MENG 372

Chapter 4
Position Analysis

All figures taken from Design of Machinery, 3rd ed. Robert Norton
2003
1
 Coordinate Systems
• Cartesian (Rx, Ry)
• Polar (RA, )
• Converting between the two
R A  Rx 2  R y 2 Rx  R A cos
  arctan  R y Rx  R y  R A sin 

• Position Difference, Relative position

– Difference (one point, two times) Y
RBA B
A
– relative (two points, same time)
RA
RBA=RB-RA RB
2
X
 4.3 Translation, Rotation, and
Complex motion
• Translation: keeps the same angle
• Rotation: one point does not move
• Complex motion: a combination of rotation
and translation

3
 Graphical Position Analysis of
Linkages
Given the length of the links (a,b,c,d), the ground
position, and 2. Find 3 and 4
b
B
c
b
A 3
c
a
2 4
d
O2 O4
4
 Graphical Linkage Analysis
b
• Draw an arc of radius b, c
centered at A
• Draw an arc of radius c,
B1
centered at O4
b
• The intersections are the A 3
two possible positions for c
the linkage, open and a
crossed 2 d 4

O2 O4
B2 5
 Algebraic Position Analysis
Obtain coordinates of point A:
Ax  a cos  2
Ay  a sin  2

Obtain coordinates of point B:

b 2   B x  Ax    B y  Ay 
2 2

c 2   Bx  d   B y
2 2

These are 2 equations in 2 unknowns: Bx and By

See solution in textbook pages 171, 172.

6
 Complex Numbers as Vectors
• We can plot complex numbers on the real-
imaginary plane
• Euler identity e±i=cos  ± i sin 
• Cartesian form: RAcos  + i RAsin 
• Polar form: RAei Imaginary

• Multiplying by eicorresponds to rotating

by 

Real
7
 Analytical Position Analysis
• Given: link lengths a,b,c and d,  (the motor
position)
• Find: the unknown angles  and 

8
 Analytical Position Analysis
Write
 the vector
 loop
 equation:
R2  R3  R4  R1  0
(Positive from tail to tip)
Substitute with complex vectors
aei 2  bei 3  cei 4  dei1  0

Take knowns on one side, unknowns on the other.

Call the knowns Z
i 3 i 4 i 2 i1
be  ce  ae  de Z
Unknowns Knowns
9
 Fourbar Linkage Analysis
i 3 i 4 i 2 i1
be  ce   ae  de Z
Define: s  ei3 , t  ei4 bs  ct  Z
Take conjugate to get a second equation: bs  ct  Z
 i3 1 1
For the conjugate of s we have (only true for e ) s  e i  i3 
e s
So our second equation is
b c
 Z
s t
1
Note: Z
Z
10
 Fourbar Linkage Analysis
b c
bs  ct  Z  Z
s t
Use algebra to eliminate one of the unknowns
b c
bs  Z  ct Z 
Multiplying the two gives: s t
c
b  ZZ  Z  Z ct  c 2
2

t
Multiplying by t and collecting terms gives:
0  Z ct   ZZ  c  b t  Zc
2 2 2
Quadratic equation in t

From the quadratic formula t 


 ZZ  c  b 
2 2
  ZZ  c 2
b 
2 2
 4c 2 Z Z
2Z c
Z  ct
s
b 11
 Fourbar Linkage Analysis
t
   ZZ  c
 ZZ  c 2  b 2  2
 b2  2
 4c 2 Z Z
s
Z  ct
2Z c b

• In MATLAB, 0  Z ct   ZZ  c  b t  Zc
2 2 2

Zc=conj(Z) B1
t=roots([Zc*c,Z*Zc+c^2-b^2,Z*c]) b
A 3
• 4=angle(t), 3=angle(s) c
• Two solutions relate to the a
open and crossed 2 d 4
positions O2 O4
B2 12
 MATLAB
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Type in your commands here … or

Use a text editor

13
>> a=2; b=3; c=4; d=5;
>> th1=0; th2=60*pi/180; >> th4=angle(t)*180/pi
>> z=-a*exp(i*th2)+d*exp(i*th1)
th4 =
z= B
4.0000 - 1.7321i 114.7975
-161.6240 b
>> zc=conj(z)
A 3
>> th3=angle(s)*180/pi
zc = c
4.0000 + 1.7321i
th3 =
>> t=roots([zc*c,z*zc+c^2-b^2,z*c]) a
39.2750
2 4
t= -86.1015 d
-0.4194 + 0.9078i
-0.9490 - 0.3153i O2 O4
>> s=(z+c*t)/b

s=
0.7741 + 0.6330i
0.0680 - 0.9977i

14
 Inverted Crank Slider linkage
• Given: link lengths a, c and d,  (the motor
position), and  the angle between the slider and rod
• Find: the unknown angles  and and length b

15
 Inverted Crank Slider linkage
• Write the vector loop equation
   
R2  R3  R4  R1  0
• Substitute with complex vectors
ae i 2  be i 3  cei 4  de i1  0
• Geometry keeps
3 4 
• so
i 2 i   4   i 4 i1
ae  be  ce  de  0

16
 Inverted Crank Slider
i 2 i   4   i 4 i1
ae  be  ce  de  0
• Grouping knowns and unknowns
i   4   i 4 i 2 i1
be  ce  ae  de  Z
i 4 i
• Calling s  e and t  e
• Gives bst  cs  Z  s (bt  c)
• Taking the conjugate to get the second equation
1 1 
s (bt  c)  Z   b  c 
s t 
• Multiplying the two gives
 1 2
b  bc t    c  ZZ
2

 t 17
 Inverted Crank Slider
 1 2
b  bc t    c  ZZ
2

 t
• The solution is a quadratic
equation in b
 1
0  b  c  t   b  c  ZZ
2 2

 t
• Which has a solution of
     
2
c t  1  t 1 c 2  4 c 2  ZZ
t t
b
2
• b=roots([1 c*(t+1/t),c^2-Z*Zc])
Z
• Once b is known, s can be found using s 
bt  c
18
 Crank Slider Mechanism
• Given: link lengths a, b and c,  (the motor
position)
• Find: the unknown angle  and length d

19
 4.8 Linkages of More than Four Bars
• Geared fivebar linkage
• vector loop equation
    
R2  R3  R4  R5  R1  0
• Complex vectors
i 2 i 3 i 4
ae  be  ce
i 5
 de  f  0
• Separate unknowns and knowns (5=)
i 3 i 4 i 2 i 5 (same eqn.
be  ce   ae  de  f  Z
as 4bar)
20
 Sixbar Linkages
• Watt’s sixbar can be solved as 2 fourbar linkages
• R1R2R3R4, then R5R6R7R8
• R4 and R5 have a constant angle between them

21
 Sixbar Linkages
• Stephenson’s sixbar can sometimes be solved as a
fourbar and then a fivebar linkage
• R1R2R3R4, then R4R5R6R7R8
• R3 and R5 have a constant angle between them
• If motor is at O6 you have to solve eqns. simultaneously

22
 Position of any Point on a Linkage
• Once the unknown angles have been found it is
easy to find any position on the linkage
• For point S
Rs=sei( + )
2 2

• For point P
RP=aei  +pei ( + )
2 3 3

• For point U
RU=d +uei ( + ) 4 4

23
Using MATLAB (Spring 2007)

24
 Transmission Angle
• Extreme value of transmission angle when links 1
and 2 are aligned
 b  c   d  a       arccos
2 2 2 2 2
 b  c   d  a  2

1  arccos  2  
2bc  2bc 
 

Extended
Overlapped

25
 Toggle Position
• Caused by the colinearity of links 3 and 4.
 a 2
 d 2
 b 2
 c 2
bc 
 2toggle  cos 
1
  0   2toggle  
 2ad ad 
• For a non-Grashof linkage, only one of the values
between the () will be between –1 and 1
 

 Overlapped

 
2
Extended
2
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