EEL6667: Homework #2 Solutions

Note: “homework2.nb” is an attached Mathematica notebook that solves some of the problems in this homework.

Problem 1:
(a) See Figure 1 for an appropriate assignment of coordinate frames. Note that frame { 0 } is coincident with
frame { 1 } for θ 1 = 0 . The corresponding DH parameters are (by inspection):

Table 1: DH parameters

i αi – 1 ai – 1 di θi

1 0 0 0 θ1

2 π⁄2 L1 0 θ2

3 0 L2 0 θ3

Xˆ 3

Zˆ 1
Yˆ 3

Yˆ 2 Xˆ 2
Zˆ 3
Yˆ 1

Xˆ 1

Zˆ 2

Figure 1
0
See “homework2.nb,” for 3T .
(b) From part (a):

c 1 c 23 – c 1 s 23 s1 c1 ( L1 + L2 c2 ) r 11 r 12 r 13 p x
0 s 1 c 23 – s 1 s 23 –c1 s1 ( L1 + L2 c2 ) r 21 r 22 r 23 p y
3T = = (1)
s 23 c 23 0 L2 s2 r 31 r 32 r 33 p z
0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1

By inspection of equation (1):

θ 1 = atan ( r 13, – r 23 ) (2)

θ 2 = atan ( p z, ± p x2 + p y2 – L 1 ) [Note: L 2 s 2 = p z , L 2 c 2 = ± p x2 + p y2 – L 1 ] (3)

θ 3 = atan ( r 31, r 32 ) – θ 2 (4)

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Problem 2:
(a) See Figure 2 for an appropriate assignment of coordinate frames. Note that frame { 0 } is coincident with
frame { 1 } for θ 1 = 0 . The corresponding DH parameters are (by inspection):

Table 2: DH parameters

i αi – 1 ai – 1 di θi

1 0 0 0 θ1

2 π⁄2 0 0 θ2

3 0 L3 0 θ3

Yˆ 3
Zˆ 1, Yˆ 2 Xˆ 3

Yˆ 1 Zˆ 3

Xˆ 1, 2

Zˆ 2

Figure 2

0 1 2
See “homework2.nb,” for 1T , 2T and 3T .

[Note: If you assigned frame { 0 } to be coincident with frame { S } , then d 1 = L 1 + L 2 .]

(b) From part (a):

c 1 c 23 – c 1 s 23 s1 L3 c1 c2 r 11 r 12 r 13 p x
0 s 1 c 23 – s 1 s 23 –c1 L3 s1 c2 r 21 r 22 r 23 p y
3T = = (5)
s 23 c 23 0 L3 s2 r 31 r 32 r 33 p z
0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1

By inspection of equation (5):

θ 1 = atan ( r 13, – r 23 ) (6)

θ 2 = atan ( p z, ± p x2 + p y2 ) [Note: L 3 s 2 = p z , L 3 c 2 = ± p x2 + p y2 ] (7)

θ 3 = atan ( r 31, r 32 ) – θ 2 (8)

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Problem 3:[Craig, Exercise 3.14]
Consider Figure 3 below.

m̂

p a

n̂
q
coordinate frame
Figure 3

Since m̂ and n̂ are unit vectors, we know that:

cos ( α ) = m̂ ⋅ n̂ (9)

sin ( α ) = m̂ × n̂ (10)
where α is the angle between m̂ and n̂ . Therefore,

α = atan ( m̂ × n̂ , m̂ ⋅ n̂ ) . (11)
Now, the length a of the vector a is equal to the length of vector q parallel to the a vector minus the length
of vector p parallel to the a vector (or the length of vector p parallel to the a vector minus the length of
vector q parallel to the a vector, whichever turns out to be positive). Since the direction of vector a is given
by m̂ × n̂ ,

a = q ⋅ ( m̂ × n̂ ) – p ⋅ ( m̂ × n̂ ) (12)

a = ( q – p ) ⋅ ( m̂ × n̂ ) . (13)
An equivalent result can be obtained by defining two parameterized lines in space,

l 1 = p + m̂s , – ∞ < s < ∞ (14)

l 2 = q + n̂t , – ∞ < t < ∞ (15)

so that,

a = min s, t l 2 – l 1 (16)

The minimization in equation (16) can be accomplished by solving the two equations,

∂
[ ( l – l ) ⋅ ( l2 – l1 ) ] = 0 (17)
∂s 2 1

∂
[ ( l – l ) ⋅ ( l2 – l1 ) ] = 0 (18)
∂t 2 1
for s and t .

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Problem 4:[Craig, Exercise 3.16]
See Figure 4 for an appropriate assignment of coordinate frames. Note that frame { 0 } is coincident with
frame { 1 } for θ 1 = 0 . The corresponding DH parameters are (by inspection):

Table 3: DH parameters

i αi – 1 ai – 1 di θi

1 0 0 0 θ1

2 π⁄2 L1 d2 0

3 –π ⁄ 2 0 0 θ3

X̂ 2 X̂ 3
Ẑ 2
Ŷ 3

X̂ 1

X̂ 0 Ẑ 3, Ŷ 2

Ŷ 0
L1
Ŷ 1
Ẑ 0, 1
Figure 4

Problem 5:
See “homework2.nb,” for a numerically generated plot of the tip workspace ( l 1 = 2 , l 2 = 1 ). Figure 5
below gives a more detailed plot. The different parts of the workspace boundary are numbered and
correspond to the following:

Number 1: θ 2 = 0 , 0 < θ 1 < π (19)

Number 2: θ 2 = π , 0 < θ 1 < π (20)

Number 3: θ 1 = π , 0 < θ 2 < π (21)

Number 4: θ 1 = 0 , – π ⁄ 2 < θ 2 < π (22)

Number 5: θ 2 = – π ⁄ 2 , 0 < θ 1 < x < π for some x (23)

Problem 6:[Craig, Exercise 4.12]

The DH parameters for the non-orthogonal writs mechanism are given below:

Table 4: DH parameters

i αi – 1 ai – 1 di θi

1 0 0 0 θ1

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 1
r = l1 + l2

2 4

r = l2
r = l2 5

Base of manipulator θ = 2 atan ( 1 ⁄ 2 ) r = l2

r = l 12 + l 22
4
r = l2
3
Figure 5

Table 4: DH parameters

i αi – 1 ai – 1 di θi

2 φ 0 0 θ2

3 π–φ 0 0 θ3

In “homework2.nb,” the set of unit vectors k̂ = { k x, k y, k z } about which this mechanism can rotate are
depicted graphically for φ = π ⁄ 2 , φ = π ⁄ 4 , and for φ → 0 . From these and other sample values of φ , we
can generalize to the schematic diagram in Figure 6 below. Figure 6 indicates that no rotations about the
vectors k̂ = { k x, k y, k z } that lie inside the cones shown with apex angle π – 2φ can be achieved with the
non-orthogonal mechanism.

Problem 7:[Craig, Exercise 4.17]

[Note: There is a discrepancy between Problem 7 and [Craig, Exercise 4.17]. In Problem 7, α 2 = – π ⁄ 4 ,
while in Exercise 4.17, α 2 = π ⁄ 4 . Therefore, there are two separate derivations below; the first is for
α 2 = π ⁄ 4 , while the second is for α 2 = – π ⁄ 4 .]
[Craig, Exercise 4.17] We can use Pieper’s solution (Craig, Section 4.6) to solve this problem. Since a 1 = 0
(given),
r = k3 (24)

where,
0 2
r≡ P4ORG = 02 + 12 + 22 = 3 (25)

and,

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 kz

ky

kx

π – 2φ

Figure 6

k 3 = f 12 + f 22 + f 32 + a 12 + d 22 + 2d 2 f 3 = f 12 + f 22 + f 32 + 2f 3 + 1 [ a 1 = 0 , d 2 = 1 ] (26)

f 1 = a 3 c 3 + d 4 sα 3 s 3 + a 2 = c 3 [ a 3 = 1 , d 4 = 0 , a 2 = 0 ] (27)

1
f 2 = a 3 cα 2 s 3 – d 4 sα 4 cα 2 c 3 – d 4 sα 2 cα 3 – d 3 sα 2 = ------- ( s 3 – 1 ) [ a 3 = 1 , α 2 = π ⁄ 4 , d 4 = 0 ,
2
d3 = 1 ] (28)

1
f 3 = a 3 sα 2 s 3 – d 4 sα 4 sα 2 c 3 + d 4 cα 2 cα 3 + d 3 cα 2 = ------- ( s 3 + 1 ) [ a 3 = 1 , α 2 = π ⁄ 4 , d 4 = 0 ,
2
d 3 = 1 ]. (29)

Combining equations (26) through (29),

1 1 2
k 3 = c 32 + --- ( s 3 – 1 ) 2 + --- ( s 3 + 1 ) 2 + ------- ( s 3 + 1 ) + 1 (30)
2 2 2

k 3 = c 32 + s 32 + 1 + 2 ( s 3 + 1 ) + 1 (31)

k 3 = 1 + 1 + 2s 3 + 2 + 1 (32)

k 3 = 3 + 2 + 2s 3 (33)

We can now solve for θ 3 by combining equations (24), (25) and (33):

3 = 3 + 2 + 2s 3 (34)

s3 + 1 = 0 (35)

sin ( θ 3 ) = – 1 (36)

θ3 = –π ⁄ 2 . (37)

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 [Problem 7] We can use Pieper’s solution (Craig, Section 4.6) to solve this problem. Since a 1 = 0 (given),
r = k3 (38)

where,
0 2
r≡ P4ORG = 02 + 12 + 22 = 3 (39)

and,

k 3 = f 12 + f 22 + f 32 + a 12 + d 22 + 2d 2 f 3 = f 12 + f 22 + f 32 + 2f 3 + 1 [ a 1 = 0 , d 2 = 1 ] (40)

f 1 = a 3 c 3 + d 4 sα 3 s 3 + a 2 = c 3 [ a 3 = 1 , d 4 = 0 , a 2 = 0 ] (41)

1
f 2 = a 3 cα 2 s 3 – d 4 sα 4 cα 2 c 3 – d 4 sα 2 cα 3 – d 3 sα 2 = ------- ( s 3 + 1 ) [ a 3 = 1 , α 2 = – π ⁄ 4 , d 4 = 0 ,
2
d3 = 1 ] (42)

1
f 3 = a 3 sα 2 s 3 – d 4 sα 4 sα 2 c 3 + d 4 cα 2 cα 3 + d 3 cα 2 = ------- ( 1 – s 3 ) [ a 3 = 1 , α 2 = – π ⁄ 4 , d 4 = 0 ,
2
d 3 = 1 ]. (43)

Combining equations (40) through (43),

1 1 2
k 3 = c 32 + --- ( s 3 + 1 ) 2 + --- ( 1 – s 3 ) 2 + ------- ( 1 – s 3 ) + 1 (44)
2 2 2

k 3 = c 32 + s 32 + 1 + 2 ( 1 – s 3 ) + 1 (45)

k 3 = 1 + 1 + 2 – 2s 3 + 1 (46)

k 3 = 3 + 2 – 2s 3 (47)

We can now solve for θ 3 by combining equations (38), (39) and (47):

3 = 3 + 2 – 2s 3 (48)

s3 – 1 = 0 (49)

sin ( θ 3 ) = 1 (50)

θ3 = π ⁄ 2 . (51)

Problem 8:[Craig, Exercise 4.24]

Given the DH parameters { α i – 1, a i, d i, θ i }

cθ i – sθ i 0 ai – 1 r 11 r 12 r 13 p x
i–1 sθ i cα i – 1 cθ i cα i – 1 – sα i – 1 – sα i – 1 d i r 21 r 22 r 23 p y
iT = = . (52)
sθ i sα i – 1 cθ i sα i – 1 cα i – 1 cα i – 1 d i r 31 r 32 r 33 p z
0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1

From equation (52) (by inspection):

θ i = atan ( – r 12, r 11 ) , α i – 1 = atan ( – r 23, r 33 ) , a i – 1 = p x and d i = p y2 + p z2 . (53)

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