  This paper focuses on the performance evaluation of the parallel manipulators
for milling of composite materials. For this application the most significant
performance measurements, which denote the ability of the manipulator for the
machining are defined. In this case, optimal synthesis task is solved as a
multicriterion optimization problem with respect to the geometric, kinematic,
kinetostatic, elastostostatic, dynamic properties. It is shown that stiffness
is an important performance factor. Previous models operate with links
approximation and calculate stiffness matrix in the neighborhood of initial
point. This is a reason why a new way for stiffness matrix calculation is
proposed. This method is illustrated in a concrete industrial problem.
