Meen201101088 3 link Robotic Arm

Complex Engineering Problem

Finite Element Method

Submitted By:
Ubaid UR Rehman

Reg No#
Meen-201101088

Submitted To:

Engr. Saad Farooq.

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 Meen201101088 3 link Robotic Arm

Khwaja Fareed
University of Engineering & Information
Technology
Rahim Yar Khan

Department: Mechanical Engineering

Program: B.S
[Course Code] Course Name: MEEN 4154 Course Instructor: Engr. Syed Saad Farooq
Finite Element Method

Total Marks: 15 Weightage: 15 %

Assigned Date 03-05-2024 Submission deadline 25-05-2024

COMPLEX ENGINEERING PROBLEM ASSIGNMENT (SESSION 2020/2021)

According to the Washington Accord complex engineering problems are problems

that:
A. Cannot be resolved without in-depth engineering knowledge.
B. Involve wide-ranging or conflicting technical, engineering and other issues.
C. Have no obvious solution and require abstract thinking and originality in analysis to formulate suitable
models.
D. Involve infrequently encountered issues.
E. Outside problems encompassed by standards and codes of practice for professional engineering.
F. Involve diverse groups of stakeholders with widely varying needs.
G. High level problems including many component parts or sub-problems.
H.
Assignment Title: Design and FEA Analysis of three - link actuator for the pick and
place mechanism
[CLO-1, II, III]
The design engineers were given the task of material handling of raw materials from one
workstation to another workstation in CNC shop by their operational managers. This can only be
done if the design purposed by the design engineers must be within the sufficient and necessary
boundary conditions in executing the task. Analysis must contain the right information of
required masses to be lifted by the actuator links. Their operational managers are expecting that
by carefully inspecting, deformation and stress-strain analysis on links, the report must contain
hand calculations and the ANSYS validation.

Answer the following essentials which can be the best elaboration by the design team to the
operational managers.

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Meen201101088 3 link Robotic Arm

Part A. Initiate the need of uplifting any part shape. Identify the links and joints accordingly.
Part B. Draw the free hand sketch and 3D solid works modeling of that design.
Part C. Suppose the type of beam element/s and mention the necessary and sufficient conditions
for robotic arm to function easily.
Part D. Formulate the global stiffness matrix and force-displacement relation by properly
mentioning of nodes. Find the applied stresses and strains due to lifting of parts in links.

Part E. Import your solid works design in ANSYS and check deformation, stresses and strains
using colored graphics bar.
Part F. Mention the element size and type of mesh applied for its analysis.
Part G. Suggest any correction for balancing out the forces and the body to be in equilibrium. It
is necessary that the corrections must lead to the safe design of the robotic arm.
Deliverables
It is expected that each student will submit their own report, to include the following sections:
• Assuming the correct interdependent design parameters for robotic arm. Mention the
type of applied force (point load, UDL, UVL) through line of force and the number
of supports. Draw free body diagram. By assuming the required DOFs, set the joints
accordingly. (10%)
• There must be proper dimensioning of the robotic arm. Additionally illustrate all the
commands of solid works need to model the robotic arm. (10%)
• With respect to the previous information, set the required beam element for its link
assembly. Beam material must also be chosen. Its young’s modulus and pre
requisites like moment of inertia to be used later for finding its stiffness matrix. By
carefully examining the number of supports, the correct boundary conditions must be
chosen. (10%)
• The report must contain all the mathematical procedure that leads towards the
formulation of global stiffness matrix. See the number of nodes and identify the
number of unknown displacements with the forces and reactions. Consequently then
compute the stress and strains. (20%)
• Elaborate the effects of these masses on the links by importing the design into
ANSYS. Explain each colored graphics bar (20%)
• Use the proper validation and verification procedure and see the effects on the
robotic arm examination by varying the mesh sizes and the type of mesh. See if any
minute stress-strain changes can be seen. Suggest the changes in proposed design for
minimum deformation and reduced stresses and strains. (20)
• Report (10%)
The presentation of technical reports is important because it can make a significant difference to
how easy the report is to read. The following points should be noted when writing your report
(these have been taken from the guidance given for journal and conference papers).
Abstract: Your report should include an abstract of no more than 100 words, summarizing the
topic being reported and the main output.

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Meen201101088 3 link Robotic Arm

Nomenclature: Any symbols used in your report should be listed with their definition given.
The symbols should be listed in alphabetical order within the subsets: Roman
upper-case, Roman lowercase, Greek upper-case, Greek lower-case.
Sections: Sections should be numbered. Typically, section headers are in bold and can be
uppercased.
Sub-sections: Sub-sections should be numbered indicating which main section they are part of.
Typically, sub-section headers are in sentence case, and can be in bold and
italics.
Figures: Figures should be captioned below (i.e., appear with a figure title), numbered and
referred to from the main body of the text. Do not wrap text around a figure.
Tables: Tables should be captioned above (i.e., appear with a table title), numbered and
referred to from the main body of the text. Do not wrap text around a table.
References: References and general layout should follow the IEEE format.
Font: Times new roman font should be used. Normally, a font size 11 may be used for all text.
For tables and figure annotations, a smaller font size (but at least a font size of 8) may be used. In
all cases, text, tables and figure annotations should easily be readable.

Rubrics:
Assessment Weighting Excellent Good Satisfactory Needs Unsatisfactory
Criterion (%) Improvement (0)
(4) (3) (2)
(1)
Identification 10 Accurate Identification Attempted for Minimal No attempt for
of links and finding of the with minor identification attempts for identification
joints with constraints. errors or with the
respect to the Clear, omissions but significant identification
proposed wellorganized, mostly errors and a of links and
weight limits and error-free accurate and lack of clarity. joints
work. wellorganized.
Drawing and 10 Accurate Suggestion Barely Lame drawing No attempt to
3D solid model with with minor acceptable according to draw model
works model. proper errors or with the constraints according to
dimensioning omissions but significant described in the part ‘A’
mostly errors and a part ‘A’
accurate and lack of clarity.
wellorganized.
Beam element 10 Accurate Supposition Attempted a Minimal No attempt to
supposition supposition. with minor supposition attempts for supposition
errors or with the
Clear,
omissions but significant supposition
wellorganized,
mostly errors and a according to
and error-free
accurate and lack of clarity. the conditions
work.
wellorganized. described
previously.
Formulation 20 Well explained Formulation Formulation Bad No

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Meen201101088 3 link Robotic Arm

of global formulation with minor having formulation formulation

stiffness Clear, errors or significant and direct shown
matrix wellorganized omissions but errors and a putting of
all steps. mostly lack of values in
accurate. clarity and already set
missing of matrices.
steps.
Analysis in 20 Accurate Less accurate Attempted an Minimal No attempt for
ANSYS analysis with with minor analysis attempts for its Analysis
respect to errors or having errors analysis.
applied forces omissions but and a lack of
and boundary mostly clarity in
conditions accurate and
Clear, wellorganized. colored bars
wellorganized, trend.
and error-free
work.
Suggestion of 20 Well applied Well written Well applied Ill applied and No attempt for
possible and executed applied and and executed executed variations in
changes in mesh styles executed mesh mesh styles styles with no mesh styles
design for the with clear, styles with with analysis and and no
safe wellorganized, minor errors significant faulty significant
declaration of and error-free or omissions errors and a suggestions. suggestions in
design by work. Trouble but mostly lack of clarity. design.
varying mesh shooting and accurate. Suggestions
styles and suggestions Suggestions are just
element sizes are excellent. are also acceptable.
accurate.
Report- 10 Wellorganized, Organized and Somewhat Report lacks No attempt at
making clear report clear report organized and organization report
with no with minor clear report, and clarity, presentation.
significant errors or but with with numerous
errors. omissions in significant errors.
Includes an formatting, errors or lack
abstract, grammar, or of clarity.
nomenclature, structure.
appropriately
numbered
sections, and
wellcaptioned
figures and
tables.
Follows IEEE
format for
referencing.

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Meen201101088 3 link Robotic Arm

Table on Contents
List of Figures................................................................................................................................8
List Of Tables.................................................................................................................................8
Abstract........................................................................................................................................10
PartA:............................................................................................................................................10
Operational Need:......................................................................................................................10
Solution:.....................................................................................................................................10
Identification of Links and Joints:.............................................................................................10
 Links:..................................................................................................................................11
 Joints...................................................................................................................................11
Part B............................................................................................................................................12
Solid works modeling..................................................................................................................12
Sketching in Solid Works:.........................................................................................................12
Types of lines:............................................................................................................................14
Assembly Command:.................................................................................................................19
Mates:.........................................................................................................................................19
Material Data...........................................................................................................................20

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Meen201101088 3 link Robotic Arm

Part C............................................................................................................................................22
Suppose the type of beam element/s and mention the necessary and sufficient conditions for
robotic arm to function easily....................................................................................................22
Fine meshing.................................................................................................................................22
Part D(Matrix).............................................................................................................................24
Part E(Ansys Report)..................................................................................................................27
Project*.......................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Units...........................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Model (A4).................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Geometry....................................................................................................................................27
Coordinate Systems....................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Connections................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Parts............................................................................................................................................28
Mesh...........................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Transient (A5)............................................................................................................................29
Joint - Rotation...........................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Solution (A6).....................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Conclusion....................................................................................................................................36

List of Figures
Figure 1 3 links with one fixed support.........................................................................................10
Figure 2 links.................................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 3 Hand sketch.....................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 4 Sketching Planes..............................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 5 Line command.................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 6 Circle command...............................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 7 Rectangles........................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 8 spline...............................................................................................................................18
Figure 9 SolidWorks model...........................................................................................................20
Figure 10 fine mashing..................................................................................................................23
Figure 11 Geometry Model............................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 12 Geometry Import...........................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 13 Materials........................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 14 Global Coordinate System fixed at................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 15 Ground To Part..............................................................................................................27
Figure 16 figures showing joints...................................................................................................28
Figure 17 Joints..............................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 18 Mesh..............................................................................................................................29
Figure 19 Total Deformation graph...............................................................................................30

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Figure 20 Equivalent Stress graph................................................................................................32

Figure 21 Equivalent Stress...........................................................................................................33
Figure 22 Equivalent Elastic Strain...............................................................................................34
Figure 23 Equivalent Elastic Strain...............................................................................................35

List Of Tables
Table 1 Sketch snaps.....................................................................................................................12
Table 2 Slot Commands.................................................................................................................17
Table 3 stiffness matrix.................................................................................................................25
Table 4 global stiffness’ matrix.....................................................................................................25
Table 5 Deformation /stress/ strain................................................................................................26
Table 6 Geometry Import (A3.......................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 7 Geometry..........................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 8 > Parts...............................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 9 Coordinate System............................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 10 > Connections.................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 11 Contact Regions..............................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 12 Joints >............................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 13 > Mesh............................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 14 Results.............................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Table 15 Total Deformation..........................................................................................................30
Table 16 Total Deformation..........................................................................................................31
Table 17 Equivalent Stress............................................................................................................32
Table 19 Equivalent Elastic Strain................................................................................................34

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Meen201101088 3 link Robotic Arm

Abstract
ANSYS simulation and SolidWorks modeling were used in this multidisciplinary investigation
into the design and analysis of a robotic arm. Using a design parameter and loading
circumstances as a starting point, we created a thorough SolidWorks model that ensured accurate
dimensioning and thorough modeling process visualization. I accurately represented the behavior
of the arm by selecting triangle components and stealing material attributes using finite element
analysis, and I derived a global stiffness matrix using mathematical formulations. We were able
to use the impacts of masses on the arm's linkages thanks to ANSYS, and the robustness of our
methodology was demonstrated by our validation efforts, which included sensitivity assessments
on mesh sizes and kinds.

Part A: Initialization

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Meen201101088 3 link Robotic Arm

Initiating the need for uplifting any part shape and identifying the links and joints
Understanding the operational needs and obstacles the shop floor faces is crucial to kicking off
the demand for uplifting components inside the company. Using computer-controlled
technology, CNC machining entails precisely molding raw materials into finished items. On the
other hand, the flow of raw materials between workstations in the shop may act as a production
bottleneck.

Operational Need:
 Inefficiencies in material handling can lead to delays in production schedules, increased
downtime, and higher operational costs.
 Manual handling of raw materials can pose safety risks to shop floor workers and may result in
ergonomic issues over time.
 Automation of material handling tasks can improve productivity, reduce errors, and enhance
overall shop floor efficiency.
Solution:
 Implementing a robotic arm for material handling can address these challenges effectively. A
robotic arm offers precision, speed, and flexibility in transporting raw materials between
workstations.
 By utilizing a robotic arm, the CNC shop can automate the transfer of raw materials, reducing the
reliance on manual labor and streamlining the production process.
 The robotic arm can be programmed to handle various shapes and sizes of raw materials,
ensuring versatility in its operation.
Identification of Links and Joints:

Figure 1: 3 Links with one fixed support

In the design of the robotic arm, 3 links and 8 joints play l roles in enabling its movement and
functionality. 1st one attached with a fixed support shown in cad model.

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Meen201101088 3 link Robotic Arm

 Links: These are the structural components of the robotic arm that connect the joints and form
its kinematic chain. Each link contributes to the overall reach and maneuverability of the robotic
arm.
 Joints: Joints are the points of articulation within the robotic arm, allowing for rotational or
translational motion. Common types of joints include revolute joints (allowing rotational motion)
and prismatic joints (allowing linear motion).

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Part B: 2D & 3D Modeling

Sketching in Solid Works:
In SOLID WORKS, feature creation starts with sketches. Features serve as the building blocks
for parts, which can then be assembled to form assemblies. Drawings can also include sketch
entities. Features from SOLID WORKS are intelligent enough to be altered.
In SOLIDWORKS, sketches are like the base of a skyscraper—you couldn't build one without
them! One of the most important components of producing intelligent and adaptable models is
well-developed sketches. In this lesson, we'll cover a number of sketching tools and techniques
and teach you the knowledge you need to begin producing your own.

 Because this is the first sketch in the new part, the system automatically displays the three
default planes in the model, which act as the primary sketching surfaces in the model.
 Additionally, any planar or flat faces of existing geometry can be used as sketching
surfaces. To proceed, select one of the planes in the graphics area.

Sketch Snaps:
Each Sketch Snap allows you to automatically snap to selected entities as you sketch. By default,
all Sketch Snaps except Grid are enabled. You can control all Sketch Snaps through snap
options.

Table 1: Sketch Snaps

Sketch Snap Tool Description

End points and Snaps to the end of the following sketch entities: lines, polygons, rectangles,
sketch points parallelograms, fillets, arcs, parabolas, partial ellipses, splines, points, chamfers,
and centerlines. Snaps to the center of arcs
Center Points Snaps to the center of the following sketch entities: circles, arcs, fillets,
parabolas, and partial ellipses.
Midpoints Snaps to the midpoints of lines, polygons, rectangles, parallelograms, fillets,
arcs, parabolas, partial ellipses, splines, points, chamfers, and centerlines.
Quadrant Points Snaps to the quadrants of circles, arcs, fillets, parabolas, ellipses, and partial
ellipses.
Intersections Snaps to the intersections of entities that meet or entities that intersect.
Nearest Supports all entities. Clear Nearest Snap, to enable all snaps. Your pointer does
not need to be in the immediate vicinity of another sketch entity to show
inference or snap to that point. Select Nearest Snap, and snaps are enabled only
when the pointer is in the vicinity of the snap point.
Tangent Snaps to tangents on circles, arcs, fillets, parabolas, ellipses, partial ellipses, and
splines.
Perpendicular Snaps a line to another line.
Parallel Creates a parallel entity to lines.
Horizontal/vertical Snaps a line vertically to an existing horizontal sketch line, and horizontally to an
lines existing vertical sketch line.
Horizontal/vertical Snaps a line vertically or horizontally to an existing sketch point.
to points

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Length Snaps lines to the increments that are set by the grid, without requiring display of
the grid.
Angle Snaps to angles. To set the degrees, click Tools > Options > System Options >
Sketch, select Relations/Snaps, and set a value for Snap angle.
Sketch Entities:
 Line Command
 Rectangle Command
 Circle Command
 Arc Command
 Slot Command
 Polygon Command
 Spline Command
 Ellipse Command
 Parabola Command
 Cone Command

Line Command:
The Line Sketch entity tool provides the ability to sketch multiple 2D lines in a sketch. The Line
Sketch entity uses the Insert Line Property Manager.

 The Line command provides different types of orientations:

As sketched:
Sketch a line in any direction using the click and drag method. Using the click-click method, the
as sketched option provides the ability to sketch a line in any direction, and to continue sketching
other lines in any direction, until you double-click to end your process.
Horizontal:
Sketch a horizontal line until you release your mouse pointer.
Vertical:
Sketch a vertical line until you release your mouse pointer.
Angle:
Sketch a line at an angle until you release your mouse pointer.

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Types of lines:
For Construction:
Converts the selected sketch entity to construction geometry.
Infinite Length:
Creates a line of infinite length which you can later trim in the design process.
Circle Command:
A circle is sketched using the Circle tool and then sized, that is, given a diameter value, using the
Smart Dimension tool. There are two circle tools: Circle and Perimeter Circle.
There are two types of circle
 Circle
 Parametric circle
To sketch a circle:
 Click the New tool at the top of the screen, click the Part tool on the New SolidWorks
Document dialog box, and click OK.
 Click the Front drawing plane tool in the Document Properties box. A small toolbar will
appear.
 Click the Sketch tool. The circle will be created on the Front plane in the Sketch mode.
To sketch a parametric circle:
 Create a New Part document.
 Click the Top drawing plane tool in the Document Properties box.
 Click the Sketch tool.
 Set the Units for millimeters.
 Click the Perimeter Circle tool.
 The Perimeter Circle tool is a fly out from the Circle tool.
 Click three points on the screen. Make one of the points coincidental with the origin.
 Right-click the mouse and click the Select option.

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Rectangle Command:
There are five different methods that can be used to create a rectangle, including the Corner
Rectangle tool explained in the previous section. This section will describe how to sketch a
rectangle using the other four methods.
To Sketch a corner rectangle:
 Create a New Part document.
 Click the Top drawing plane tool in the Document Properties box.
 Click the Sketch tool.
 Set the Units for inches.
 Click the Center Rectangle tool.
 Select the origin for the first corner point.
 Move the cursor and select the second corner point, right click the mouse, and click the
Select option.
 Click the Smart Dimension tool and add dimensions to the rectangle.
 Right-click the mouse and click the Select option.
 The rectangle is fully defined.

To sketch a 3-point corner rectangle:

 Access the Sketching tools, define a plane, and the inch units.
 Click the 3 Point Corner Rectangle tool.
 The 3 Point Corner Rectangle tool is a flyout from the Corner Rectangle tool icon.
 Locate the first point on the origin.
 Move the cursor horizontally and define a second point.
 Move the cursor vertically and define a third point.
 Use the Smart Dimension tool and define the rectangle’s size


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To sketch the 3 point center rectangle:

 Access the Sketching tools, define a plane, and the inch units.
 Click the 3 Point Center Rectangle tool.
 The 3 Point Center Rectangle tool is a flyout from the Corner Rectangle tool icon.
 Locate the first point on the origin.
 Move the cursor horizontally to the right and define a second point.
 Move the cursor vertically and define a third point.
 Click the green OK check mark.
 Use the Smart Dimension tool and define the rectangle’s size.

To sketch the parallelogram:

 Access the Sketching tools, define a plane, and the inch units.
 Click the Rectangle tool.
 The Parallelogram tool is a flyout from the Rectangle tool icon.
 Locate the first point on the origin.
 Move the cursor horizontally and to the right and define a second point.
 Move the cursor vertically and at an angle and define a third point.
 Click the green OK check mark.
 Use the Smart Dimension tool and define the rectangle’s size.

Arc Command:
To access Arc Command:
 To access the slot tools:
 Sketch tab. Click the Slot Command Manager, to select slot tools from the Slot fly out
tool.
 Menu. Click Tools > Sketch Entities to select slot tools
 Slot Property Manager. Change slot tools in the Slot Property Manage

Arc Tool Arc Properties

Types
Center Sketches arcs from a center point, a start point, and an end point.
point Arc

Tangent Sketches arcs that are tangent to sketch entities.

Arc

3 Point Sketches arcs by specifying three points (start, end, and midpoint).
Arc

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Slots Command:
To access the slot tools:

 Sketch tab. Click the Slot Command Manager, to select slot tools from the Slot fly out
tool.
 Menu. Click Tools > Sketch Entities to select slot tools
 Slot Property Manager. Change slot tools in the Slot Property Manager.

Table 2 Slot Commands

Slot Tools Properties

Type

Straight Sketches a straight slot using the two end points.

Slot

Center Sketches a straight slot from the center point.

point
Straight
Slot

3 Point Sketches an arc slot using three points along the arc.
Arc
Slot

Center Sketches an arc slot using the center point of the arc radius and the two end points.
point
Arc
Slot
Polygon Command:

 Click Polygon Tool_Polygon_Sketch.gif on the Sketch toolbar, or click Tools > Sketch
Entities > Polygon.
 The pointer changes to Pointer_Polygon.gif.
 Set the properties in the Polygon Property Manager as necessary.
 Click in the graphics area to place the center of the polygon, and drag out the polygon.
 To sketch another polygon, click New Polygon and repeat steps 2 through 5.
 Click ok.

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Spline Command:

Spline have two or more points.

 Click spline (Toolbar) tools>sketch entities>spline. The pointer will automatically

change to spline.
 Click the place where you have to draw the first segment.
 Click out and drag the pointer to the next point.
 Repeat the each segment and you can get the complete spline.
 The spline property Manager appear.
 Click ok.

Figure 2: Spline

Ellipse Command:
To create Ellipse:
 Click Ellipse on sketch toolbar Tools>Sketch Entities>Ellipse.
 The pointer changes to ellipse sketch.
 Click on the graphic area on which the center of the ellipse.
 Drag and click the major axis of the ellipse.
 Drag and click the minor axis of the ellipse.

Partial Ellipse:
 In an open sketch, click Partial Ellipse on the Sketch toolbar, or click Tools > Sketch
Entities > Partial Ellipse.

The pointer changes to .

 Click in the graphics area to place the center of the ellipse.
 Drag and click to define one axis of the ellipse.
 Drag and click to define the second axis.

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 Drag the pointer around the circumference to define the extent of the ellipse, then click to
complete the ellipse.

Parabola Command:
To create a parabola:
 Click Parabola Tool_Parabola_Sketch.gif (Sketch toolbar) or Tools > Sketch Entities >
Parabola.
 The pointer changes to Pointer_Parabola.gif.
 Click to place the focus of the parabola and drag to enlarge the parabola.
 The parabola is outlined.
 Click on the parabola and drag to define the extent of the curve.

Extrude Command:
 Creating Solid Bodies from 2D Sketches
 Extending Sketches in Specified Directions
 Symmetrical and Asymmetrical Extrusions

Extrude Cut Command:

 Removing Material from Existing Bodies
 Defining Removal Areas with Sketches
 Creating Holes, Pockets, and Intricate Patterns

Loft Command:
 Generating Complex Shapes by Blending Profiles
 Creating Smooth Transitions and Organic Contours
 Utilizing Multiple Sketch Profiles for Lofting

Ensuring Accuracy in Symmetrical Design Elements

Screw Command:
 Facilitating Threaded Connections in Assemblies
 Defining Thread Specifications
 Generating Accurate Screw Threads Automatically

Assembly Command:
 Initiating the Assembly Environment
 Importing Parts into the Assembly Workspace

Creating Relationships and Constraints between Components

Mates:
In assembly following mates are being used for assembling
 Coincident Mate: Aligning Faces or Edges of Components
 Parallel Mate: Ensuring Parallel Alignment between Faces or Edges

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 Perpendicular Mate: Establishing Perpendicular Alignment between Faces or Edges

 Distance Mate: Specifying a Fixed Distance between Components
 Angular Mate: Defining a Fixed Angle between Components
 Cylindrical Mate: Aligning Cylindrical Faces or Edges
 Tangent Mate: Ensuring Tangential Alignment between Components
 Concentric Mate: Aligning Axes or Cylindrical Faces of Components
 Symmetric Mate: Creating Symmetrical Relationships between Components
 Width Mate: Specifying the Width of Components in Relation to Each Other
 Profile Center Mate: Aligning Profiles or Center Points of Components

Solid works modeling

Figure 3: Base of robotic arm

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Figure 4: Part 1

Figure 5: Part 2

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Figure 6: Part 3

Figure 7: Part 4

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Figure 8: Final Assembly

Material Data
Structural Steel
Structural Steel > Constants

Density 7.85e-006 kg mm^-3

Coefficient of Thermal Expansion 1.2e-005 C^-1
Specific Heat 4.34e+005 mJ kg^-1 C^-1
Thermal Conductivity 6.05e-002 W mm^-1 C^-1
Resistivity 1.7e-004 ohm mm

Structural Steel > Color

Gree
Red Blue
n
132 139 179

Structural Steel > Compressive Ultimate Strength

Compressive Ultimate Strength MPa
0

Structural Steel > Compressive Yield Strength

Compressive Yield Strength MPa
250

Structural Steel > Tensile Yield Strength

Tensile Yield Strength MPa

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250

Structural Steel > Tensile Ultimate Strength

Tensile Ultimate Strength MPa
460

Secant Coefficient of Thermal Expansion

Zero-Thermal-Strain Reference Temperature C
22

Structural Steel > Strain-Life Parameters

Strength Strength Ductility Ductility Cyclic Strength Cyclic Strain
Coefficient MPa Exponent Coefficient Exponent Coefficient MPa Hardening Exponent
920 -0.106 0.213 -0.47 1000 0.2

Structural Steel > Isotropic Elasticity

Young's Modulus MPa Poisson's Ratio Bulk Modulus MPa Shear Modulus MPa Temperature C
2.e+005 0.3 1.6667e+005 76923

Structural Steel > Isotropic Relative Permeability

Relative Permeability
10000

Part C: Modeling
Suppose the type of beam element/s and mention the necessary and sufficient
conditions for robotic arm to function easily.

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Meen201101088 3 link Robotic Arm

Using curved beam and triangular fine elements in finite element analysis (FEA) offers several
advantages them hours CNC machine have to handle a weight of 1 KG from 1 ground all the stresses and
strains are calculated according to one KG weight and the machine is made-up of stainless steel whose
properties are mentioned at the end of report then deformation the stress strain curves and all the data are
calculated by considering one 1 KG weight

Accurate Modeling: Curved beam elements allow for more accurate representation of complex
geometries, such as curved or non-linear shapes, compared to traditional straight beam elements.

Reduced Element Count: Curved beam elements can provide more efficient meshing compared to
using a large number of straight elements to approximate a curved shape. This can lead to faster
computation times and reduced memory usage.

Improved Stress Distribution: Curved beam elements can provide a more accurate distribution of
stresses and strains along the length of the beam, especially in regions of high curvature or bending.

Better Prediction of Displacements: Curved beam elements can better capture the deformation
behavior of structures with curved geometry, leading to more accurate predictions of displacements and
deflections

Fine meshing
Using a fine mesh in finite element analysis (FEA) can provide several benefits, particularly when
analyzing complex structures or phenomena. Here are some advantages of using a fine mesh:

Accuracy: Fine meshes capture the intricate details of the geometry, resulting in more accurate
simulations. This is especially important for structures with small features, sharp corners, or regions of
high stress concentration.

Detailed Results: A fine mesh yields more detailed results, including precise stress distributions,
displacement gradients, and strain contours. This level of detail allows for a better understanding of the
structural response under various loading conditions.

Convergence: Fine meshes improve the convergence behavior of the FEA solution. Convergence refers
to the stability and accuracy of the numerical solution as the mesh is refined. A fine mesh helps ensure
that the solution converges to a stable and accurate result.

Boundary Effects Mitigation: Fine meshes reduce boundary effects by accurately capturing the
behavior of the structure near boundaries and interfaces. This is particularly important for structures with
complex boundary conditions or contact interactions.

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Meen201101088 3 link Robotic Arm

Figure 9: Fine meshing

Part D: Mathematical Modeling

Formulate the global stiffness matrix and force-displacement relation by
properly mentioning of nodes. Find the applied stresses and strains due to
lifting of parts in links.

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Meen201101088 3 link Robotic Arm

Adding length of each link in each matrix then we will get we are considering three links that’s
why yeah three matches when we merge them we got global stiffness matrix as shown below.
All the calculations are done on excel.

Global Stiffness Matrix

Step 1

First of all, define the Nodes and Elements

Nodes:
Node 1: Base (Fixed)
Node 2: Joint between Base and First Link
Node 3: Joint between First Link and Second Link
Node 4: Joint between Second Link and Third Link
Node 5: Joint between Third Link and End-Effector
Beam Elements:
Element 1: Link between Node 1 and Node 2 (Length = 1m)
Element 2: Link between Node 2 and Node 3 (Length = 1m)
Element 3: Link between Node 3 and Node 4 (Length = 0.5m)
Element 4: Link between Node 4 and Node 5 (Length = 0.2m)

Local Stiffness Matrix for a 2D Beam Element

For a 2 D beam element, the local stiffness matrix [k ] can be formulated using the beam theory.
For element e with nodes i and j :

[ ]
12 6 L −12 6 L
EI 6 L 4 L2 −6 L 2 L2
[ e ] 3 −12 −6 L 12 −6 L
k =
L
2 2
6 L 2 L −6 L 4 L

where:

 E is the Young's modulus

 I is the moment of inertia of the beam cross-section
 L is the length of the beam element

Element 1 (length= 1m)

[ ]
1 0.5 −1 0.5
6 0.5 0.3333 −0.5 0.1667
K e =2.4 × 10
−1 −0.5 1 −0.5
0.5 0.1667 −0.5 0.3333

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Meen201101088 3 link Robotic Arm

Element 2 (length = 1m)

The stiffness matrix for Element 2 is the same as for Element 1 since the length is the same.

[ ]
1 0.5 −1 0.5
6 0.5 0.3333 −0.5 0.1667
K e =2.4 × 10
−1 −0.5 1 −0.5
0.5 0.1667 −0.5 0.3333

Element 3 (length = 0.5m)

[ ]
12 3 −12 3
9 3 1 −3 0.5
K e =1.6 × 10
−12 −3 12 −3
3 0.5 −3 1

Element 4(length = 0.2m)

[ ]
12 1.2 −12 1.2
9 1.2 0.16 −1.2 0.08
K e =25 ×10
−12 −1.2 12 −1.2
1.2 0.08 −1.2 0.16

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Meen201101088 3 link Robotic Arm

Part E: Analytical Solution

Ansys Analysis

Figure 10: Engineering Data

Figure 10: Geometry

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Meen201101088 3 link Robotic Arm

Figure 11: Explode

Figure 12: Ground to Body Fixation

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Meen201101088 3 link Robotic Arm

Figure 13: Body to Body Revolute

Figure 14: Joints Revolution & Constraints

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Meen201101088 3 link Robotic Arm

Figure 15: Chuck Constraints

Figure 16: Rotation Direction of 1st & 2nd Link

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Meen201101088 3 link Robotic Arm

Figure 17: Rotation Direction of 3rd & 4th

Figure 18: Rotation Direction of End Effector Link

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Meen201101088 3 link Robotic Arm

Figure 19: Time Steps (Part A)

Figure 20: Time Steps (Part B)

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Meen201101088 3 link Robotic Arm

Figure 21: Axis of Rotation for all Joints

Figure 22: Results Processing

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Meen201101088 3 link Robotic Arm

Total Deformation

Figure 23: Total deformation

Stress

Figure 24: Stress Value

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Meen201101088 3 link Robotic Arm

Strain

Figure 25: Strain Value

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Meen201101088 3 link Robotic Arm

Part F : Meshing
Meshing Credentials
For the finite element analysis (FEA) of the robotic arm, the following mesh parameters were
used:
Table 3: Meshing Details

Parameter Value/Description

Element Size 10 mm

Mesh Type Fine mesh

Number of Elements 45,548

Element Size
The element size was set to 10 mm because we use least boundary thickness/length.
Mesh Type
- A fine mesh type was selected to enhance the accuracy of the simulation results. The fine
mesh ensures that the geometric complexities and load interactions within the robotic arm are
accurately represented.
Element Type
Tetrahedral elements were used for meshing, providing a good balance between computational
efficiency and accuracy in representing complex geometries.

Figure 26: Meshing Details

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Meen201101088 3 link Robotic Arm

Part G: Recommendations

Add Counterweights
Reason: Counterweights can balance the moments generated by the extended arm and payload,
reducing the risk of tipping or excessive strain on the base and lower joints.
Details: Install counterweights on the opposite side of the arm's base. Calculate the required
counterweight by ensuring the moments about the base are balanced. This reduces the overall
stress on the structure, particularly at the base joint.

Figure 27: Robotic arm with Counterweight

Use Stiffer Materials for Critical Components

Reason: Higher stiffness materials will reduce deformations, maintaining alignment and
precision during operation.
Details: For components experiencing high bending moments, such as the First and Second
Links, consider materials with a higher Young's Modulus or reinforcing the existing material
with composite layers. This reduces deflections and stress concentrations.
Optimize Joint Design
Reason: Proper joint design can distribute loads more evenly and prevent localized stress
concentrations.
Details: Use larger and stronger bearings in rotary joints to handle higher loads. Implement joint
reinforcement techniques such as gussets or additional bracing. This ensures joints can sustain
the loads without excessive wear or deformation.

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Conclusion:

From all analysis and calculations we concluded that:

Deformation: The deformation observed when lifting a 1kg mass is minimal, with an
average deformation of just 0.1339 mm. This small deformation is negligible and does
not affect the functionality or stability of the robot arm.

Stress: The stress experienced by the robot arm while lifting a 1kg mass is also minimal,
averaging 4.296 MPa.
This low level of stress is well within the material's safety limits, ensuring that the robot
arm can handle the load without risk of damage or failure.

Strain: The strain induced by lifting a 1kg mass is extremely low, with an average strain
of 3.2651e-005 mm/mm. Such negligible strain indicates that the structural integrity of
the robot arm remains intact and unaffected by the load.

Our 3-link robot arm demonstrates excellent performance and stability when lifting a 1kg weight.
The negligible deformation, stress, and strain confirm that the robot arm is not adversely affected

Figure 29 (deformation) Figure 28 (Stress)

bythis load, ensuring reliable and efficient operation. This analysis highlights the robustness of

Figure 30(Strain)
the design, indicating that the robot arm can perform tasks involving similar or even slightly
higher loads without experiencing significant structural impact.

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Meen201101088 3 link Robotic Arm

References
1. W. M. H. W. Kadir, R. E. Samin, and B. S. K. Ibrahim, "Internet Controlled Robotic Arm,"
*Procedia Engineering*, vol. 41, pp. 1072-1078, 2012. doi:
[10.1016/j.proeng.2012.07.284](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2012.07.284).
2. S. Fu and P. C. Bhavsar, "Robotic Arm Control Based on Internet of Things," in *Proc.
2019 IEEE Long Island Systems, Applications and Technology Conference (LISAT)*,
Farmingdale, NY, USA, 2019, pp. 1-6. doi:
[10.1109/LISAT.2019.8817333](https://doi.org/10.1109/LISAT.2019.8817333).
3. R. K. Megalingam, S. Boddupalli, and K. G. S. Apuroop, "Robotic Arm Control Through
Mimicking of Miniature Robotic Arm," in *Proc. 2017 International Conference on
Algorithms, Methodology, Models and Applications in Emerging Technologies
(ICAMMAET)*, Chennai, India, 2017, pp. 1-5. doi: [10.1109/ICACCS.2017.8014622]
(https://doi.org/10.1109/ICACCS.2017.8014622).
4. C. S. G. Lee, "Robot Arm Kinematics, Dynamics, and Control," *IEEE Computer*, vol. 15,
no. 12, pp. 62-80, Dec. 1982. doi:
[10.1109/MC.1982.1653917](https://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/
MC.1982.1653917).
5. W. Kim and J. Song, "Low-cost Robot Arm with 3-DOF Counterbalance," available at:
[https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Low-cost-robot-arm-with-3-DOF-
counterbalance-Kim-Song/d48cba482d087156d9803d50316ecb2710c05892/figure/13]
(https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Low-cost-robot-arm-with-3-DOF-
counterbalance-Kim-Song/d48cba482d087156d9803d50316ecb2710c05892/figure/13).
6. Robotics[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robotic_arm#:~:text=A%20robotic%20arm%20is
%20a,of%20a%20more%20complex%20robot](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Robotic_arm#:~:text=A%20robotic%20arm%20is%20a,of%20a%20more%20complex
%20robot).
7. "Robotic Arm," Universal Robots, available at:
[https://www.universal-robots.com/in/blog/robotic-arm/](https://www.universal-
robots.com/in/blog/robotic-arm/).

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