Finite Element Analysis of Flexibility in Mobile Robotic Manipulators

Abstract

Robotic manipulators mounted on vehicles are being considered for a number of applications. Since the dynamic performance of these systems is affected by the flexibility of their manipulators’ and vehicles’ suspensions, analytical methods are required to model their dynamic behavior. This paper presents an effective method that models such a system’s spatial dynamic behavior by considering the nonlinear dynamic characteristics which result from its manipulator’s gross motions, accounts for spatial vibrations due to the distributed mass and flexibility of manipulator and vehicle, and includes the effects of the manipulator’s and vehicle’s control systems.