Kinematics and Dynamics of Machinery

Linkage Synthesis

Sourav Rakshit
204 Machine Design Section
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 Topics

1 Dimensional Synthesis

2 Graphical Synthesis
Two-Position Synthesis
Three-Position Synthesis
Quick-Return Mechanisms

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 Dimensional Synthesis

Dimensional Synthesis

Definition: It is the determination of the proportions (lengths) of the links

necessary to accomplish the desired motions. (We will restrict to planar
linkage synthesis problems)
Motion generation: It is the control of a line in the plane such that
it assumes some prescribed set of sequential positions, i.e., the linkage
has to be so designed that a rigid body (say, the coupler of a 4-bar
linkage) can be guided in a prescribed manner.
Path generation: It is defined as the control of a point in the plane
such that it follows some prescribed path.
Function generation: It is defined as the correlation of an input
motion with an output motion in a mechanism.

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 Graphical Synthesis Two-Position Synthesis

Two-Position Function Generation

Prob: Design a 4-bar Grashof crank-rocker to give 45◦ of rocker rotation
with equal time forward and back, from a constant speed motor input.

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 Graphical Synthesis Two-Position Synthesis

1. Draw the output link O4 B in

both extreme positions, B1 &
B2 s.t. the desired angle of
motion θ4 is subtended.
2. Draw chord B1 B2 & extend it
in either direction.
3. Select pt O2 on B1 B2 extended.
4. Bisect B1 B2 & draw a circle of
that radius about O2 .
Intersection pts are A1 & A2 .
5. Length of coupler = A1 B1 or
A2 B2 .

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 Graphical Synthesis Two-Position Synthesis

6. Measure ground link len 1,

crank len 2, rocker len 4.
7. Check Grashof criterion; if
non-Grashof last 5 steps with
O2 further from O4 .

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 Graphical Synthesis Two-Position Synthesis

Two-Position Motion Generation

Prob: Design a 4-bar linkage to move link CD from position C1 D1 to
C2 D 2 .

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 Graphical Synthesis Two-Position Synthesis

1. Draw link CD in its 2 desired

positions C1 D1 & C2 D2 .
2. Draw lines from C1 → C2 &
D1 → D2 .
3. Bisect C1 C2 & D1 D2 and
extend their ⊥ bisectors to
intersect at O4 . Their
intersection is called the
rotopole.
4. Select a convenient radius and
draw an arc about the rotopole
to intersect both lines O4 C1 &
O4 C2 at B1 & B2 resp.

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 Graphical Synthesis Two-Position Synthesis

Repeat steps 2–7 of last example.

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 Graphical Synthesis Three-Position Synthesis

Three-Position Motion Generation

Prob: Design a 4-bar linkage to move the link CD shown from position
C1 D1 to C2 D2 and then to C3 D3 . Moving pivots are at C & D. Find fixed
pivot locations.

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 Graphical Synthesis Three-Position Synthesis

1. Draw lines C1 → C2 &

C3 → C3 .
2. Bisect C1 C2 & C2 C3 & extend
their ⊥ bisectors to meet at O2 .
3. Repeat last 2 steps for D1 D2 &
D2 D3 . They intersect at O4 .

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 Graphical Synthesis Three-Position Synthesis

Link 2 = O2 C1
Link 4 = O4 D1
Link 3 = C1 D1
Link 1 = O2 O4
Check Grashof condition.

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 Graphical Synthesis Three-Position Synthesis

Three-Position Synthesis with Specified Fixed Pivots

Prob: Invert a 4-bar linkage which moves the link CD from
C1 D1 → C2 D2 → C3 D3 . Use specified fixed pivots O2 & O4 .

Soln: 2 parts: 1st find the inverted positions of the ground link
corresponding to the 3 coupler positions specified. Next, using the
inverted ground link positions, find the fixed pivots for that inverted
motion, then reinvert the resulting linkage to create the moving pivots for
the 3 positions of the coupler that use the selected fixed pivots.
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 Graphical Synthesis Three-Position Synthesis

1. Draw construction arcs from C2

to O2 & from D2 to O2 whose
radii define sides of ∆C2 O2 D2 .
This defines the relationship of
the fixed pivot O2 to the
coupler line CD in the 2nd
coupler position as shown in fig.
2. Draw construction arcs from C2
to O4 & from D2 to O4 whose
radii define sides of ∆C2 O4 D2 .
This defines the relationship of
the fixed pivot O4 to the
coupler line CD in the 2nd
coupler position as shown in fig.

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 Graphical Synthesis Three-Position Synthesis

3. Now transfer this relationship

back to the 1st coupler position
C1 D1 so that the ground plane
position O20 O40 bears the same
relationship to C1 D1 as O2 O4
bore to the 2nd coupler position
C2 D2 . By doing this we have
pretended that the ground
plane moved from O2 O4 to
O20 O40 instead of coupler moving
from C1 D1 → C2 D2 . We have
thus inverted the problem.

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 Graphical Synthesis Three-Position Synthesis

4. Repeat the process for the 3rd

coupler position as shown in
top fig. Transfer the 3rd
relative ground link position to
the 1st (reference) position as
shown in bottom fig.

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 Graphical Synthesis Three-Position Synthesis

5. The 3 inverted positions of the

ground plane that correspond to
the 3 desired coupler positions
are labeled O2 O4 , O20 O40 , &
O2 ”O4 ” and have also been
renamed as E1 F1 , E2 F2 & E3 F3
respectively as shown in fig.
These correspond to the 3
coupler positions in the original
prob (bottom fig.). Note that
the original 3 lines C1 D1 , C2 D2 ,
& C3 D3 are now not needed in
the linkage synthesis.

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 Graphical Synthesis Three-Position Synthesis

6. Draw construction lines from

E1 → E2 & E2 → E3 .
7. Bisect lines E1 E2 & F1 F2 &
extend ⊥ bisectors to meet at
G.
8. Repeat above 2 steps for F1 F2
& F2 F3 . ⊥ bisectors of F1 F2 &
F2 F3 meet at H.

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 Graphical Synthesis Three-Position Synthesis

9. GE1 = link 2.
HF1 = link 4.
E1 F1 = coupler = link 3.
GH = fixed link 1.
10. Now reinvert the linkage to
return to the original
arrangement. E1 F1 is really the
ground link O2 O4 , and GH is
really the coupler. Bottom fig.
shows reinversion of the linkage
in which points G & H are now
the moving pivots on the
coupler & E1 F1 is the ground
link O2 O4 .

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 Graphical Synthesis Three-Position Synthesis

11. Now introduce the

original line C1 D1 in
correct relationship to
O2 O4 at the initial
position as shown in fig.
This forms the required
coupler plane and defines
a minimal shape of link
3.

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 Graphical Synthesis Three-Position Synthesis

12. The angular motions

required to reach the
2nd and 3rd positions of
line CD are the same as
those in bottom fig. for
linkage inversion.
∠F1 HF2 = ∠H1 O4 H2
and
∠F2 HF3 = ∠H2 O4 H3 .
The angular motions of
links 2 & 4 are the same
for both inversions as
the link excursions are
relative to one another.
13. Check Grashof condition.
This is a non-Grashof
linkage.
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 Graphical Synthesis Quick-Return Mechanisms

4-bar Quick Return Mechanism

The above crank-rocker mechanism gives 2 positions for the rocker with
equal time for the forward & backward stroke. As crank center O2 is on
B1 B2 extended, the crank sweeps equal angles= 180◦ between the toggle
positions. This is called a non-quick-return mechanism.
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 Graphical Synthesis Quick-Return Mechanisms

If the crank center O2 is located off B1 B2 extended, the crank will sweep
unequal angles between the toggle positions giving unequal time when the
crank rotates at constant velocity. These angles are α & β.
Time ratio = TR = α/β defines the degree quick-return of the linkage.
If motion is reversed, it becomes a quick-forward mechanism.
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 Graphical Synthesis Quick-Return Mechanisms

Design of 4-bar Linkage for given QR Ratio

TR = αβ and α + β = 360◦
Define construction angle = δ = |180◦ − α| = |180◦ − β|
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 Graphical Synthesis Quick-Return Mechanisms

Prob: Design a 4-bar mechanism with time ratio = 1:1.25 and 45◦ output
rocker motion.

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 Graphical Synthesis Quick-Return Mechanisms

1. Draw the output link O4 B in

both extreme positions such
that the desired angle of
motion θ4 is subtended.
2. Calculate α, β & δ. Here
α = 160◦ , β = 200◦ , &
δ = 20◦ .
3. Draw a construction line
through B1 at any convenient
angle.
4. Draw a construction line
through B2 at angle δ from the
1st line.
5. O2 is the intersection of the 2
construction lines.
6. O2 O4 is the ground link.
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 Graphical Synthesis Quick-Return Mechanisms

7. Calculate the lengths of the

crank & the coupler by
measuring O2 B1 & O2 B2 &
solve simultaneously:
Coupler + crank = O2 B1
Coupler - crank = O2 B2
8. Graphical determination of
crank & coupler:
Swing an arc centered at O2
from B1 to cut line O2 B2
extended at B10 . The line
B2 B10 = 2 times the crank
length. Bisect it to get crank
length O2 A1 .
9. Calculate Grashof condition. If
non-Grashof, repeat steps 3 − 8
with O2 further from O4 .
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