Dynamic modeling and decoupled control of a flexible Stewart platform for vibration isolation

The vibration isolation system is crucial to high-precision space systems. This paper studies dynamics and control of a six-axis vibration isolator via a flexible Stewart platform. The parasitic stiffness induced by flexible joints is considered in dynamics modeling and compensated in control for the first time. The explicit dynamic equations are established based on the pseudo-rigid-body model and the principle of virtual power. After validation by ADAMS/ Flex and the finite element method, the dynamic equations are used for designing a decoupled controller. The control force is synthesized based on the leg's force and position feedback. The impact of bending and torsional stiffness of flexible joints is compensated and the MIMO system is consequently decoupled in modal space, making parameter design and performance implementation more convenient and effective. The identical sub-controller for every SISO system makes the six-DOF isolator achieve the capability of vibration isolation simultaneously for the six modes. With a proportional plus integral compensator as the sub-controller, the vibration isolation bandwidth and active damping can be regulated separately. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.