Design of an electromagnetic prismatic joint with variable stiffness

Purpose This paper aims to propose an electromagnetic prismatic joint with variable stiffness. The joint can absorb the sudden shocks and improve the natural dynamics of robotics. The ability of regulating the output stiffness can also be used for force control in industrial applications. Design/methodology/approach Unlike some existing designs of variable stiffness joints (VSJs) in which the stiffness regulation is implemented using the stiffness adjustment motor and mechanisms, the main structure of the electromagnetic VSJ is a permanent magnet (PM) arranged inside coaxial cylinder coils. The adjustment of input current can cause the change of magnetic force between the PM and the cylinder coils, and thus leads to the variation of output stiffness. Findings According to the theoretical model, the output stiffness of the electromagnetic VSJ is linearly proportional to the input current. The experiments further indicate that the current-controlled stiffness can make the stiffness variation response of this VSJ more rapid for practical applications. Due to the large damping introduced by the copper-based self-lubrication bearings, the VSJ shows good properties in motion positioning and trajectory tracking. Originality/value In summary, the electromagnetic VSJ is compact in size and light in weight. It is possible to realize the online adaptability to work conditions with dynamic load by using this VSJ.