MENG 3303

DYNAMICS OF MACHINERY
FINAL PROJECT REPORT

Robotic Arm for Machining Purposes

SUBMITTED ON: 4th December 2020

Group 4
Monu Jaiswal, Allen John, Sarju Poudel, Edwin Saldivar, Colt Spinks
 Abstract
In this experiment, a tool was created that relieves people from doing a strenuous task in a certain
environment. This tool had to be portable, versatile, and most importantly efficient. Therefore, the
tool created was a robotic arm with a drill attached to the head of it that was created using a crank-
rocker mechanism. It is important when designing the arm to also make it effective and usable.
Therefore, tests were run in order to collect data on the mobility and smoothness of the arm. Using
SolidWorks to run the arm at 60 rpm, the angular position of the rocker oscillates uniformly with
maximum and minimum value of 140o and 35o, and the velocity and acceleration graphs were
obtained to be smooth with a maximum magnitude of 354 deg/sec and 4504 deg/sec2 . Lastly, a
test focusing on the stress throughout the arm was performed. A maximum stress of 239.9 MPa
was observed around the shoulder head and supporting shaft for a loading of 1000N. As a result,
a minimum safety factor of 0.85 was obtained for the given boundary condition. Overall, the
robotic arm succeeds in being an effective tool that can minimize the risk people enact in order to
ensure a simple task such as drilling.

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 Table of Contents
1. Introduction 4
1.1 Problem Statement 4
1.2 Objective 5
1.3 Literature Review 5

2. Methodology 6
2.1 Mechanical Design 7
2.2 Parts 7
2.3 Joints 12

3. Result and Discussion 17

3.1 Kinematic Study of Crank-rocker mechanism 17
3.2 Dynamic Stress Analysis 20
3.3 Static Stress Analysis 21
3.4 Optimization 23

4. Conclusion 24
4.1 Objective 24
4.2 Design and Results 24

5. References 25

6. Appendix 26
6.1 MATLAB code for extracting transmission angle between coupler and rocker 26
6.2 Video links to Animations 26

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1. Introduction

1.1 Problem Statement

Machining is the process in manufacturing which involves the removal of material through the use
of controlled tools. Materials like metals, plastic, wood, and composites are machined to attend a
certain shape and size which can be used as a part of a larger system to perform the desired
functions. Machining of materials is obtained through several mechanical tools like driller, grinder,
welder, cutter, polisher, miller, saw, etc. The machining process was developed in the mid-19th
century where sharp cutting tools were used to obtain the desired geometry. Machining processes
are broadly categorized as turning, milling, and drilling processes. Turning operations are carried
out by rotating the workpiece against the cutting tool while milling operations involve the rotation
of cutting tools against the workpiece. Similarly, in the drilling process, the rotating cutter is
brought at the proximity of the workpiece to produce the holes.

Drilling is one of the important machining processes which entails the development of a hole by
removal of materials out of the workpiece. There are many important applications of the drilling
process. The formation of holes is required for screw-not connection, obtained material from inside
an object, oil extraction process, etc. It is due to the drilling process that many parts in a machine
can be connected to form a larger structure needed. The drill holes provide a space for the screw
to pass through which then can be connected to the bolt and joint the parts together. Therefore,
drilling is very useful and heavily used in today's world where we can see huge structures and
machines. Depending on the purpose of drill holes, there are several types of equipment and
methodologies for drilling. Some of the example drillings are spot drilling, central drilling, micro-
drilling, vibration drilling, circular drilling, etc. These several types of drilling processes help
obtain the desired shape, size, and structure of the drill holes.

Drilling of a hole is traditionally attended by rotation of a tool having pointed nail and sharp helical
blade around the nail commonly known as a drill bit. Different types of drill bits are used to obtain
different types of holes. The drill bit is pushed against the workpiece and the rotational force acting
on the drill bit causes the sharp blade to cut the material. The rotation of the helical blade allows
the breaking and extracting of pieces of material from the hole. Drilling holes into the workpiece
affects the mechanical properties as the stress concentration occurs around the newly formed holes.
These stress concentrations can be the point of failure of materials. Drill holes are usually left with
blade marks on the side, unremoved materials at the base, and a sharp edge at the top. The
effectiveness of the drilling process or the equipment is measured as the tendency to walk. The
tendency to walk is the measure of the ratio of length-to-diameter of drill-bit. The higher tendency
to walk for driller needs a greater force of operation. The drill bit may be composed of different
materials depending upon the use of drill holes and composition of the workpiece. Drilling into a
harder and highly dense material may require a larger amount of force and greater strength of drill
blade to cut through the workpiece and make the hole. In addition, the depth to which the drill is
performed also determines the force required in the drilling process.

The drilling tools are traditionally operated by using a huge machine to provide the necessary force
and to control the drill bit during a drilling process. Nowadays, smaller sized drillers that can be
held in hands are also available. Depending on the tools and type of materials being drilled, drilling

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can be a labor-intensive job where humans have held the tools and apply the required force for
making the holes. To reduce such labor-intensive driller work, this project focused on the
introduction of human-like robotic arms that can perform the drilling works.

1.2 Objective
The motivation for this project came with a desire to eliminate the toil on human manpower. In
large-scale production, there is a need to perform a lot of work in a short time. Human manpower
is always limited in terms of a continuous supply of work. Replacing the human-powered project
with a robotic arm will provide relief to humans from hard labor while attending to the required
quantity of production. As drilling in the manufacturing industry requires a lot of energy to do
work for humans, robotic arms use will significantly improve the quantity and quality of
production under time constraints. The robotic arm can be programmed for a repetitive task
without getting exhausted or requiring a break. In addition, a robotic arm can overcome extreme
surrounding conditions like heat, cold, or high pressure in which humans have difficulty working.

The technical objective of this research is to design and analyze a robotic arm that can reduce the
need for human power for drilling purposes. The focus of the design project is to make a portable
and efficient robot arm. The robotic arm must be able to withstand its forces acting on it during
the operational process. A robotic arm has a 360o rotatable base, linkages combination that can
fold and unfold like a human arm, and a drill bit at the end for drilling purposes. During the working
process of the arm, this arm will be subjected to dynamic forces, static forces, torques, pressure,
and stress points which the intrinsic properties of the material must overcome for the stability and
durability of the arm. These forces and stress origin may be introduced by weights of different
parts, friction, the reaction force from the drill bit, and other forces from actuators during the
movement of the arm. Therefore, the design phase of this project had the objective to develop a
prototype that can overcome the loads acting on a dynamic simulated environment.

1.3 Literature Review

During the past 30 years, the application of industrial robots has dramatically increased. The
number of industrial robots (IRs) employed in the fields increased from 115,000 between 2005
and 2008 to 212,000 units between 2011 and 2016. The projected number of IRs in 2020 is
520,900, which will be a 145% increment [1]. Most of them can be observed performing tasks like
picking, placing, welding, painting, packaging, labeling, polishing, grinding, drilling, and
inspection, eventually contributing to industrial automation. IRs could be very potential and
effective tools for manufacturing and machining, which is one of the most important processes
from raw material to final product in industries. Currently, the major drawback of using IRs in
machining processes are the lack of accuracy of material removal rate (MRR), calibration issue,
complicated programming, and vibration [2]. To solve the problems, there have been numerous
studies for more than 3 decades, particularly increasing the robot structure stiffness, defining
proper robot posture and workpiece placement, optimizing programs for a specific function, and
employing damping systems to reduce vibration [3][4][5].

With each decade, engineers have created methods to improve the efficiency of mass production
systems by minimizing lead times and material wastages. Industrial Robot Manipulators are one
such method engineers employ to achieve fast, precise and quality production [1]. These arm-type
manipulators handle various functions such as assembly and part handling by moving between a
predetermined set of points in space. However, the efficiency of these robots can be improved by

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controlling their path of motion, by manipulating their trajectory to follow a specific path in 3D
space as closely as possible while maintaining the rated velocity as much as possible [6]. This
approach can also help arm-type robots to handle functions that require trajectory-tracking, such
as welding and painting. However, trajectories planned without proper planning will result in
inefficiencies in the system. Industrial robots are often implemented in groups that work together
to complete their tasks. It is very important that these robots work in perfect harmony with each
other, meaning the path one robot takes at a point in space and time must be independent of other
obstacles, which includes parts of the same robot, another robot, or other unwanted foreign objects.
This maximizes the efficiency of production. Therefore, path planning is a very important issue in
robotics [7]. The methods used to maintain collision-free paths for robotic manipulators include
the Potential Field Method, the Constraint Method, and various other probabilistic methods.

The industrial arms operated in the industry have a predefined path that is controlled through the
servomotors. These arms are usually huge and highly rigid and when these are set to move in fixed
paths, there is a chance of a potential accident in the presence of external obstacles or human
operators nearby. Satoru Gota introduced the force-free control of industrial robotic arms to
prevent unwanted collision to external obstacles [8]. These obstacles could be any rigid surface,
human operators, or any other part of the system that could be destroyed while arms follow it's the
trajectory of operation. Force-free control systems provide robotic arms with sensors to sense the
torques created from external forces like gravity, friction, or thrust and accordingly cause the
passive movement of robotic arms. Furthermore, Goto incorporated force-free control with
independent compensation and assigned locus and position information in order to realize flexible
motion during the operational circumstances [8]. Industrial arms performance is carried out using
a teaching-playback method where operational data are recorded, stored, and later emulated for
bringing identical works. In the case of direct teaching, where humans are involved in guiding the
tip of robotic arms, there is a need for a force-free control system where the external forces need
to be accompanied in the motion of arms [8].

2. Methodology
The design of any new product always has some unique ideas and reasoning behind it. The idea
behind our design was inspired by the human exploration of new places. We wanted to design
something that was versatile yet compact and portable. That is where the idea of a compact robotic
arm came from. The arm would be compact enough to be easily transported and be simple enough
to reduce the chance of failure when out in the field. A main feature of our robotic arm would be
its ability to interchange the tool attached the tip of the arm. This would significantly reduce the
amount of equipment needed when exploring a new place. If the arm were to be attached to a rover
of some sort then the ability of the arm to complete many different tasks would not only free up
space on the rover, but also decrease the cost of production. The arm would also be able to position
itself in a way to take up as little space as possible, this would allow for easier transportation of
the arm. The arm was modeled with only a drill bit attached to a tip of the arm. The drill bit would
be extremely helpful in collecting samples of different materials while in a foreign place. This drill
bit could easily be interchanged with any other tool to complete a totally different task. The design
of other tool heads would be something that could be added to our design but that we were unable
to accomplish due to lack of time.

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2.1 Mechanical Design
While the real-world application of the design is important, the mechanical design is what turns
an idea into reality. For the kinematic mechanism we chose to use a crank-rocker mechanism. This
allowed for a relatively simple design that would still be able to accomplish all the movements
necessary to complete the drilling process. This four-bar linkage design would be able to rotate a
full 360 degrees using a set of gears attached to the bottom of the base of the arm. The gears would
act as a part of the shoulder joint of the arm. The arm would also be able to raise and lower the
coupler link using a set of gears attached to the top of the base of the arm. The combination of
these gears would act as the shoulder joint of the arm and allow for full mobility. The rotating
crank would allow the forearm of the arm to move up down like that of an elbow joint on a human.
A set of gears would connect the rocker link to the tool head and would allow for the movement
of the tool head. This would act as the wrist joint of the arm. Since the idea behind the design was
to replace a human's tasks, then the robotic arm needed to be able to replicate the movement of
that of a human. That involves the lifting, extending, and rotating that the human arm does when
using a handheld drill or any other power tool. Another factor to consider is smoothness in
movement while operating. To ensure that the arm functioned in smooth movement, analysis of
the velocity and acceleration components was needed. Overall strength and durability were also
important, especially for an arm that is meant to operate in extreme conditions. That is why we
designed the bulk arm to be made out of Aluminum-1060 alloy and the base to be made of
structural steel. This would ensure a reliable and durable arm that could withstand even the most
extreme conditions.

2.2 Parts
As shown in figure 2.1.1, the arm assembly is constructed from primarily 7 parts: Shoulder Base,
Shoulder Head, Humerus, Crank, Coupler, Forearm and Drill. The arm was designed to mimic a
human hand in both its appearance and function. The Shoulder Base acts as the structural base of
the arm, while the Shoulder Head helps the arm to swivel 3600around the workspace. The Humerus
acts as the upper arm of the robot providing it strength, while the forearm helps move the Hand
and place it at its target location. The crank-rocker system helps facilitate the motion of the
Forearm.

Figure 2.2.1: The Parts of the Robot Arm Assembly.

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2.2.1 Shoulder Base
Diameter: 20.0 cm
Height: 3.35 cm
Volume: 949.9 cm3
Shaft Diameter: 3.0 cm

Figure 2.2.2: The Shoulder Base.

The shoulder base is the structural base of the robot arm. It remains stationary at the workbench
and supports the weight of other moving parts of the assembly. As shown in figure 2.2.2, the base
is circular in design with a shaft hole at the center. This provides the axis for the shoulder head to
rotate with respect to the base. The three visible flanges at the sides are designed so that the base
can be bolted onto the work bench. The base can also be easily attached to rovers or submersibles
to enhance the versatility of the arm. The rectangular cut out is housing for a servo motor that
controls the rotation of the shoulder head with respect to the base. The base is constructed from
structural steel.

2.2.2 Shoulder Head

Diameter: 20.0 cm
Volume: 849.5 cm3
Shaft Diameter: 3.0 cm
Hole Diameter: 3.0 cm

Figure 2.2.3: The Shoulder Head.

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The Shoulder Head is the part of the assembly that facilitates the rotation motion of the base of the
arm around the workspace. The shaft at the bottom of the Shoulder Head fits perfectly onto the
Shoulder Base and acts as the axis of rotation about which the Head rotates. This part is designed
to rotate 3600 with respect to the stationary base of the arm. As shown in figure 2.2.3, the two
vertical flanges at the upper surface of the part is designed to support the Humerus (upper arm) of
the arm assembly. The rectangular box is designed to be a housing for a servo motor that controls
the motion of the Humerus with respect to the Shoulder sub-assembly. The bottom surface of the
part is hollowed out to accommodate the “Shoulder Swivel Joint,” which is a spur gear mechanism
that controls the rotation of the Shoulder Head with respect to the Shoulder Base.

2.2.3 Humerus
Length: 48.5 cm
Thickness: 1.5 cm
Volume: 545.37 cm3
Hole Diameter: 3.0 cm

Figure 2.2.4: The Humerus.

The “Humerus” is the term given to the big bone inside the upper arm of a human that connects
the shoulder to the elbow. Likewise, the Humerus is the part that connects the shoulder of the robot
to its Elbow Joint. It is analogous to a human’s upper arm as it is limited in motion compared to
the forearm, but provides the strength and balance needed for the forearm to complete its functions.
As shown in figure 2.2.4, the Humerus has three shaft holes. The hole on the left is the where the
Humerus is attached to the Shoulder Head, where its motion is controlled by a bevel gear system.
The middle hole serves as the crank-ground joint of a 4-bar crank-rocker mechanism that controls

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the motion of the forearm with respect to the Humerus. The hole on the right is where the Humerus
is connected to the Forearm. It also serves as the free rotating rocker-ground joint of the crank-
rocker. As shown in figure 2.2.1, the arm assembly is supported by two Humerus parts working
side by side. The parts are identical except for that the Humerus on the right also contains a housing
for the servo motor that controls the motion of the crank. The Humerus is constructed from
Aluminum-1060 alloy as it is lightweight yet strong enough to support the weight of the assembly
and forces related to its motion without risk of buckling. An important feature of this part is that it
serves as the “ground” linkage for the crank-rocker mechanism that controls the motion of the
forearm.

2.2.4 Crank
Height: 11.0 cm
Width: 6.0 cm
Length: 10.0 cm
Volume: 192.83 cm3
Shaft Diameter: 3.0 cm

Figure 2.2.5: The Crank.

As the name suggests, this part serves as the “crank” for the crank-rocker system that controls the
motion of the forearm with respect to the humerus. In figure 2.2.5, the shafts at either side of the
Crank slide into the middle holes of the Humerus parts. The connection in the top-middle of the
part serves as a freely rotating joint between the crank and the coupler. The extended shaft on the
left helps accommodate the spur gear system that controls the motion of the Crank with respect to
the Humerus (ground linkage). The crank can rotate 3600 with respect to the ground, and it is this
motion that controls the extension of the forearm.

2.2.5 Coupler
Length: 29.0 cm
Thickness: 1.5 cm
Volume: 136.73 cm3
Hole Diameter: 2.0 cm

This part serves as the “coupler” linkage in the 4-bar crank-rocker that controls the motion of the
forearm away and from the Humerus. In figure 2.2.6, the holes at the top and bottom of the Coupler

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serve as freely rotating joints between the forearm and the coupler, and the crank and the coupler
respectively. The crank serves as the linkage between the Crank and the Forearm. As the crank
rotates about its axis, the coupler pushes and pulls the rocker, extending and curling the elbow of
the arm respectively. The Crank is constructed from aluminum-1060 alloy.

Figure 2.2.6: The Coupler.

2.2.6 Forearm

Length: 53.5 cm
Diameter: 9.90 cm
Volume: 2897.45 cm3
Hole Diameter: 3.0 cm

Figure 2.2.7: The Forearm.

This part serves as the forearm of the robotic arm. It is the linkage between the Humerus and the
Hand (Drill), located between the Elbow and Wrist joints. The function of the human forearm is
to direct and place the hand to a predetermined location. Likewise, the function of the robot’s
forearm is to move around and place its hand (drill) at a certain pre-programmed location. The

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forearm also serves as the “rocker” linkage of the crank-rocker that controls its motion with respect
to the Humerus. In figure 2.2.7, an image of the Forearm is shown. The hole on the left is where
the Humerus is connected to the Forearm, i.e. the Elbow joint. The hole on the left is where the
Forearm is connected to the Drill, i.e. the Wrist joint. The rectangular hole at near the wrist is a
housing for a servo motor that controls the motion of the drill with respect to the Forearm. The
hollowed-out space is designed to accommodate a spur gear system. The part is hollowed out to
reduce the overall weight of the system, reducing the stress on both the individual parts, and the
crank-rocker and gear mechanisms that control its motion. The part is made from aluminum-1060
alloy as it is lightweight but strong enough to support the weight of the tool and the forces
associated with the motion of the arm.

2.2.7 The Hand (Drill)

Length: 33.23 cm
Diameter: 80.0 cm
Volume: 409.38 cm3

This part serves as the robot arm’s “hand.” The primary function of this part is to hold and operate
the tool attached to it. The arm can be programmed via computer to follow specific trajectories,
placing the hand at specific predetermined locations (or spots) to complete certain tasks. The tools
can be easily switched out as per the duty requires. In Figure 2.2.8, the hand is attached to a drill.
The hole on the left is where the Hand is connected to the Forearm, i.e. the Wrist joint. This joint
is controlled by a set of spur gears located on the forearm. The arm can arrange itself to drill at any
surface in its workspace. The elbow joint can also be manipulated to drill at an angle to the surface.

Figure 2.2.8: The Hand.

2.3 Joints
The robot arm was designed to mimic a human hand. The motion of the arm is facilitated by its
several joints. The swiveling base at the shoulder allows the arm to rotate 360o around the
stationary base. The upper arm (Humerus) is controlled by a bevel gear system at the base. The

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motion of the forearm is controlled by a 4-bar crank-rocker mechanism positioned at the Humerus.
The hand is controlled by a spur gear system at the wrist joint.

Figure 2.3.1: Different Joints on the Robot Arm.

2.3.1 Shoulder Swivel Joint

Gear Ratio – 3:1
Pitch Diameter of the Driver Gear – 30 mm
Number of Teeth of the Driver Gear – 30
Pitch Diameter of the Driven Gear – 90 mm
Number of Teeth of the Driven Gear – 90 mm
Module – 1.0 mm
The Shoulder Swivel Joint facilitates the rotation motion of the robot arm around its workspace.
The joint is located in a hollow space between the Shoulder Head and the Shoulder Base. The
Shoulder Base is bolted onto the workspace where it remains stationary, while the Shoulder Head
is allowed to rotate 3600 about the base. This rotation is controlled by a spur gear system located
between the Base and the Head. The driver gear has a module 1 mm, meaning it has a pitch
diameter of 30 mm and a number of teeth of 30. It is attached to the head of a servo motor. The
Driven gear has a pitch diameter of 90 mm and a number of teeth of 90. It is attached to the
connector shaft between the Base and the Head. The gear ratio of this spur gear system is 3:1.

Figure 2.3.2: Shoulder Swivel Joint.

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2.3.2 Shoulder Joint

Gear Ratio – 2:1

Pitch Diameter of the Driver Gear – 30 mm
Number of Teeth of the Driver Gear – 30
Pitch Diameter of the Driven Gear – 60 mm
Number of Teeth of the Driven Gear – 60 mm
Module – 1.0 mm

The Shoulder Joint facilitates the motion of the Humerus (upper arm) with respect to the base of
the robot. The joint is located at the upper surface of the Shoulder Head directly beneath the
Humerus. The movement is controlled by a bevel gear system located at the same location. The
driver gear has a module 1 mm, meaning it has a pitch diameter of 30 mm and a number of teeth
of 30. It is attached to the head of a servo motor located on the Shoulder Head. The Driven gear
has a pitch diameter of 60 mm and a number of teeth of 60. It is attached to the connector shaft
between the two Humerus parts, perpendicular to the driver gear. The gear ratio of this bevel gear
system is 2:1.

Figure 2.3.3: The Shoulder Joint.

2.3.4 Wrist Joint

Gear Ratio – 2:1
Pitch Diameter of the Driver Gear – 30 mm
Number of Teeth of the Driver Gear – 30
Pitch Diameter of the Driven Gear – 60 mm
Number of Teeth of the Driven Gear – 60 mm
Module – 1.0 mm

The Wrist Joint facilitates the motion of the Hand (Drill) with respect to the Forearm of the robot.
The joint is located at the extreme of the Forearm where it connects to the Hand. The movement
is controlled by a spur gear system located at a hollow space at the tip of the Forearm. The function
of this joint is to place the drill precisely at its specified target location. The driver gear has a
module 1 mm, meaning it has a pitch diameter of 30 mm and a number of teeth of 30. It is attached

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to the head of a servo motor located on the Forearm. The Driven gear has a pitch diameter of 60
mm and a number of teeth of 60. It is attached to the end of a connector shaft between the Forearm
and the Hand, parallel to the driver gear. The gear ratio of this bevel gear system is 2:1.

Figure 2.3.4: The Wrist Joint.

2.3.5 Crank-Humerus Joint

Gear Ratio – 2:1
Pitch Diameter of the Driver Gear – 30 mm
Number of Teeth of the Driver Gear – 30
Pitch Diameter of the Driven Gear – 90 mm
Number of Teeth of the Driven Gear – 90 mm
Module – 1.0 mm

This joint is a part of the Crank-Rocker mechanism controlling the motion of the forearm with
respect to the Humerus. The Crank-Humerus Joint facilitates the rotation of the Crank with respect
to the Humerus (ground link). The movement is controlled by a spur gear system located between
the Humerus and the Crank. The driver gear has a module 1 mm, meaning it has a pitch diameter
of 30 mm and a number of teeth of 30. It is attached to the head of a servo motor located on the
Humerus. The Driven gear has a pitch diameter of 90 mm and a number of teeth of 90. It is attached
to the shaft located at the end of the Crank in figure 2.1.5. The gear ratio of this bevel gear system
is 2:1. As the driver gear rotates, the driven gear is rotated the opposite direction. As the driven
gear is welded onto the Crank, the Crank is able to rotate a full 3600 with respect to the Humerus.
This joint serves as the crank-ground joint of the crank-rocker that controls the motion of the
Forearm with respect to the Humerus.

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 Figure 2.3.5: The Crank-Humerus Joint.

2.3.5 The Crank-Coupler Joint and The Coupler-Forearm Joint

Figure 2.3.6: The Coupler-Forearm Joint (left) and the Crank-Coupler Joint (right).

These joints are both part of the Crank-Rocker mechanism controlling the motion of the forearm
with respect to the Humerus. The Crank-Coupler joint is located between the Crank and the
Coupler rod, swiveling on the connector link on the Crank shown as in figure 2.2.5. This joint is
freely rotating. The Coupler-Forearm joint forms the Coupler-Rocker joint in the crank-rocker
mechanism, since the Forearm acts as the Rocker for this particular crank-rocker. This joint,
similar to the Crank-Coupler joint is also freely rotating, with its motion controlled only by the
rotation of the Crank with respect to the Humerus (ground link).

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2.3.6 The Elbow Joint

Figure 2.3.7: The Elbow Joint.

The Elbow Joint facilitates the motion of the forearm with respect to the Humerus. The rotation of
this joint controls the extension and curling motion of the Forearm, helping to place the forearm
towards its target location. This joint is also a rocker-ground joint of the 4-bar crank-rocker
mechanism that controls the motion of the Forearm. As shown in figure 2.3.7, a cylindrical shaft
is inserted into the holes on the Forearm and the Humerus. The shaft is welded onto the Humerus,
so that it is not allowed to rotate with respect to the Humerus. However, the Forearm is allowed to
freely rotate on the cylinder.

3. Result and Discussion

The ultimate purpose of any study is to analyze its usability and safety while performing any task.
Similarly, this robotic arm design consisted of several parts and mechanisms that were needed to
be investigated properly, so that design can be implemented in the industrial field without any
problem with safety. Here, various working mechanisms installed in the robotic arm are studied in
terms position, velocity, acceleration, and stress analysis. The crank-rocker mechanism installed
in this system was studied critically by considering a full motion of crank, and extracting kinematic
analysis such as displacement, angular velocity and angular acceleration, and transmission angle.
Dynamic force analysis was included for the stress developed in the couple of crank-rocker
mechanisms while performing the simulated motion. Furthermore, static stress analysis was
performed on the whole body of the robotic arm to investigate possible failure points in the entire
assembly. Lastly, parameter optimization is performed to find the optimum size and mass of a part
by constraining the safety factor.

3.1 Kinematic Study of Crank-rocker mechanism

The crank rocker mechanism is considered one the most important aspects of our design. This
mechanism allows easy and continuous motion for performing repetitive tasks such as drilling,
picking, welding, painting, and many more which require repetitive work. This mechanism
consisted of four-link with 1 DOF as any other crank-rocker mechanism. For sake of simplicity
and efficiency, a simple 2D-block diagram was replaced with an actual assembly of crank-rocker
mechanism as shown in Figure 6.1.1. This approach promised an efficient control, simulation, and
low-cost computation. The line blocks of crank, coupler, rocker, and ground link were generated
using SolidWorks 2D layout feature. The length of the links was replicated from the actual crank-

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rocker design as mentioned in Table 3.1.1. Using the developed dimensions of the link, the
mechanism satisfied Grashof Condition.

(a) (b)
Figure 3.1.1: (a) 3D assembly of robotic arm showing crank rocker mechanism (b) 2D-
block diagram of crank-rocker mechanism showing different links.

Table 3.1.1: Dimensions of links for crank-rocker mechanism.

Link Length (mm)

Crank 60

Coupler 250

Rocker 75

Ground 250

For Grashof Condition:

S+L < P + Q == 60 + 250 < 75 + 250 == 310 < 325 (TRUE)

For the analysis of the mechanism, the crank was rotated at constant velocity of 60 rpm ( 360
deg/sec) as shown in Figure 3.1.3 The simulation was carried for one second producing one
complete crank revolution with given speed. The analysis was performed on SolidWorks using
SolidWorks Motion Analysis tool. The trace of crank position, rocker position, and point of interest
is shown in Figure 3.1.2.
From Figure 3.1.3, it is evident that the angular position of the rocker oscillates uniformly with
maximum and minimum value of 140o and 35o respectively. Moreover, the velocity and
acceleration graphs were obtained to be smooth with a maximum magnitude of 354 deg/sec and
4504 deg/sec2. The calculation of transmission angle required further post-processing because

18
 Figure 3.1.2: Trace path for crank, rocker, and point of interest for one complete revolution

SolidWorks could not provide the acute angle between rocker and coupler. A simple MATLAB
code was implemented to extract true transmission angle from position data provided by
SolidWorks. Figure 3.1.4 shows the graph of transmission angle with respect to time with
maximum and minimum value of 90 degree and 31 degree.

(a) (b)

(c)
(d)
Figure 3.1.3: (a) Crank Input velocity graph wrt time, (b) Rocker Angular Position wrt time, (c)
Rocker Angular Velocity wrt time, and (d) Rocker Angular Acceleration wrt time.

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 Figure 3.1.4: Transmission angle of the mechanism obtained from implemented Matlab Code.

3.2 Dynamic Stress Analysis

Dynamic stress analysis was performed using SolidWorks Simulation Toolbox combined with
SolidWorks Motion. The computational setup for this study was fairly easy since SolidWorks
provided an inbuilt integrated platform of motion study and static stress analysis. This provided
seamless transition of data with transient loads and joint condition without worrying about extra
implementation of boundary condition and external load. However, this approach was
computationally expensive with provided resources and time. Thus, only the coupler of the crank-
rocker mechanism was studied for transient stress analysis. However, this process can be applied
to every part of the robot body without any problem.
For the simulation, the crank was given a constant velocity of 60 RPM and a constant loading of
1000 N at the point of interest for 1 second. The simulation demonstrated several stress
concentration regions while the coupler rotated against the applied force as shown in Figure 3.2.1.
A maximum stress of 80 MPa was developed in coupler while lifting the load. Moreover, a
maximum deformation of 0.125 mm was located while lifting the load as shown in Figure 3.2.2.

(a)
(b)

Figure 3.2.1: (a) von Mises Stress at t = 0.1 s while releasing the load of 1000 N (b) von Mises
Stress at t = 0.6s while lifting the load 1000N.

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 (a) (b)
Figure 3.2.2: (a) Deformation at t = 0.1s while releasing the load of 1000N (b)
Deformation at t = 0.

3.3 Static Stress Analysis

Static stress analysis was performed for the entire assembly on Ansys. The purpose of conducting
this study was to determine if the structural parts of the robotic arm were able to withstand a
specified load safely without failing. Tetrahedron elements were used to construct a very fine mesh
for the entire body as shown in Figure 3.3.1. With uniform element size of 5 mm, the total number
elements came out to be 118,202 with 210,063 nodes. Complicated geometries such as the drill
bit, gears teeth, and servo motors were suppressed in the stress study to avoid mesh complication
and reduce computational cost. For analysis, a fixed load of 1000 N and weight of the robot body
was applied as loading condition by fixing the shoulder to the ground. The joints and movable
mechanism were considered as bonded contact instead of joints to replicate a static structure. As a
result, a minimum safety factor of 0.85 was obtained for the given boundary condition. Figure
3.3.1 shows deformation contour of the entire assembly with maximum deformation of 5 mm. A
maximum stress of 239.9 MPa was observed around the shoulder head and supporting shaft for a
loading of 1000N. This stress concentration was still under the tensile strength of structural steel
preventing possible failure, but it can be reduced using compatible bearings around the shoulder
as extra support.

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 (a) (b)

(c) (d)
Figure 3.3.1: (a) Mesh developed for body of robotic arm, (b) von Mises stress developed for load
1000 N, (c) Deformation for load of 1000 N, and (d) Safety Factor for load of 1000 N

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3.4 Optimization
In our study, the mass was an important constraint of the design. For the given assembly, the
forearm contributed to most of the mass, roughly around 13 kg. Thus, this part was chosen for
mass optimization by setting the factor of safety as constraint. The optimization study was carried
in SolidWorks with help of static analysis developed from Simulation Toolbox. The shell diameter
was taken as the variable parameter for the optimization as shown in Figure 3.4.1. It is obvious
that the bigger diameter for the shell will cut out bigger mass from the parts, but tensile strength
and its response to external loading need to be considered while performing optimization. In Figure
3.4.2, it is evident that scenario 16 gives the most optimum result with a mass of 9 kg and still
maintaining a minimum factor of safety. As a result, the mass of the forearm was reduced by over
30% with shell diameter of 95 mm. This is just an example for mass optimization and this
procedure can be applied to every part of this design.

(a) (b)
Figure 3.4.1: (a) Variable parameter defined in forearm for optimization, (b) von Mises
stress developed for optimum solution

(a) (b)

(c)
Figure 3.4.2: (a) Shell Diameter (mm) considered for each scenario, (b) Factor of Safety obtained
for each scenario, and (c) Mass of the forearm for each scenario

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4. Conclusion
4.1 Objective
An arm is an incredibly useful tool that people use on a day to day basis. So, creating something
that mimics an arm, is multifunctional, and even reduces the use of human endangerment and
human error is a vital tool. This robotic arm was sought out to have as much mobility as possible.
Also, creating the arm to be capable of drilling and other actions such as clamping or cutting was
not forgotten in the process of making the arm. The versatility of mobility and the actions of the
arm head allow the robotic arm to be used in more real-life examples. These robotic arms are able
to take the place of many actions performed by humans. Such as collecting data in high stress
locations such as volcanoes, space, deep under the sea, and even within mountain crevices. Overall
the robotic arm is a very resourceful tool that needs to be more utilized throughout different
applications.

4.2 Design and Results

Next, the focus on the design of the arm is important. The arm was created to be efficient and
effective as possible. Therefore, the arm was created using a crank-rocker mechanism. This allows
for multiple joints throughout the arm and the assistance of gears at some of the joints to allow for
smooth motion. The first mechanism was placed under the shoulder head allowing for the arm to
rotate around the base completely 360°. Afterwards, the mechanism connected the shoulder head
to the humerus allowing the arm to move up and down. Next the wrist joint is controlled by a spur
gear mechanism which allows the movement to be controlled by the Spur Gear system. This allows
the wrist joint to move completely around the joint with high precision and control. By creating
the head to be incredibly precise the problem is resolved for human error because there is no
accidentally scraping something like a highly reactive element or even dropping something. Then,
tests were run in order to collect data on the mobility and smoothness of the arm. Using SolidWorks
to run the arm at 60 rpm, the angular position of the rocker oscillates uniformly with maximum
and minimum value of 140O and 35O, and the velocity and acceleration graphs were obtained to
be smooth with a maximum magnitude of 354 deg/sec and 4504 deg/sec2 . The transmission angle
required further post-processing because SolidWorks could not provide the acute angle between
rocker and coupler. A simple MATLAB code was implemented to extract true transmission angle
from position data provided by SolidWorks. The graph of transmission angle with respect to time
showed a maximum and minimum value of 90 degree and 31 degree. Lastly, a test focusing on the
stress throughout the arm was performed. A maximum stress of 239.9 MPa was observed around
the shoulder head and supporting shaft for a loading of 1000N. As a result, a minimum safety
factor of 0.85 was obtained for the given boundary condition. These statistics show that the arm
can move drastically fast while continuing to be mobile. Also, the stress exerted throughout the
whole arm exhibits a lot of promise by being able to take on a lot of force while performing the
objective. Overall, the design of the arm was created to be as similar to an actual arm with
improvements in some aspects. The arm was incredibly mobile allowing for a complete 360-degree
rotation at a high rate, high precision due to the Spur Gear system, and it can handle high amounts
of stress while performing an action. Allowing the arm to be this efficient creates an opening to
use these arms in dangerous places where people would normally have to collect this data, and it
allows people to do a more mindful task in the process.

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5. References
[1] International Federation of Robotics I (2017) Executive summary world Robotics 2017
Industrial Robots
[2] Pandremenos J, Doukas C, Stavropoulos P, Chryssolouris G (2011) Machining with robots: a
critical review. 7th Int Conf
Digit Enterp Techno.
[3] Olofsson B, Sörnmo O, Schneider U, et al (2011) Modeling and control of a piezo-actuated
high-dynamic compensation mechanism for industrial robots. In: 2011 IEEE/RSJ international
conference on intelligent robots and systems. pp 4704–4709
[4] Leali F, Pellicciari M, Pini F, Berselli G, Vergnano A (2013) An offline programming method
for the robotic deburring of aerospace components. In: Neto P, Moreira AP (eds) Robotics in
Smart Manufacturing. Springer Berlin Heidelberg, Berlin, Heidelberg, pp 1–13
[5] Dumas C, Caro S, Garnier S, Furet B (2011) Joint stiffness identification of six-revolute
industrial serial robots. Robot Comput Integr Manuf 27:881–888.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rcim.2011.02.003
[6] S. R. Munasinghe and Masatoshi Nakamura (December 1st 2006). Trajectory Planning and
Control of Industrial Robot Manipulators, Industrial Robotics: Theory, Modelling and Control,
Sam Cubero, IntechOpen, DOI: 10.5772/5032.
[7] Samir Lahouar, Said Zeghloul and Lotfi Romdhane (December 1st 2006). Collision Free Path
Planning for Multi-DoF Manipulators, Industrial Robotics: Theory, Modelling and Control,
Sam Cubero, IntechOpen, DOI: 10.5772/5031.
[8] S. Goto, “Forcefree Control for Flexible Motion of Industrial Articulated Robot Arms,”
IntechOpen, 01-Dec-2006. [Online]. Available:
https://www.intechopen.com/books/industrial_robotics_theory_modelling_and_control/force
free_control_for_flexible_motion_of_industrial_articulated_robot_arms. [Accessed: 02-Nov-
2020].
[9] SOLIDWORKS [Computer Software] (2021). Waltham, MA: Dassault Systemes SolidWorks
Corporations. Retrieved from https://www.solidworks.com/.
[10] MATLAB [Computer Software] (2021). Natick, MA: The MathWorks, Inc. Retrieved from
https://www.mathworks.com/products/matlab.html.
[11] Ansys Simulation Software [Computer Software] (2021). Canonsburg, PA: Ansys, Inc.
Retrieved from https://www.ansys.com/.

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6. Appendix

6.1 MATLAB code for extracting transmission angle between coupler and rocker

clc; clear; close all

%Reading spreadsheet data obtained from SolidWorks
data= readmatrix('trans_angle.xlsx', 'range','B5:C205');
x= data(:,1); %time data
y = data(:,2); %transmission angle data
%calculating acute angle from obtained data
for i = linspace(1,length(y), 201)
if y(i) > 90
y(i) = 180- y(i); %replacing obtuse angle with acute angle
end
end
%Post-processing
figure(1)
plot(x,y, 'Linewidth', 2)
hold on
xlabel('Time (sec)')
ylabel('Transmission Angle (degree)')
ylim([0 90])
set(gca,'Fontsize',12)
set(gca, 'FontName','Times New Roman')
title('Transmission Angle')
grid on

6.2 Video links to Animations

6.2.1 Drilling Task : https://youtu.be/_dw0wU6MzsM

6.2.2 Crank-Rocker Mechanism: https://youtu.be/CnHdfnJl4YU
6.2.3 Dynamic Stress Analysis: https://youtu.be/oHmbF7M-adc

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