Kinematic Modeling, Optimal Sizing, and Accuracy Analysis of a Compact Delta Robot

Parallel manipulator robots are extensively employed in numerous applications due to their notable advantages, including high speeds, accelerations, stiffness, and dynamic performance. In the realm of additive manufacturing, there is a growing exploration of these kinematic structures to devise innovative strategies for curved and multi-directional fabrication. Within this context, this study presents the design, dimensional synthesis and the manufactured prototype of an inclined configuration of a delta robot specifically tailored for additive manufacturing applications. The work begins by introducing the kinematic modeling of the inclined configuration, followed by the synthesis of optimal dimensions through a geometrical approach. Subsequently, a new method for accuracy analysis within the reachable workspace is proposed. The numerical results demonstrate the significant potential of this architecture for the development of low-cost 3D printers. The presented kinematic modeling and accuracy analysis provide valuable insights for designing and comparing delta robot-based 3D printers. The prototype exhibits satisfactory results in terms of precision, repeatability and resolution.