Development of a Smart Winch System for a Robust Cable-Driven Parallel Robot Application

The cable-driven parallel robot (CDPR) is a new type of robot different from traditional serial and parallel robots, with a large workspace and high dynamic characteristics. Applications of CDPR in industrial fields have significantly increased. In particular, CDPR has been successfully applied to huge radio telescope systems and high-speed moving camera systems for sports broadcasting. Along with diverse applications, various studies are being conducted to improve the robust and precise control of CDPR. Among the components of CDPR, the winch that controls cable length and tension is one of the key components directly affecting control performance. An algorithm utilizing sensors equipped in a winch to detect winch errors can improve the robustness of robots by providing the winch with the ability to compensate for errors. Performance testing of the smart winch system was carried out, including CDPR positioning tests using the smart winches.