Dynamic analysis of cable-driven parallel manipulators with time-varying cable lengths

In conventional researches, cables of cable-driven parallel manipulators are treated as simple linear elements that can only work in tension. This results in the fact that the effect of cable dynamics on the positioning precision of the end-effector is not adequately taken into account. To overcome this shortcoming, a dynamic model for cable-driven parallel manipulators with cables of slowly time-varying length is presented in this paper. The partial differential equation characterizing the dynamics of a cable with varying-length is deduced, and converted into ordinary differential equations through spatial discretization by finite difference approximation. Then, the dynamic model for cable-driven parallel manipulators is achieved considering the relationship between the motion of the end-effector and the cable end force, in which the degrees of freedom of cables and the end-effector are all involved. Two numerical examples are demonstrated to validate the dynamic model, and also show that it is necessary to take into consideration the cable dynamics for manipulators of long-span cables. ► We propose a dynamic model for a varying length cable. ► A cable is divided into constant number of nodes while element length can vary. ► The dynamic model for cable-driven parallel manipulators is achieved. ► The degrees of freedom of end-effector and cables are all included.