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AbstractIn mechatronic system design, many issues are application of a method of maximizing weighted sums of
very complicated and are under multiple design criteria. In this normalized criteria to system design optimization problems in
paper a general and integrated approach is presented for the Mechatronic Engineering. The traditional design
design of complex electro-mechanical systems. The formal methodology in mechatronics is to separate the overall
approach is based on the concept of Mechatronic Design
system into several sub-systems according to some practical
Quotient (MDQ). Five steps are presented to establish and
optimize an MDQ index. The approach is illustrated with considerations; for example the different disciplines involved,
respect to the engineering decision making processes such as mechanics, electronics and control (software), and
incorporated in manipulator design. Various design aspects of design each subsystem by considering only one perspective at
the complex problem including the number of degrees of a time. In other words, a single guideline (or, criteria) is used
freedom (DOF), kinematic structure, disposition of actuators for each design aspect, and the system is designed
and transmissions, and controller hardware and software, are
sequentially. For example, Townsend [4] used mechanical
addressed. As a specific example, the selection of motors is
considered concurrently under multiple criteria and the bandwidth as a guideline for high-performance manipulator
pertinent decision is made using an MDQ index. design to achieve better trajectory and force control. In
KeywordsMechatronic Design Quotient (MDQ); another design of a manipulator-like system [6], several types
manipulators; multiple criteria optimization of direct-drive servos were considered, and a choice was
made to use brushless direct-current motors in order to
I. INTRODUCTION remove the nonlinear effects in high speed tracking of
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requirements. All feasible solutions together form a speed, and rated torque are also not included in this database
feasible solution space. because they do not provide any constraints to the design.
4) Assign various MDQ indices. According to each MDQ
aspect, there will be a separate design index, which is a Manipulator
measure of the degree to which the particular design Design
solution satisfies the design criterion (MDQ aspect).
Each MDQ index also includes an associated weighting Weighting
Parameters
parameter which indicates the importance of that MDQ aspects
particular attribute in the overall design. Speed Weight Cost
5) Compute the aggregate MDQ index. In this step, one
incorporates all individual design indices and associated
Design
weighting parameters to obtain the value of the overall Index
MDQ index. A final decision is made by selecting the
design with the highest MDQ value. Solution 1 Solution 2 Solution 3
Feasible Design Space
III. AN ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE FOR THE MDQ APPROACH
Many issues are involved in the design of a robotic
MDQ 1 MDQ 2 MDQ 3
manipulator, which is a typical mechatronic system. These
complex problems include the number of DOF, the kinematic
Fig. 2. MDQ flowchart for the illustrative example.
structure, the choice of motors and transmissions, controller
hardware and software, and so on. Not all these issues come
TABLE I
under multiple design criteria or difficult to decide. Hence, it
TARGET SPECIFICATION FOR MOTOR SELECTION
is useful to first identify which ones out of various design
Performance Metric Target specification
issues are necessary for treatment within the MDQ approach.
Consider for example, the decision making related to the Maximum Cost 50 S$
degrees of freedom. If we want to design a manipulator to be Maximum Weight 80g
simple and have a 3-dimensional (3D) workspace at the same
Minimum Rated Speed 15 rpm
time, it is clear that three degrees of freedom are needed in the
Price is indicated in Singapore dollars (S$)
simplest form of a 3D robot. In this case, the decision of the
number of degrees of freedom is not an MDQ issue, whereas TABLE II
under different design goals or performance requirements, the DATA OBTAINED FROM CATALOGUE [7]
DOF might become an MDQ issue. No-Load Rated Rated
Stock Gear Mass Price per unit
Motor selection is a rather complicated issue, which may no. ratio
speed
(rpm)
speed
(rpm)
torque
(Ncm)
(g) (S$)
be treated within the MDQ. Typical design criteria include
245-6089 21:1 125 80 2.5 55 39.30
cost, speed, weight, payload, and so on. In a specific design
245-6095 43:1 60 40 3.8 57 39.30
case, some features can be very significant while some others
can be neglected. We define those criteria (or, features) which 245-6102 90:1 30 18 8.0 58 39.30
matter in the specific design case as MDQ aspects. For 245-6118 188:1 14 9 14.0 59 39.30
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0% - 100%) of the three solutions with respect to speed for j=1, 2m, where m is the total number of feasible
requirement. Similarly, I2 and I3 indicate weight index and solutions (in the present example m=3); 0 Mj d 1.
cost index, respectively. Once we have the database of A final decision can be made by comparing the value of Mj.
feasible solutions for the specific design case, the design The largest value represents the optimal design. In this
index can be easily assigned by intuition or through simple example, the values obtained for the MDQ index are 100%,
engineering knowledge. Iim is used to denote the maximum 72.5%, and 58.75% for solution 1, 2, and 3, respectively.
value of Ii. It indicates the best solution under ith design Hence solution 1 is the optimal design.
criteria. It should be noted that there are many other possible ways
Besides the design index, we also have to assign weighting of determining the values of the design indices Iij. The index
parameters W, which indicate the importance of each MDQ shown in TABLE V can be computed using the absolute
aspect in the optimization of the overall system. In this value of the difference between the design requirement and
example, we assign W1=50%, W2=20%, and W3=30% to the value achieved by the feasible solution. For example, I12 =
indicate that in the present design, speed is the most important 38.46% which is computed as |40-15|/65. The design
attribute while cost comes next, and weight is the least requirement is 15 rpm and feasible solution 2 achieves 40 rpm.
important attribute. 65 is the maximum difference across all solutions and is used
Iij is the performance index for MDQ aspect i using solution as a normalizing factor to result in an Iij = 100% for the best
j. It indicates the level of achievement provided by solution j solution. Using the same example before, the resulting design
to the aspect i. There are many ways to determine Iij. These indices are shown in TABLE V. Note that the MDQ values
can be assigned by the designer using intuition and are different but the best choice is still solution 1. No matter
experience, as shown in TABLE IV. The important what method is used to compute the design indices, the
consideration is to make sure that the relative performance of optimal solution will not change, but their relative MDQ
each solution across each aspect (each column in TABLE IV) indices will change, i.e., the ranking of the feasible solutions
is properly reflected by the relative magnitudes of the indices. is preserved. The pre-condition for this is that the weights
For example, for the speed index, I11 = 80 % is arbitrarily set are maintained.
to indicate an 80% level of satisfaction. I12 = 40 % and I13 =
20% to approximately preserve the relative achievement TABLE V
levels of the other designs. MDQ INDEX VALUE
Speed Weight Cost MDQ
Design Index
TABLE IV Index Index Index Value
MDQ INDEX VALUE
Weighting Parameter 50% 20% 30%
Speed Weight Cost MDQ
Design Index
Index Index Index Value Solution 1 100% 100% 100% 100%
Solution 2 38.46% 92% 100% 67.63%
Weighting Parameter 50% 20% 30%
Solution 3 4.61% 88% 100% 49.9%
Solution 1 80 % 80% 80% 100%
Maximum value Iim 100% 100% 100%
Solution 2 40 % 70% 80% 72.5%
Solution 3 20 % 65% 80% 58.75%
Maximum value Iim 80% 80% 80%
IV. DESIGN OF A 3-DOF MINI-MANIPULATOR
We incorporated the MDQ approach in design of a
Notice that the total weighting value satisfies Equation (1). light-weighted 3-DOF mini-manipulator, which is
n
characterized by small work space and payload but fast,
W
i 1
i 100% (1) precise manipulation capability over that work volume.
The three links of the manipulator are arranged in series as
where n is the total number of MDQ aspects. In the present shown in Fig. 3. One servo motor is mounted at each revolute
example n=3. joint of the manipulator. We set the target specifications as
To compute the MDQ index Mj for solution j, simply follows:
incorporate all the design indices and weighting parameters x Rated payload (payload at rated speed) : 0.02kg
according to Equation (2). x Maximum total weight: 0.8kg
n
x Maximum motor diameter: 0.4m
W I
i 1
i ij x Maximum total length (L1+ L2+ L3): 0.1m
Mj n
(2) x Rated speed 0.5 m/s
W I i im x Rated acceleration: 2m/s2.
i 1
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x3
manipulator. The illustrative example indicated how the
approach of MDQ can lead to an optimized and integrated
design in a systematic manner, with some of the relevant
3 decision makings done through intuition or simple
L3 engineering knowledge. Further work is being done in
2 incorporating the MDQ theory in a mini-manipulator design,
x2 which is under development in the Control Laboratory of
L1
L2 National University of Singapore.
1
x1 ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The first author thanks the National University of
Singapore for funding received through a research
scholarship. We also thank the anonymous reviewers for their
comments on the initial draft of this paper.
Fig. 3. Schematic structure of a 3-DOF mini-manipulator.
REFERENCES
When we come to motor selection problem, performance,
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requirements of the system to torque and speed requirements Publishing Co., New York, NY, 1997.
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get a large set of solutions. These solutions compose the Guideline to High-Performance Manipulator Design, IEEE
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[6] B. V. Beek and B. de Jager, RRR-robot design: basic outlines, servo
we calculate the values for each MDQ aspect, assign various
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A solution which is moderately good in every aspect may [9] V. Pareto. Manuale di Economia Politica. Piccola Biblioteca
Scientifica, Milan, 1906. Translated into English by Ann S. Schwier
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example, the total length must be less than or equal to 0.1m.
Research in Applied Science, Vancouver, BC, Oct. 2005 (In Press).
We have solutions which give total length of 0.06m, 0.07m,
or 0.09m. Smaller total length is favored. But the gap between
adjacent motors will decrease as total length goes down. In
this case, we may not prefer a moderate solution on both
length and gap, because the length is not as important as gap.
Arrangement of motors, type and nature of sensors and
transducers, controller hardware and software etc. will be
further explored in the future research.
V. CONCLUSION
This paper presented a new approach for complex
electro-mechanical system design, based on Mechatronic
Design Quotient (MDQ). It formalized the integrated
approach to system design as needed for mechatronic systems.
The approach was illustrated by considering engineering
decision making that is involved in the design of a robotic
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