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Virginia Tech

Mobility analysis of variable geometry trusses

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

Parallel manipulators are being thought of as a solution to many problems involving control and manipulation. They offer significant advantages over serial manipulators in terms of increased strength and rigidity. Variable geometry trusses (VGTs) are a special class of parallel trusses. Literature on VGTs has covered many interesting problems, yet there has been no conscious effort to formulate a definition for a VGT. The major emphasis of this thesis is developing a set of precise kinematic rules for defining and analyzing VGTs. Traditional mobility criteria, when applied to parallel geometries, predict results which are often confusing and sometimes inaccurate. Based on the set of rules developed, mobility equations are derived for planar and spatial VGTs. The equations are tested on a sufficiently large number of VGT configurations to convince the author about the validity of the set of rules and the equations derived. Using the mobility equations, different candidate geometries can be analyzed and compared. In addition, the equations can be used in the type and number synthesis of VGTs.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Science
Level thesis:degree_level
masters
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Mechanical Engineering
Department dc:contributor.department
Mechanical Engineering
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
1988

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Joshi, Nandan
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Reinholtz, Charles F.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Myklebust, Arvid
  • Robertshaw, Harry H.

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
etd-09082012-040513
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/44682

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
related terms
citation

Joshi, Nandan. Mobility analysis of variable geometry trusses. masters thesis, Virginia Tech, 1988. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/44682