Efficient kinematics of a 2-1 and 3-1 CDPR with non-elastic sagging cables

International audienceSolving the kinematics of CDPR is complex as soon as cable sagging is taken into account. We are considering here CDPRs having 2 cables whose extremities are attached at the same point on the platform (i.e. CDPRs allowing only translational motion). Regarding the cables we assume that they are nonelastic but have a mass so that they will exhibit sagging. We first show that the inverse and direct kinematics (IK and DK) amount to solve a square system of equations. We then show that these systems of equations may be reduced to solving an equation in a single variable that cannot be solved analytically but can easily be solved numerically. Using this result we show that the sagging will play a role on the result of the IK/FK only if the load mass is lower than a threshold. We then present some preliminary results regarding the case of 3 cables which is much more complex: the IK may be reduced to solving an equation in a single variable but this solving is numerically difficult. Here again it seems that sagging may be neglected if the load mass is high enough. We also present a preliminary analysis of the 3-1 case