Design of a re-configurable test stand for a multi degree of freedom compliant robot prototype

Abstract

A test stand was designed and constructed to compress a compliant robot prototype, while measuring the force applied and the displacement of the prototype's end. The prototype is a five degree of freedom, compliant device, which required the design process to preserve these DOF while measuring the force and displacement. To reduce the restriction on the robot's DOF, the final design utilizes a stepper motor and a counterweighted pulley system to apply a compressive force through a single monofilament line. The test stand can accommodate prototypes up to 25 cm in length, and can apply a compressive force up to 6.5N with a resolution of ±0.04N. The displacement can be measured accurately to ±0.064cm.