{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,5]],"date-time":"2025-12-05T19:16:43Z","timestamp":1764962203301,"version":"3.46.0"},"reference-count":25,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"23","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,3]],"date-time":"2025-12-03T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1764720000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Al Agents for Agriculture","award":["AIAA2507"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["AIAA2507"]}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100004608","name":"Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["BK20250646"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["BK20250646"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100004608","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"Key Research and Development Program of Jiangsu Province","award":["BE2022069-3"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["BE2022069-3"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Sensors"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This paper presents the mechanical design and simulation-based validation of a novel compact and low-cost 3-DOF dual-arm robotic system tailored for space-constrained applications such as rescue robotics. The proposed design achieves a fully folded footprint of 366 \u00d7 226.3 \u00d7 100 mm through an orthogonal joint configuration and modular structure, while maintaining a hemispherical workspace for each arm. Key innovations include the following: (1) A cost-optimized architecture with only 3 motors per arm (total system cost ~\u00a32000), enabled by hybrid manufacturing (laser-cut acrylic hull and 3D-printed ASA-CF reinforced links with 3740 MPa flexural modulus); (2) a custom Python-based skeleton modeling tool that automates D-H parameter generation and kinematic analysis, supporting rapid design iteration; (3) verified collision-free operation via point cloud analysis, demonstrating successful target grasping (50 mm objects) and dual-arm coordination despite a 5\u201320 mm deflection tolerance. The system addresses critical limitations in affordable, deployable manipulators, with future work focusing on 3D printing and part manufacturing in industry applications.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/s25237356","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,5]],"date-time":"2025-12-05T18:42:02Z","timestamp":1764960122000},"page":"7356","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["A Mechanical Structure Design and Simulation-Based Validation of a Novel Compact and Low-Cost 3-DOF Robotic Arm"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"25","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-0708-6073","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jiahe","family":"Chen","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Wenzhou Vocational College of Science and Technology, Wenzhou 325006, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Bojun","family":"Jiang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Jiangsu Key Laboratory of 3D Printing Equipment and Manufacturing, School of Electrical and Automation Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0666-3684","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Shu","family":"Zhu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Al Agents for Agriculture, Wenzhou 325006, China"},{"name":"Wenzhou Vocational College of Science and Technology, Wenzhou 325006, China"},{"name":"Jiangsu Key Laboratory of 3D Printing Equipment and Manufacturing, School of Electrical and Automation Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0004-3908-0746","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jun","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Al Agents for Agriculture, Wenzhou 325006, China"},{"name":"Wenzhou Vocational College of Science and Technology, Wenzhou 325006, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,3]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ghodsian, N., Benfriha, K., Olabi, A., Gopinath, V., and Arnou, A. 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