Kinematics Analysis and Workspace Calculation of a 3-DOF Manipulator

Abstract

Robot working space is an important kinematic indicator. Exact computation of the boundary shape and volume or area of the manipulator workspace is very important for its optimum design and application. This paper describes the kinematics analysis of a 3-DOF manipulator and the calculation of its workspace. The kinematics model of the three degree of freedom (3-DOF) robot was set up with the D-H parameters method. The effectiveness of kinematics equations was verified by the Robotics Toolbox simulation of the MATLAB. The robotics workspace of the manipulator was analyzed and simulated based on the Monte-Carlo method and MATLAB software programming. The analysis results show that the manipulator's working space is well-knit and this method is feasible and practical, prove the trajectory planning of workspace, and can well perform task, which lay a foundation to further study of the trajectory planning and motion control.