Abstract: The kinematics model of the 6R serial robot is set up by using screw method, which is under the overall description of rigid body movement, and compared with the traditional D-H method, singularity is avoided when describing in local coordinate. However, solving the inverse kinematics is restricted by the sub-problems algorithm when using screw method. Wu’s method is introduced to the process of inverse kinematics, and the algorithm of inverse kinematics is realized by combining the idea of characteristic set with screw method, through the symbolic calculation using mathematics mechanization platform (MMP) and Maple software. Finally, the reliability of the algorithm is illustrated by the calculation of examples. Based on Wu’s method, solving the inverse kinematics equation not only inherits the advantage of screw method but also becomes more independent to sub-problems algorithm, which makes the mechanical calculation much easier. The method can be extended to solving the kinematics problems of robot with other configurations (such as parallel mechanism).

Key words: 6R robot, Inverse kinematics, Screw theory, Wu’s method