Design and Construction of a Didactic 3-DOF Parallel Links Robot Station with a 1-DOF Gripper

The main objective of the construction of a robot station presented in this article is to allow the students to design and produce a feasible-to-build mechatronic device using robust, low-cost components. It is a tool for students to gain experience integrating different mechatronic fields of knowledge, as well as practicing the procedures needed to successfully accomplish their own design. The project starts by describing the target requirements to be achieved by the prototype robot, these requirements will serve as the guideline for the design and further manufacture and testing of the system. The sub-assemblies of the mechanism are analyzed, main technical areas and their processes are discussed individually emphasizing the methods and materials used, then results are presented along with some practical recommendations to extend the scope of the project and improve the performance of the prototype robot. It has been especially important to maintain the didactical approach and design the platform with affordable components that can be easily obtained; this is also true for the tools and software used. The article is also intended to introduce the student to industrial design methodology, allowing for different manufacturing processes and robot architectures to be incorporated for the specific scope of the project and the available tools and facilities.