Dynamics Of A Flexible Deployable RoboticManipulator

This paper presents a reduced order formulation for the transient response of a deployable rotating manipulator system (DMS). Component flexibility in the fixed and sliding links is approximated by simple cubic deflection shapes and the resulting equations of motion have two degrees-offreedom and time varying inertial and exciting torque characteristics. Numerical solution of the equations of motion is achieved by assuming constant acceleration/deceleration for the angular and extensional motion with the switch point occurring simultaneously at the maneuver mid-point. This requires the use of the computed torque at the shoulder joint of the DMS in order to maintain constant acceleration/deceleration. The study assumes that the shoulder joint is inertially fixed in space and hence is not coupled to motion of the support structure. In this way a simple set of equations of motion is derived enabling the basic dynamic behaviour of the system to be understood. It is shown that a combination of axial and flexural motion of the DMS produce a form of Coriolis type damping.