Optimal design of a 2-DOF pick-and-place parallel robot using dynamic performance indices and angular constraints

•An approach for the dynamically optimal design of a parallel robot is presented.•Two novel normalized dynamic performance indices are proposed for minimization.•The transmission capabilities are represented by two types of pressure angles•The pressure angles are regarded as kinematic constraints to prevent singularities.

This paper presents an approach for the optimal design of a 2-DOF translational pick-and-place parallel robot. By taking account of the normalized inertial and centrifugal/Coriolis torques of a single actuated joint, two global dynamic performance indices are proposed for minimization. The pressure angles within a limb and between two limbs are considered as the kinematic constraints to prevent direct and indirect singularities. These considerations together form a multi-objective optimization problem that can then be solved by the modified goal attainment method. A numerical example is discussed. A number of robots designed by this approach have been integrated into production lines for carton packing in the pharmaceutical industry.