Research and development of various parallel mechanism applications in engineering are now being performed more and more actively in every industrial field. Parallel robot based machine tools development is considered a key technology of robot applications in manufacturing industries. The material covered here describes the basic theory, approaches, and algorithms in the field of parallel robot based machine tools. In addition families of new alternative mechanical architectures which can be used for machine tools with parallel architecture are introduced. Given equal importance is the design of mechanism systems such as kinematic analysis, stiffness analysis, kinetostatic modeling, and optimization.

Parallel structures are more effective than serial ones for industrial automation applications that require high precision and stiffness, or a high load capacity relative to robot weight. Although many industrial applications have adopted parallel structures for their design, few textbooks introduce the analysis of such robots in terms of dynamics

Parallel robots are closed-loop mechanisms presenting very good performances in terms of accuracy, rigidity and ability to manipulate large loads. Parallel robots have been used in a large number of applications ranging from astronomy to flight simulators and are becoming increasingly popular in the field of machine-tool industry. This book presents a complete synthesis of the latest results on the possible mechanical architectures, analysis and synthesis of this type of mechanism. It is intended to be used by students (with over 100 exercises and numerous Internet addresses), researchers (with over 500 references and anonymous ftp access to the code of some algorithms presented in this book) and engineers (for which practical results and applications are presented).

Gathering presentations to the First International Conference on Cable-Driven Parallel Robots, this book covers classification and definition, kinematics, workspace analysis, cable modeling, hardware/prototype development, control and calibration and more.

The topics addressed in this book cover the whole range of kinematic analysis, synthesis and design and consider robotic systems possessing serial, parallel and cable driven mechanisms. The robotic systems range from being less than fully mobile to kinematically redundant to over constrained. The fifty-six contributions report the latest results in robot kinematics with emphasis on emerging areas such as design and control of humanoids or humanoid subsystems. The book is of interest to researchers wanting to bring their knowledge up to date regarding modern topics in one of the basic disciplines in robotics, which relates to the essential property of robots, the motion of mechanisms.

Machine tools are the main production factor for many industrial applications in many important sectors. Recent developments in new motion devices and numerical control have lead to considerable technological improvements in machine tools. The use of five-axis machining centers has also spread, resulting in reductions in set-up and lead times. As a consequence, feed rates, cutting speed and chip section increased, whilst accuracy and precision have improved as well. Additionally, new cutting tools have been developed, combining tough substrates, optimal geometries and wear resistant coatings. “Machine Tools for High Performance Machining” describes in depth several aspects of machine structures, machine elements and control, and application. The basics, models and functions of each aspect are explained by experts from both academia and industry. Postgraduates, researchers and end users will all find this book an essential reference.

The robotics is an important part of modern engineering and is related to a group of branches such as electric