Design and Analysis of a Compact Tensioning Device for a Cable Drive Manipulator

The cable-driven robot has the advantage of having a terminal motion part capable of generating high velocity and acceleration during movement, providing benefits such as high payload and a larger workspace. Currently, there is a lack of compact devices that can achieve adaptive tension control and force feedback, and can be integrated into common cable-driven robotic arms. This makes it difficult to precisely adjust the tension of the cables in cable-driven robots, greatly limiting their operational precision and payload capacity. To solve these problems, this paper will propose a horizontal moving and stretching tensioning device based on the screw-nut pair. Additionally, an experimental platform is constructed in this study to verify the effects of tension variation and its impact on stiffness. It is demonstrated that the tensioning device can achieve linear changes in tension and affect the elbow joint torsional stiffness of the cable-driven robotic arm.