DeltaFlex: An Additively Manufactured Monolithic Delta Robot With Compliant Joints

This study presents the design and validation of a compliant Delta robot created through additive manufacturing (AM) with a monolithic structure. The use of AM expedites the development cycle of robots, enabling faster prototype development and deployment, as well as facilitating experimentation with new robot kinematics. The use of compliant joints poses a challenge in achieving substantial workspaces for robots. However, parallel architectures are well-suited for implementing flexible joints because they require lower ranges of motion for individual joints than serial architectures. Thus the Delta configuration was chosen for this study. A Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) strategy was adopted to minimize the need for support structures and maximize mechanical strength. The overall performance of the Delta was evaluated quantitatively in terms of stiffness and precision. The stiffness test aimed to measure the device’s capability to withstand applied loads, while the repeatability test assessed the robot’s precision and accuracy Moreover, FEM verification was adopted. Structural simulations are a powerful tool for verifying the experimental results of a robotic system. The approach presented in this work offers an interesting avenue for robot design with significant potential for future advancements and practical applications and sheds light on the trade-offs that designers should consider when adopting this methodology.