Kinematics for a 2-DOF parallel manipulator

Various planar motion curves are commonly seen in industrial operations. The particular requirements are not only imposed on the displacements (straight line, circle, curve) but also on the dynamics (velocity, acceleration). A novel planar parallel mechanism, whose actuation point is located between two parallel guide rails, is presented in this paper. This simple but practical mechanism is capable of realizing a large workspace. The direct and inverse kinematical solutions are given. The simulation demonstrates that all kinds of straight lines and circles can be realized by the end actuator of the mechanism; the corresponding motion disciplines and characteristics driven by the two sliders are analyzed. This paper lays the foundation for the real-time control and industrial application of the 2-DOF parallel manipulator.