Actuation Along a Single Linear Axis: The Kinematics of the Single-Rail Tripteron

The aim of this work is to introduce the kinematics of one possible implementation of the Tripteron robot. The variant discussed here is referred to as the ‘single rail’ Tripteron, given that the three axes of the actuated prismatic joints are coincident. This configuration allows to shape, by design, the Jacobian matrix, allowing to tune along the Cartesian directions the speed and force generation capabilities by setting the three relevant angles to the kinematic design. The possibility of providing the actuation along a single line also allows to provide it by means of a Permanent Magnet Linear Synchronous Motor (PMLSM) with three shuttles. A prototype of the manipulator has been developed to test the feasibility of the design.