Abstract: The hydraulic Stewart platform has characteristics of low natural frequency, high cost and large size which make it difficult to obtain optimum performance with high dynamic response. A new optimal method for Stewart platform based on natural frequency is presented. The numerical model for the platform especially considering both the swing inertia of the cylinder and the piston is developed. Influences of structural parameters such as the cylinder area, the mass and the dimensions of different parts on natural frequency are analyzed. The optimal method has advantages of high precision and efficiency, which provides a new theoretical research technique to optimize the structural parameters as well as to check the results of the actual natural frequency. This new method is valuable for design and optimization for hydraulic Stewart platform.

Key words: Natural frequency, Optimization, Stewart platform, Coupling, Hot stamping, Temperature field, Time-averaged heat flux