Design optimization and simulation of a 3D printed cable-driven continuum robot using IKM-ANN and nTop software

Abstract

The first aspect of the paper focuses on presenting the innovative design of a new continuum robot, which was initially conceptualized using SolidWorks and then brought to life through 3D printing. This section illustrates the construction process, detailing the wiring method and the separator between each section of the robot. A key feature of the newly proposed design is the ball-like shape on the upper side of each disk, allowing each disk to rotate freely and gracefully in conjunction with the next one. To further enhance the design, the disk was optimized using nTopology software, an AI-based solution that reduces weight while maintaining performance. This modern engineering tool proved to be instrumental in addressing engineering challenges effectively. Subsequently, both the original and optimized disks were fabricated using 3D printing technology. In addition to the physical construction, the study employed an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) coupled with Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) to simulate the developed model by solving its inverse kinematic model. The findings from this research have paved the way for a new continuum robot design that can be trained using the ANN-PSO method. Furthermore, the powerful nTopology tool was demonstrated to be capable of skillfully optimizing any given components without sacrificing performance.