of reciprocal screws. It is shown that the stiffness of an F-DOF parallel robot can be modeled such that the moving platform is supported by 6 springs related to the reciprocal screws of actuations (F) and constraints (6-F). A general $6{\times}6$ stiffness matrix is derived, which is the sum of the stiffness matrices of actuations and constraints, The compliance of each spring can be precisely determined by modeling the compliance of joints and links in a serial chain as follows; a link is modeled as an Euler beam and the compliance matrix of rotational or prismatic joint is modeled as a $6{\times}6$ diagonal matrix, where one diagonal element about the rotation axis or along the sliding direction is infinite. By summing joint and link compliance matrices with respect to a reference frame and applying unit reciprocal screw to the resulting compliance matrix of a serial chain, the compliance of a spring is determined by the resulting infinitesimal displacement. In order to illustrate this methodology, the stiffness of a Tricept parallel robot has been analyzed. Finally, a numerical example of the optimal design to maximize stiffness in a specified box-shape workspace is presented.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.99-110
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• 2017

This paper presents the study of the bending behavior of mooring chain links for keeping the position of the offshore floating structures. In general, chain links have been thought as the axial members due to the fundamental boundary condition. But, the flexural stiffness can be induced to the contact surface between chain links when friction occurs at the surface of the chain links due to high tensile force. Especially, the mooring chains for offshore floating platforms are highly tensioned. If the floater suffers rotational motion and the mooring chain links are highly tensioned, the rotation between contact links, induced by the floater rotation, generates the bending moment and relevant stresses due to the unexpected bending stiffness. In 2005, the mooring chain links for the Girassol Buoy Platform were failed after just 5 months after facility installation, and the accident investigation research concluded the chain failure was mainly caused by the fatigue due to the unexpected bending stress fluctuation. This study investigates the pattern of the induced bending stiffness and stresses of the highly tensioned chain links by nonlinear finite element analysis.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.426-433
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• 2021

In this study, three types of synthetic fiber materials were evaluated, namely, DM20, SK78, and T147, to replace steel chains in shipbuilding and offshore fields with fiber chains as there is increasing demand for chains with lighter weights and improved usabilities. The strength and quasi-static stiffness were analyzed to select suitable yarns for the fiber chains. The durability of the yarn was evaluated by performing a 3-T (time to rupture) test as a specific tension level. The results of the experiment revealed excellent dynamic stiffness in DM20 and highest values of the windward and leeward stiffness in T147. 3-T linear design characteristic curves for a specific tension level were derived for the three types of fiber materials. The findings of this study can provide insights for improving strength and durability in fiber chain design.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Technology Engineers
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.164-172
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• 2014

This paper presents a method for analyzing the stiffness of full and low DOF (degree of freedom) planar parallel manipulators with serially connected legs. The individual stiffness of each leg is obtained by applying reciprocal screws to the leg twist using passive joints and elastic elements consisting of actuators and links. Because the legs are connected in parallel, the manipulator stiffness is determined by summing the individual leg stiffness values. This method does not require the assumption that springs should be located along reciprocal screws and is applicable to a planar parallel manipulator with a generic or singular configuration. The stiffness values of three planar parallel manipulators with different DOFs are analyzed. The numerical results are confirmed using ADAMS S/W.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.299-307
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• 2017

The design of the mooring line to maintain the position of an offshore structure in rough marine environments is recognized as a very important consideration. Conventional fatigue evaluation of a mooring line was performed by considering the tensile force acting on the mooring line, but the mooring line broke after 238 days in the girassol area even though the expected fatigue life was expected to be longer. The causes of this event are known to be due to OPB/IPB (out-of-plane bending/in-plane bending) caused by chain link friction due to the excessive tensile strength of the mooring line. In this study, three models with different boundary conditions were proposed for fatigue analysis of a mooring line considering OPB/IPB. Interlink stiffness was calculated by nonlinear structure analysis and a stress concentration factor was derived. In addition, the sensitivity of interlink stiffness according to the magnitude of tensile force, large deformation effect, and coefficient of friction was analyzed, and the effect of critical elastic slip and bending moment calculation position on interlink stiffness was confirmed.

• International Journal of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.178-201
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• 2019

The appropriate design of a mooring system to maintain the position of an offshore structure in deep sea under various environmental loads is important. Fatigue design of the mooring line considering OPB/IPB(out-of-plane bending/in-plane bending) became an essential factor after the incident of premature fatigue failure of the mooring chain due to OPB/IPB in the Girassol region in West Africa. In this study, mooring line fatigue analysis was performed considering the OPB/IPB of a spread moored FPSO in deep sea. The tension of the mooring line was derived by hydrodynamic analysis using the de-coupled analysis method. The floater motion time histories were calculated under the assumption that the mooring line behaves in quasi-static manner. Additional time domain analysis was carried out by prescribing the obtained motions on top of the selected critical mooring line, which was determined based on spectral fatigue analysis. In addition, nonlinear finite element analysis was performed considering the material nonlinearities, and both the interlink stiffness and stress concentration factors were derived. The fatigue damage to the chain surface was estimated by combining both the hydrodynamic and stress analysis results.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.30-36
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• 2001

The objective of this study was to investigate factor that influences the development of anisotropy in carbon black filled natural rubber vulcanizates. Chain orientation affects tensile strength, stiffness. Parallel sample shows low stress at low deformation, but have high stiffness at high deformation compared to isotropic or perpendicular samples. This study shows that natural rubber(NR) exhibits much larger tensile anisotropy at high strains than SBR. It seems that the parallel sample of NR is dominated by orientation effect at high strains. This oriented chain is expected to act as nuclei for following crystallization during second stretching and facilitates the strain-induced crystallization.