Integrated Conceptual Mechatronic Design of a Delta Robot

In this paper, a conceptual design of a Delta robot is developed by means of a mechatronic design methodology. A fully integrated conceptual design, clarifying the recurrence of the conceptual design process using black-box/white-box analysis, is presented using the Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) paradigm and the SysML language as the formal modeling tool. Multiple designs proposals are then evaluated by the non-linear Choquet integral in order to choose the most appropriate according to a multicriteria requirement. For a preliminary conceptual design, structural parameters for the Delta robot are determined by defining and solving a nonlinear constrained optimization problem, which considers the kinematic model of the robot maximizing its workspace. Both the decision making and the optimization problem are integrated and automated into a common software framework for the design process, by using a standard genetic algorithm and Monte Carlo method to set the optimized conceptual design to be rendered in Computer Aided Design (CAD) software and in a physical prototype, satisfying the technical specifications.