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Mathematical model of Stewart platform motion

Article in Journal of Machinery Manufacture and Reliability · April 2010

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ISSN 1052-6188, Journal of Machinery Manufacture and Reliability, 2010, Vol. 39, No.4, pp. 305-312. ©Allenon Press, Inc., 2010.
Original Russian Text © Yu.A. Alyushin, S.A. Elenev, 2010, published in Problemy Mashinostroeniya i Nadezitnosli Mashin, 2010, No.4, pp. 3- I 1.

MACHINERY
MECHANICS

Yu. A. Alyushin and S. A. Elenev

Moscow, Russia
Received March 3, 2010

Abstract-A mathematical model of the mechanism ofrnovement of an undeformed platform with six
degrees offreedom is proposed. The equations of spatial motion of particles of the platform are derived
using the principle of superposition of motions in Lagrangian space. Their derivation with respect to
time allows any kinematic and associated energy characteristics of the movement to be determined.
The conditions of energy balance are converted to a system of equations for determining the forces in
kinematic pairs in all versions of the platform motion. The model can be used to improve the mecha-
nisms of technological machines, including the positioning of their working groups.
DOl: 1O.3103/SI052618810040011

A Stewart platform [1) is called a form of manipulator with six degrees of freedom, which allows one
to provide a given position and orientation ofthe surface in the vicinity of any point ofthe platform on its
three Cartesian coordinates and projections of the unit normal vector.
1
The platform motion is implemented with the help of six telescopically connected pairs of links
attached with spherical bearings to the mobile and stationary platforms (figure), which served as the basis
for the emergence of a new term "hexapod." Recently, they became fairly widespread in tool positioning
systems in engineering and medicine, in simulators of aircraft and military equipment, for the orientation
oftelescopes and antennas, etc.
Rich opportunities of the Stewart platform in various areas provided the impetus for the development
of various mathematical models to manage its motion. The theme ofhexapods both by examples of their
application and by the diversity of their research capacity has become one of the most popular on the
Internet [2, 3].
This paper presents a mathematical model describing the hexapod motion in Lagrange form. Applying
the principle of superposition of motions [4) allowed us to obtain relatively simple equations to determine
all kinematic and dynamic characteristics of the implementation of the energy balance at any time.
Consider the motion of an undeformed platform ABC in a fixed Cartesian reference frame of the
observer, whose position determines the coordinates of the three basic points (figure) Aj E (A, B, C) with
coordinatesA/xAj' YAj, ZA): A(XA' YA, ZA), B(XB' YD, ZD), C(xc, Yc, Zc)·
To describe the motion, we use the equations in Lagrange form
As the Lagrangian variables o.p E (0., /3, y), we take the coordinates of points att = 0: a =xo, /3 = Yo, Y= Z(),
including for the base points
Aj,o(o.Aj, /3Aj, YA): AO(o.A, /3A' YA), BO(o.B' /3B, YB), Co(o.c, /30 Yd·
The equations of spatial motion of any particle of the platform can be obtained using the principle of
superposition in the space of Laecrrangian coordinates (4], whereby to obtain an equation of combined
motion, it is sufficient to replace the Lagrange variables of external (imposed) motion by the expressions
for the Euler variables of internal (embedded) motion. Both movements must be written in one coordinate
system. The final form of the equations depends on the sequence of applying the translational and rota-
tional motions. For simple rotational motions relative to the axes passing through the pole Pofthe plat-
form (as a pole, one can choose any of the points, including A, B, C) parallel to the axes, the equations
have the following form (5]:
for rotation relative to an axis parallel to Ox,
x = a, y = /3p+(/3-/3p)cOSL1<Px-(Y-Yp)sini1<px'

Z = Yp+ (/3-/3p)sinL1<px+ (Y-Yp)sinL1<px,

for rotation relative to an axis parallel to Oy,
x = o.p+(o.-o.p)cosL1<py+(y-yp)sini1<py,

Y = /3, Z=yp-(o.-o.p)sinL1<py+(y-yp)cOSL1<py,

for rotation relative to an axis parallel to Oz,

x = o.p+(o.-o.p)cosL1<Pz-(/3-/3p)sini1<pz'

Y = /3p+ (o.-o.p)sinL1<Pz+ (/3-/3p)COSL1<pz' Z = y.

Replacing the Lagrangians of external movement by expressions for the corresponding Eulerians of
internal motion [4], we obtain the equations of combined rotational, for example, relative to the axis x (of
external) and Y (of internal) motion:
x = o.p+ (a - o.p)cosL1<py + [(/3 -/3p)sinL1<px + (y- yp)cosi1<Px]sini1<py,
t .
Y = /3p+(/3-/3p)cosi1<Px-(y-yp)sini1<px,

Z = YP - (0. - o.p)sini1<py + [(/3 -/3p)sini1<Px + (y - yp)cosi1<pxJ COSL1<py-

After applying the rotation relative to the axis Z and translational movement of the pole with projections
Ui, we finally obtain
x = o.p + {(a - o.p) cosi1<py + [(/3 -/3 p)sini1<Px + (y - yp) cosi1<PxJsin i1<Py} cosi1<pz
- [(/3 -/3 p)cosi1<px - (y - yp) sin i1<PxJsini1<Pz+ ux,
y = /3p + {(a - o.p) cosi1<py + [(/3 -/3 p) sin i1<Px+ (y - yp) cosi1<pxJsinL1<py} sinL1<Pz
+ [(/3 -/3 p) cosi1<px- (y - yp) sini1<pxJCOSL1<Pz+ uy, (1)
Z = YP - (a - o.p) sinL1<py+ [(/3 -/3p)sini1<px + (y - yp)COSL1<PxJ cosi1<py + Uzo
System (1) corresponds to arbitrary spatial motion of the platform ABC as a rigid body [6]; the lengths
of all segments and volumes of particles at any given time remain the same as the distances between the
base points of the platform
2 222
LAW = (o.Ai-o.A) +(/3Ai-/3A) +(YAi-YA)
2 2 2
= (XAi-XA) +(YAi-YA) +(ZAi-ZAj) = const,
 To avoid the appearance of complex multistory indices, in Eq. (2) and the formulas below, the lower
and upper indices are recorded only at one level in maintaining their order. Values of the angles <Pxibetween
a normal to the plane ABC
ax + by + cz + d = 0

and the coordinate axes ofthe observer are determined by the coordinates of base points [7]
a b c
cos<Px = , cos<Py = , cos<pz = ,
J
± a 2 +b 2 +c 2 J
± a 2 +b 2 +c 2 J
± a 2 +b 2 +c 2

where

YA ZA I ZA XA I XA YA 1 XA YA ZA
a YB ZB I b = ZB XB I c = xB YB 1 d=- XB YB ZB

Yc Zc 1 Zc Xc 1 Xc Yc I Xc Yc Zc

The sign before the square root should be chosen so that the conditionp = ±d/ + b + c > 0 with the Ja 2 2 2

sign of determinant d taken in account.

Equations (1) allow an arbitrary change of both the linear Ui.l, ui, It and the angular <Pi, I' <Pi, It velocities
and acceleration. They fully determine the trajectories of the particles of the platform, including instru-
ments fIxed on it, as well as energy and dynamic characteristics of the movement. In particular, differen-
tiating the system (1) with respect to time for the components of the velocity of motion of any particle of
the platform, we obtain the linear function of the angular velocities .•
ffi Xi, t n-. xi, t n-. xi, 1
Xi,t = Ui,t+ <Px,t'V<px,t + <Py,t'V<py,t + <pz,t'V<pz,t·

The lower index of factors <I>

~;:. t indicates the component of the corresponding angular velocity, and
the upper index indicates the component ofthe determined linear velocity. The equations for <I>~;:'t have
the form

Zl
<I><pz,t = O.

Repeating the differentiation, we can obtain the equations for acceleration.

If platform management is implemented by six rods AjAjh connecting the base points Aj with fIxed
points in the space of the observer Ajk(xAih YAih ZAik), where k E (1,2) (fIgure shows the option where all
fIxed reference points are on a fIxed platform in the plane Z = 0), for example, Al(xAl, YAb ZAl)' A2(xA2, YA2,
ZA2), and so on, then for an arbitrary moment of time we can fInd their length

The rate of change of the lengths of support rods (5) should be in agreement with the angular and linear
velocity of the platform movement in accordance with Eqs. (3).
The power of external forces transmitted by the platform through the efforts of Q4i at the base points Aj
E (A, B, C) is determined by the sum of scalar products offorce vectors Q4i and the velocity of these points:
~ = Q:j(Xi,')Aj with summation over the indices i andj, or, in expanded form,
A A A B B B
We = QxCXt)A + Qy(Yi)A + Qz (Zt)A + QxCXth + Qy (Yth + Qz (ZI)B
C C C
+ Qx (X,)c + Qy (Y,)c + Qz (Z,)C'

This power is expended on the change in kinetic energy of translational and rotational motion of the
platform

Wk = m(XtXtt \Y'Y': + Z,ztt)M + crx, tcrx, ttJx + cry, tcry, ttJy + crz, tcrz, ttJz,
the rate of change of potential energy in the gravitational fIeld of Earth

~ = mg(Zt)M'

where m is the mass, M is the center of mass of the platform ABC, ~ are the moments of inertia with respect
to the respective central axes of the platform, and the power developed by technological forces 1j, for
example, at the point N in the performance of the corresponding operation,

WT = TxCXt)N+ T/Yt)N+ TzCZt)N'

Efforts Q4i4ik in bars A.iAjk must ensure the energy identity

Wk+ ~+ WT = 2:QAjAjk (LAjAjk)t = We'

With the notation (4), the energy balance equation (7) takes the form

m(xtt) M[ (x,) p M + <py,tC <l>~~,I)M + <pz,tC l1>~~,

+ crx,,( l1>~~,,) t)M]

t)M + <pz,tC <l>~~,t)M]

t)M + cry,tC l1>~~,
+ m(Ytt) M[ (Yt) p + crx,,( l1>~~,

+ m(Ztt) M[ (Zt) p + crx, t( l1>~x,

I)M + cry,,( l1>~y,t)M + crz,,( <l>~tz,I)M]
+ crx, tcrx, tlx + cry, t<Py,tly + crz, tcrz, tlz

+ (T)x N [( Xt ) p+crx,t (l1>xt

cpX,t) N+cry,tCl1>CPy,t)N+cr
xt xl
z,tC<Dcpz,,)N]
The projections of forces at each point Q1 j
are equal to the sum of the corresponding projections of the
A"A"k A" AA"l A"A"2
forces in the bars Qi v J fixed at these points Qi J = Qi V J + Qi J V •
jAjk
Since the position ofthe rods AjAjk at any moment oftime is known, the projection offorces Q1 can
jAjk
be determined by their magnitude Q'VAjk and directional cosines Q1 = Q1iAjkcOS(Xi' AjAjk) at
COS(Xi' AjAjk) = [(Xi) Aj - (Xi) Ajkll L AjAjb for example,

cos(x,AAI) = [(X)A-(X)AlJ/LAAl, cos(x,AA2) = [(x)A-(X)A2]jLAA2.

Equating the coefficients of the velocities (xr)p, (Yr)P, (zr)P, <Px,r' <Py,t, <pz,t on the left and right sides of
the energy balance (7), we obtain an inhomogeneous system of six linear equations

which contains six unknown longitudinal forces QAJAik occurring in the platform supporting rods AjAjk with
generalized coordinates a
i E (Xi' <Pxi) and their rates ai, r E (Xi. r' <Pxi.r), tlIee equations each for the linear
velocities of the pole

and the angular velocities of rotation of the platform

"",AAI QAAl "",AA2 QAA2 "",BB.l QBBl <l>BB? QBB2
'VCPXI,t + 'VCPXI,t + 'VCPXI,t + cpXI,t
CCl CCI CC2 CC2
+ <I>cpxi,tQ + <I>cpxi,tQ = <I>cpxi,t

On the right-hand sides of Eqs. (8a) and (8b), we use the notation

<Pxi,t = m(xi, tt)M + (Tx;)N'

with the summation over Xi, t, for example,

<Pcpz,t = m(Xtt)M(Q.);~, t)M + m(Ytt)MC<P~~Y)M + m(Ztt) M(Q.)~Z, t)M

xt) N+ (T)y N (yt<Pcpz,t)N+
+ (Tx)N ( <Pcpz,t () T ("",zt ) J
z N '¥cpz,t N+ <Pz,tt z·

The coefficients of the linear velocities on the left-hand side of Eqs. (8a) coincide with the directional
cosines of rods in their current state <p:{,~jk = (Xi,Aj -xi,Ajk)/LAjAjb for example,

Q.)~l = [(X)A - (x)Ad/ LAA1, <p:: 2

= [(X)A - (X)A2]/ LAA2,

<p~Cl = [(z)c- (Z)Cl]/ LCC1, <p~C2 = [(z)c- (Z)C2]/ LCC2'

For factors with the angular velocity on the left-hand side of Eqs. (8b), if we take point A as pole P, we
obtain
AAl
<Pcpxt = 0,
AA2
Q.)cpxt = 0,
AAl
<Pcpyt = 0, "",AA2
'Vcpyt = , ° rn,AAl _
'Vcpzt -
° ,
For the remaining factors, we can use the abbreviated notation (with the summation over x;)
<DAiAik _ { ) xi I
cpxi,I - [(Xi) Aj - (Xi Aik]/ LAiAik}( <Dcp.;i,I }~i'

SSI xl yl
<DCPXI= {[(xh- (x)Sd/ LSBI }(<Dcpxlh + {[(yh - (yhl]/ LSBI }(<DcpXlh

+ {[(zh - (zhd/ LSS1 }(<I>~~I)S'

rh CCZ {[ ) ( } xl yl
'Pcpzl = (X C- x)C2]/Lccz (<DcpzJC+ {[(Y)C-(Y)C2]/LcC2}(<DcpzI)C

+ {[ (Z)C - (Z)CZ]/ Lccd (<D~~t)C'

The solution of the linear system (8) presents no difficulties. If the linear and angular accelerations are
neglected, then the system is converted to the corresponding quasi-equilibrium state ofthe system.
Consider the special case of the translational motion divided in time and then rotary motion of the
platform. Let in the first stage the platform perform translational motion along an arbitrary curve. Angular
displacements, velocities, and accelerations on all three axes go to zero, and Eqs. (1) for the coordinates
take the form Xi = ui + Ui' For the velocities (5) and accelerations, respectively, we obtain Xi I = (Xi I)P,
Xi It = (Xi It)p. The equations for the current length of the rods and their rate of change are converted to'the
form '

(LAAz)1 = [( u + Ux -
A xAZ)UX,1 + (PA + uy - YAZ)Uy, I + (YA + Uz -ZAZ)UZ,I]/ LAAz-
t

from the equation of energy balance (8), we obtain for six unknown forces QA14ik six equations of the type

QAAI(X)A - (X)AI + QAAZ(X)A - (X)AZ) + (QSBl(xh- (Xhl + QSsz(x)s- (x)sz)

(
LAA1 LAAZ LSS1 Lssz

CCl(X)C-(X)CI QCcz(x)c-(x)cz) _ () (T)

+ (Q L + - m XII M + x N'
CCI LcC2

(QSBI(Y)s- (Y)sl + QBSZ(Y)s- (YhZ)(YA - Ys)

LSB1 Lssz

+ (QSBI(Z)s- (Zhl + Qss2(zh - (zhz) (Ps - PA)

LSS1 LBS2

+ (QCCI(Y)C - (Y)Cl + QCC2(Y)C- (Y)C2) (YA - yc)

LcCl LCC2
 + (QCCl(Z)C- (Z)Cl + QCC2(Z)c- (Z)C2) (Bc- BA)
LcCl . Lcc2

= m(Ytt)~YA -YM) + m(Ztt)M(BA - BM) + (TY)N(YA -YN) + (TZ)N(BA - BN)'

Under rotational motion about a fIxed point (ui = 0), we can, for simplicity, break the process into three
phases with rotation relative to one axis for each of them. For example, during rotation relative to the axis
parallel to Ox (ll<px"* 0, ll<py = ll<pz = 0), if as the pole we take the point A, the system (8) retains all six
equations, and the multipliers <1>~;:' take
I the values

xl
<1>cpx, I = 0,

yl
<1>cpy,1 = 0,

Calculations of the efforts, as well as the kinematic characteristics, present no difficulties in any of the
variants of platform motion.
The proposed mathematical model of spatial movement of the pt<itfofin driven by a six -rod mechanism
makes it possible to obtain the components of displacements, velocities, and accelerations and other kine-
matic, energy, and power characteristics of the examined mechanism with the requirements of an execut-
able process, including the following:
-ensuring the movement ofthe working body on the fIxed trajectory with respect to the desired ori-
entation on the whole route or just at the extreme points ofthe trajectory;
-fInding the trajectory of any particle of the mechanism that allows several working bodies to be
placed on a platform;
-identifying the critical ratios between the dimensions where the mechanism ceases to be workable;
-investigating the influence of mass characteristics oflinks and changes in linear and angular accel-
erations on the generalized forces, reduced to the centers of mass oflinks or axes of hinges;
-investigating the behavior of any chosen target function (for example, energy costs for technical
operations) and proposing methods of optimization of the mechanism for its extreme or other values.
The described technique of kinematic and dynamic analysis can be used to increase reliability and
improve the mechanisms of technological machines. For a comparative analysis of the mechanisms, the
identifIcation ofthe most important kinematic and energy characteristics of the mechanism, including the
change in kinetic energy and generalized forces reduced to the centers of mass or axes of hinges, is stipu-
lated.
The solution of the platform management problem when the change in the forces on the support rods
is set and it is required to determine the angular and linear accelerations of the base points can lead to a
system with no solutions in real numbers, if the given changes in forces are inconsistent with the model of
a rigid body, and it is required to spend part of the power on the deformation ofthe rods and the platform
controlled. To solve such problems, we must consider possible types of deformation [6] in the equations
of motion (1), as well the deformation of tension-compression for support rods.

1. Stewart, D., A Platform with Six Degrees of Freedom, UK Institution of Mechanical Engineers Proceedings,
1965-66, vo1. 180, part 1, no. 15.
2. Yurchik, ED., and Bykanova, AYu, Simulation of the Dynamic of Manipulative Mechanisms with Six Degrees
of Freedom, http://www.library.fentu.ru
3. Handel, Y.S., and Sloushch,AY., Power Analysis of the Stewart Platform with Account of Non-Ideality of Con-
nections, http://www.ertan.su
4. Alyushin, YuA., The Principle of Superposition ofthe Motion in the Space of Lagrange variables, Prob!. Mash-
inostr. Nadeznosti Mash., 2001, no. 3, pp. 13-19.
5. Alyushin, Yu.A., Energueticheskie osnovy mechaniki (Energetics Bases of Mechanics), Moscow: Mashinostroe-
nie, 1999.
6. Alyushin, Yu.A., Mechanika processov deformacii v prostranstve peremennyh Lagrangea (The Mechanics of
Deformation Processes in the Space of Lagrange variables), Moscow: Mashinostroenie, 1997.

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