Development Of Simulation Debugging Platform For Truss Manipulators Based On Inventor

Manipulator is a kind of automatic device which can fetch and handle materials. In automatic production lines combined with NC machine tools, they assist in picking, loading and unloading materials, which can save the manpower and improve production efficiency to a large extent. With the rapid development of modern manufacturing technology, the robot manipulator is constantly upgrading, and getting more widely used. Shenyang Machine Tool Plant design and produce a kind of NC machine tool applied in the automatic production line, which uses truss manipulators as loading and unloading device, using the NC programs to control their movements. The NC programs which control truss manipulators are always debugged in practical test directly. This method has a poor efficiency, and it may collide with others which cause unnecessary losses. So they need a virtual simulation platform to reach the debug target safely and easily.According to the actual needs, the author tried to develop a simulation debugging platform for Truss Manipulators in an automatic line. The main work is as follows:(1) Based on a full field investigation and reading a flood of literature, the author is aware of the demands and development goals on the platform, and puts forward the plan of the platform, with the main framework and function modules divided.(2) Studying related knowledge such as the file data exchange in Autodesk Inventor and assemblies’ lightweight, the3D assemblies is completed. To determine the model driven solutions, a comparison among the Inventor related functions is done, which lays a foundation for driving the3D models.(3) According to structure and format of the general NC program, the author compares and analyzes the NC programs of truss manipulators. Combined with the requirements of driving constraints, the algorithm of parsing the NC programs is proposed.(4)Using the secondary developing technology of Autodesk Inventor (API), an add-in is created to establish communication with the Inventor. And the interface of the simulation platform is designed integrating with the NC program parsing module.(5) Test the platform by using examples.