An operation command generator includes: an area division unit configured to divide a line on a flat work surface of a target workpiece W into a straight area and a corner area, using a sharp boundary surface; a straight area operation command generation unit configured to generate a command for operating only the linear motion mechanism while keeping the posture of the parallel link mechanism fixed, in the straight area; and a corner area operation command generation unit configured to generate a command so that an acting point of the end effector passes on the boundary surface at a substantially constant speed by the linear motion mechanism and the parallel link mechanism performing coordinated operations in the corner area.

A direct pose feedback (DPF) control method applied to a DPF controlled machine is provided. The DPF control method includes a pose compensation control in addition to the position feedback control. The pose compensation control includes an initiation step, a reference system step, an actual pose calculation step and a position compensation step. The sum of the primary driving value and the compensation driving value is output to the driver of each of the motors. The advantage of the DPF control method is that the existing real-time position control loop in the controller can remain unchanged, while the pose compensation control is added to eliminate tool pose error resulted from geometric errors in the machine. The DPF controlled machine uses a pose measuring mechanism to measure the actual pose of the tool and to compensate the tool pose error. Hence, the DPF controlled machine is free of geometric errors.

A robot control apparatus includes a drive controller configured to control a plurality of motors which are configured to drive a plurality of link mechanisms of a parallel link robot, respectively, and abnormality determination circuitry configured to determine based on state data of the plurality of motors whether at least one of collision of the parallel link robot and dislocation in the link mechanisms occurs.

A coordinate positioning machine that includes: a structure moveable within a working volume of the machine, a hexapod metrology arrangement for measuring the position of the structure within the working volume, and a non-hexapod drive arrangement for moving the structure around the working volume. Also, a coordinate positioning machine including a structure moveable within a working volume of the machine, a drive arrangement for moving the structure around the working volume in fewer than six degrees of freedom, and a metrology arrangement for measuring the position of the structure within the working volume in more degrees of freedom than the drive arrangement.

A coordinate positioning machine that includes: a structure moveable within a working volume of the machine, a hexapod metrology arrangement for measuring the position of the structure within the working volume, and a non-hexapod drive arrangement for moving the structure around the working volume. Also, a coordinate positioning machine including a structure moveable within a working volume of the machine, a drive arrangement for moving the structure around the working volume in fewer than six degrees of freedom, and a metrology arrangement for measuring the position of the structure within the working volume in more degrees of freedom than the drive arrangement.

A machine system includes a machine which performs an operation on a workpiece passing through an operational area, a miss detection section which detects that a workpiece has passed through an operation limit line of the machine in an incomplete operation state, and a notification section which notifies information related to the missed workpiece based on information of the miss detection section.

A device that makes it possible to make the movements of moving platforms safer and relates more particularly to a linear actuator that can be used in a hexapod positioner supporting a load is provided. The actuator is actuated by electric control and comprises at least one hydraulic damper positioned on the actuator such that the forces generated by damping in the event of extreme breakdown are experienced only by the load and are distributed such as to limit force and acceleration peaks.

A carriage with two hexapod platforms, each having a base, a plate, and a set of six cylinders associated in pairs. Each cylinder is articulatedly mounted with the plate. For each pair, a slider is able to move in translation on the base. For a first pair, the two cylinders of the first pair are mounted in an articulated manner on the slider. The articulation of one of the two cylinders of the first pair with the plate is adjacent to the articulation of one of the two cylinders of a second pair with the plate. The articulation of the other of the two cylinders of the first pair with the plate is adjacent to the articulation of one of the two cylinders of a third pair with the plate. For each slider, a movement system moves the slider. A control unit controls each cylinder and the movement system.

A coordinate positioning machine that includes: a structure moveable within a working volume of the machine, a hexapod metrology arrangement for measuring the position of the structure within the working volume, and a non-hexapod drive arrangement for moving the structure around the working volume. Also, a coordinate positioning machine including a structure moveable within a working volume of the machine, a drive arrangement for moving the structure around the working volume in fewer than six degrees of freedom, and a metrology arrangement for measuring the position of the structure within the working volume in more degrees of freedom than the drive arrangement.

A motion simulator is constructed from a base driving an intermediate member via a 6 DOF hexapod, and a platform driven by a 2 DOF simulator is provided on the intermediate member to supplement pitch and roll.