Parallel Kinematic Machines (PKMs) contain architectures that attempt to combine the dexterity of robots and the accuracy of machine tools. An American-European PKM forum was held in Milan, Italy in August-September 1998, funded jointly by the National Science Foundation and its counterpart of the European Union. It provided a forum for presentation and discussion of the latest research efforts and future research challenges by American and European researchers from academia, industry and government labs. The Year 2000 PKM Conference will be a follow-up of the previous PKM forum. It will be held on September 13-15, 2000 in Ann Arbor, MI, in order that the conference participants can also attend the International Machine Tool Show that will be held in Chicago right before the PKM conference. The topics covered by this conference will include both theoretical developments and industrial applications such as computer aided configuration tools for the design and optimization of various parallel and hybrid kinematic structures; light-weight and precision mechanical joints; novel linear and rotary actuators; advanced metrology techniques and strategies; new control concepts; and CAD/CAM systems for trajectory planning.
This conference will be the first one on PKMs held in the United States. It is expected to be of significant interest and value to researchers in the field of machine tools, robotics, mechanisms, and multi-body dynamics & control, and of practical importance to the future developments and applications of PKM technologies.
