Parallel kinematic machines for an application in shoes manufacturing: from the conceptual design to the first experimental campaign

ITIA-CNR has been investigating in the last years the peculiarities and potentialities of machines based on Parallel Kinematic Structure (herein "PKM"). The outcome of these developments are represented by different physical prototypes but also by design methodologies and software tools, used also to support industrial companies willing to develop PK machines. This paper presents the application of those tools to the complete development of an industrial prototype for light deburring in shoes manufacturing with three degrees of freedom based on a PK structure plus a wrist with two rotational dof.