Mechanisms
Prof.dr.ing. Csaba Antonya
[email protected] DATR
Mechanisms – Lecture 3
Structural analysis of mechanisms
Degrees of Freedom (DOF)
Gruebler equation
Planar, Spherical and Spatial Mechanisms
Optimization
MECHANISMS
2 Lecture 3
DATR
Representing joints (pairs)
One revolute and prismatic joint
4
B 2
C
3
Note: unite elements if they belong to one
link:
2
Two links 1
(1,2)
MECHANISMS
1
3
One link:
1
3
3 Lecture 3
DATR
Passive joint
Passive kinematic pairs:
Have the role of strengthening the
construction of the mechanisms and are
introducing no additional constraint to the
existing joints.
Their presence is imposed by the need to
strengthen the support.
When determining the degree of freedom
they are excluded from the calculation.
MECHANISMS
4 Lecture 3
DATR
Over imposed joints
The kinematic pair is the mobile connection between
two links. When n kinematic elements meet, n-1
kinematic pairs are formed.
Two superimposed
revolute joints
MECHANISMS
5 Lecture 3
DATR
Over imposed pairs, example
1 1 1
5 C 2 F 6
3 E
D
G
A,B 4
MECHANISMS
A: R2-3, f=1 2 C: R1-5, f=1
B: R2-4, f=1 3
D: R5-3, f=1
E: R1-2, f=1
A,B 4 F: R1-6, f=1
G: R6-4, f=1
6 Lecture 3
DATR
Kinematic chain
An assemblage of links and joints,
interconnected in a way to provide a
controlled output motion in response to a
supplied input motion
A kinematic chain is an assemblage of
links by pairs (coupling of rigid bodies by
means of mechanical constraints)
MECHANISMS
7 Lecture 3
DATR
A mechanism
When one link of a kinematic chain is held
fixed, the chain is said to form a
mechanism.
The fixed link is called the ground link or
frame.
A machine:
– A collection of mechanisms arranged to
transmit forces and do work. (Reuleaux’s
definition)
MECHANISMS
– A combination of resistant bodies arranged
to compel the mechanical forces of nature
to do work accompanied by determinate
motions.
8 Lecture 3
DATR
LINK / ELEMENT
KINEMATIC PAIR / JOINT
KINEMATIC CHAIN
MECHANISM
MECHANISMS
MACHINE
9 Lecture 3
DATR
Classification of mechanisms
Based on the connection of the output
member
Open mechanism
An open chain is the one in which the last
link is not connected to the first link. At
least one link has a single pair element.
Closed mechanism
A closed chain is a consecutive set of links
in which the last link is connected to the
first. All links have at least two pair
MECHANISMS
elements. There are single loop closed
chains and multi-loop closed chains.
10 Lecture 3
DATR
Kinematic chain CLOSED
Ground
5 bar linkage
MECHANISMS
A closed chain
mechanism. Ground
Slider-crank
11 Lecture 3
DATR
Kinematic chain OPEN
Ground
MECHANISMS
An open chain
mechanism. Fanuc robot
12 Lecture 3
DATR
Classification of Mechanisms
Based on position occupied in space
Planar Mechanism
Spherical Mechanism (next lecture)
Spatial Mechanism (next lecture)
Exception …(next lecture)
NOTE:
The revolute (R) and Prismatic (P) pairs are
MECHANISMS
the only lower pair joint used in planar
mechanisms.
The screw (H), Cylindric (C), Spherical (S),
and Flat (F) lower pairs are used in 3D
mechanisms.
13 Lecture 3
DATR
Planar Mechanism
Planar Motion – Particles/Points of
Members move in parallel planes
The trajectory of one arbitrary point on the
planar mechanism lies on a plane during
motion.
The trajectory of all points on the planar
mechanism lie on planes which are parallel
to each other.
Examples : Planar Four-Bar Mechanism
MECHANISMS
Slider Crank Mechanism
Cam-Follower Mechanism
Spur/Helical Gear Drives
14 Lecture 3
DATR
Degrees of Freedom (DOF) of a mechanism
Number of coordinate values required to
completely describe the position of all
links in a mechanism
Total DOF ≡ Mobility:
Number of independent inputs required to
determine the position of all links of a
mechanism with respect to a fixed
reference frame (or the base element)
Pairing elements (e.g. joints) in a chain
remove DOF (i.e. reduce mobility) by
MECHANISMS
constraining the position of two or more
links at once
15 Lecture 3
DATR
Mobility analysis
Consider a single link in the plane, DOF=3
y
1
B
φ1
A
y1
x
O x1
MECHANISMS
M=3 (x1, y1, φ1)
16 Lecture 3
DATR
Mobility analysis
Adding another free link adds another 3
DOF
φ2
y 1
y2 2
B C
D
φ1
A
y1
x
MECHANISMS
O x1 x2
M=3 (x1, y1, φ1) M=3 (x2, y2, φ2)
17 Lecture 3
DATR
Mobility analysis
But joining the two links at a revolute
joint reduces the total DOF by 2:
y φ2
1
C, R1-2 , f=1, r=2 (contraints)
BC
2
φ1 D
A
y1
x
MECHANISMS
O x1
M=4 (x1, y1, φ1, φ2)
18 Lecture 3
DATR
Mobility analysis
Consider DOF contributions in a planar
chain of n-links:
DOF of free links -> 3n
Fixed base link -> -3 (base link’s DOF are
removed)
Each 1 DOF joint -> -2 (cf. revolute joint
example)
Each 2 DOF joint -> -1
Let the number of 1 DOF joints = j1
Let the number of 2 DOF joints = j2
MECHANISMS
19 Lecture 3
DATR
Degrees Of Freedom of a planar mechanism
A planar mechanism containing n links
(including the ground link) has 3(n-1)
degrees of freedom before they are
connected by pairs.
A lower pair has the effect of providing
two constraints between the connected
links. Therefore, j1 lower pairs will remove
2j1 degrees of freedom from the system.
A higher pair provides one constraint. So,
j2 higher pairs will remove j2 degrees of
MECHANISMS
freedom from the system.
20 Lecture 3
DATR
Degrees of Freedom (DOF)
Kutzbach’s (modified Groubler) equation
DOF = 3(n – 1) – 2j1 – j2
DOF or M = degree of freedom or mobility
n = number of links, including ground link
j1 = number of 1 DOF joints
j2 = number of 2 DOF joints
MECHANISMS
DOF ≤ 0 structure
DOF > 0 mechanism
(Known also as: Chebychev-Grubler-Kutzbach Relation <CGK>)
21 Lecture 3
DATR
Degrees of Freedom (DOF): open chain
Open loop serial kinematic chain:
c
M fi
MECHANISMS
i 1
The degrees of freedom of each pair are
summed
22 Lecture 3
DATR
Degrees of Freedom (DOF): closed chain
Close kinematic chain (mechanism): the
last link in the chain is fixed to the base
element
c
M fi c c
i 1 M f i DOFof 7 f i 3
MECHANISMS
i 1 i 1
The degrees of freedom of the chain will
decrease with the DOF of the last element
23 Lecture 3
DATR
Degrees of Freedom (DOF): mechanism
The degrees of freedom of each pair are
summed and the kinematic motion space
dimension of each independent loops are
subtracted
S – kinematic motion space dimension (3
planar mechanisms, or 3,4,5,6 spatial)
c
M fi S
i 1
MECHANISMS
24 Lecture 3
DATR
Implications of mobility DOF
B
DOF = 0 motion is impossible and the 2 3
mechanism forms a structure A
1
C
1
DOF = 1 mechanism can be driven by a
single input motion (called also: a
constrained mechanism)
DOF = 2 mechanism requires two
separate input motions to produce
constrained (definite) motion
DOF = 3 etc.
2
DOF < 0 mechanism has redundant
A 11 B
MECHANISMS
constraints – it is over-constrained
(preloaded structure) and is called a
statically indeterminate structure (the
forces in every link cannot be
determined) Lecture 3
DATR
Remember: DOF = nr. of possible inputs
To precisely move and position the links, a
mechanisms need DOF independent inputs
These inputs are actuators or drivers
Usually they are providing rotation or
linear displacement, continuous motion
(usually the rotation) or limited (stoke)
Electric motors
Internal combustion motors
Hydraulic motors
MECHANISMS
Hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders
Screw actuator (a screw mating with a nut)
Hand actuation
26 Lecture 3
DATR
Degrees of freedom - SUMMARY
For a Link – Six in spatial motion, three
in planar motion.
For a Kinematic Pair
Number of independent co-
ordinates/pair variables to specify the
position of one link with another link
(OR) number of independent relative
motions possible between the links.
Maximum five and minimum one in
spatial motion.
MECHANISMS
Maximum two and minimum one in
planar motion.
For a Kinematic Chain/Mechanism –
…(next)
27 Lecture 3
DATR
Degrees of freedom - SUMMARY
For a Kinematic Chain/Mechanism
The number of independent coordinates
needed to define the position of the
element/mechanism...
The number of parameters needed to
determine unambiguously the geometry
configuration of a system in space (sketch
the configuration with known link lengths).
The number of inputs needed to obtain a
predictable output of a mechanism.
MECHANISMS
The number of independently driven joints
DOF>0
28 Lecture 3
DATR
Degrees of Freedom (DOF): mechanism
DOF = degree of freedom or mobility
Kutzbach’s (modified Groubler) equation
DOF = 3(n – 1) – 2j1 – j2
n = number of links, including ground link
j1 = number of 1 DOF joints
j2 = number of 2 DOF joints
OR: c
DOF f i S
MECHANISMS
i 1
S – motion space dimension (3 planar
mechanisms, or 3,4,5,6 spatial)
29 Lecture 3
DATR
Degree of Freedom (DOF) – example
Four Bar mechanism
L=4,
J1 = 4 revolute, pin connections,
J2 = 0
DOF = 3(4 – 1) – 2(4) – (0) = 1
MECHANISMS
1 DOF means only one input (power
source) is needed to control the
mechanism
Lecture 3
DATR
Degree of Freedom (DOF) – example
Slider crank mechanism
L=4,
J1 = 3 pin connections + 1 slider = 4
J2 = 0
MECHANISMS
DOF = 3(4 – 1) – 2(4) – (0) = 1
1 DOF means only one input (power source) is
needed to control the mechanism
Lecture 3
DATR
Degree of Freedom (DOF) – example
Four Bar mechanism
2 B 3
n=4, C
j1 = 4 (4 revolute 4
A
joints)
D
1
1 2 3 4 A: R1-2, f=1
1 - A - D B: R2-3, f=1
MECHANISMS
C: R3-4, f=1
2 A - B
D: R4-1, f=1
3 - B - C
4 D - C -
32 Lecture 3
DATR
Four Bar mechanism
M = 3(4 – 1) – 2(4) – (0) = 1
M = Σfi – S= 4 - 3= 1
M =1
1 DOF means only one 2 B 3
input (power source) is
needed to control the
C
mechanism A
4
D
1
MECHANISMS
33 Lecture 3
DATR
Degree of Freedom (DOF) – example
Slider crank mechanism
B
2
n=4, 3
c1 = 4 (3
4
revolute A
1 translational)
c2 = 0 C D
1 2 3 4 A: R1-2, f=1
1 - A - D B: R2-3, f=1
MECHANISMS
C: R3-4, f=1
2 A - B
D: T4-1, f=1
3 - B - C
4 D - C -
34 Lecture 3
DATR
Slider crank mechanism
M = 3(4 – 1) – 2(4) – (0) = 1
M = Σfi – S= 4 - 3= 1
M =1
2 B 3
1 DOF means only
one input (power
source) is needed to
4
control the
mechanism A
C
D
MECHANISMS
35 Lecture 3
DATR
Degree of Freedom (DOF) – example
Number of links, n = 7,
Number of one DOF joints, j1 = 6 (pins) + 1 (slider) = 7,
Number of two DOF joints, j2 = 1 (fork joint)
DOF = 3(n – 1) – 2j1 – j2 = 3(7-1) – 2(7) – 1 = 3
Fork
Joint
Three input sources are
required to control the 1
mechanism
3
2 4
MECHANISMS
Sprin
5
g Slider
1
6
36 Lecture 3
DATR
Degrees of Freedom (DOF) – trench hoe
Number of one DOF joints, j1 = 12
M
12 11 K,L (pins) + 3 (slider) = 15,
9 J
10 8
I
N
P 7
Number of links, n = 12,
G
6
F Number of two DOF joints,
H
5 j2 = 0
DOF = 3(n – 1) – 2j1 – j2 = 3(12-1) - E
2(15) = 3 4
D
3 hydraulics are used to
control the position of the 3
bucket.
2
C
MECHANISMS
B
1
A
37 Lecture 3
DATR
Examples: mechanisms
Number of links, L = 7,
Number of one DOF joints, J1 = 7
(pins) + 1 (slider) = 8,
1
Number of two DOF joints,
J2 = 0 H
DOF = 3(L – 1) – 2J1 – J2 = 3(7-1) - C
2(8) = 2 6
3 G
4
B 5
MECHANISMS
2
E
F
A 7
D
1 38
1 Lecture 3
DATR
The graph representation of a mechanism
Vertices represent the mechanical parts
(link/element)
The edges represent the joints (pairs) that
connect the parts.
1
2 B 3
H
C
C A I
6 4
3 4 G
E
1 D 7
B 5
2
MECHANISMS
E F II
H F
A D 7 G
6 5
1 1
Number of independent loop: 2
39 Lecture 3
DATR
Mobility analysis – alternative method (Planar case)
Compute mobility in each independent
loop
Sum the mobility of each loop
Remove the degree of freedom of the
common joints
DOFI = 3(5-1)-2*5 = 2
DOFII = 3(4-1)-2*4 = 1
DOF = DOFI + DOFII – fD = 2
MECHANISMS
40 Lecture 3
DATR
Grubler’s Formula Summary
• Grubler’s formula is a theoretical result
formula does not take into account the
geometry (size and shape) of the
mechanism, therefore, it can give
misleading results.
• The actual mobility of a mechanism can
only be calculated by inspection
MECHANISMS
• Grubler’s formula is applicable to a wide
variety of mechanisms commonly
encountered in engineering applications.
Lecture 3
DATR
Exceptions
Sometimes the Kutzback condition will give
an incorrect result.
n = 5, j1 = 6, j2 = 0
DOF = 0
Kutzbach formula gives
wrong mobility because 3
links are parallel and equal
length
MECHANISMS
n = 5, j1 = 6, j2 = 0 DOF = 0
Same result – this time is correct!
42 Lecture 3
DATR
Mechanisms can be classified into three
types according to their nature of motion:
Planar, Spherical, and Spatial Mechanisms
PLANAR (until now)
Particles/Points of Members move in
parallel planes
The trajectory of one point on the planar
MECHANISMS
mechanism lies on a plane during motion.
The trajectory of all points on the planar
mechanism lie on planes which are parallel
to each other.
43 Lecture 3
DATR
Spherical Mechanisms
A rigid body is said to be performing a
spherical motion if the motions of all
particles in the rigid body are confined on
concentric spherical surfaces.
When a rigid body performs a spherical
motion, one of its points remains
stationary.
A spherical mechanism is one in which all
the moving links perform concentric
spherical motions about a common
stationary point, called the spherical
MECHANISMS
center.
In addition, all the joint axes must
intersect at a common point.
44 Lecture 3
DATR
Spherical four-bar linkage (Hook joint)
DOF = 3(n – 1) – 2j1 – j2
B
D
A
MECHANISMS
C
DOF = 3(4-1) – 2*4 = 1
45 Lecture 3
DATR
Cardan Mechanism (Hook’s joint)
Cardan Mechanism (also universal joint or
Hook’s joint) a mechanism that permits
rotation of two shafts at a varying angle
to each other
MECHANISMS
46 Lecture 3
DATR
Spatial (3D) mechanism
A spatial mechanism has at least one body
that moves in a way that its point
trajectories are general space curves.
The rotational axes of revolute joints that
connect the bodies in the system form
lines in space that that do not intersect
and have distinct normal.
DOF = 6(n – 1) – 5j1 – 4j2 – 3j3 – 2j4 –j5
MECHANISMS
Note: the presence of spherical joint
usually indicate a spatial mechanism
47 Lecture 3
DATR
Spatial Slider-crank Mechanism
DOF = 6(L – 1) – 5J1 – 4J2 – 3J3 – 2J4 –J5
=6(5-1) – 5*4 – 3*1 =1
2
3
5 4
E
MECHANISMS
48 Lecture 3
DATR
Motion space S
A.k.a. “loop connectivity” or “spatiality”
S = 3 Planar and Spherical mechanism
S = 6 Spatial Mechanism
S = 4, 5 exceptions
Obtaining the dimension of the motion
space:
Transform the mechanism into a serial
chain considering the last element
detached from the base together with its
joint.
MECHANISMS
Count the permitted motions of the last link
in the chain with respect to the base
DOF = S*(L-1)-(S-1)*J1 – (S-2)*J2 – (S-
3)*J3 - ….
49 Lecture 3
MECHANISMS DATR
50
Lecture 3
DATR
Motion space S =5
MECHANISMS
DOF = 5(4-1) – 4*2 – 3* 2 – 2*0 – 0 = 1
51 Lecture 3
MECHANISMS DATR
52
Lecture 3
MECHANISMS DATR
53
Lecture 3
DATR
Motion space S = 4
MECHANISMS
DOF = 4(5-1) – 3*5 – 2*0 - 0 = 1
54 Lecture 3
DATR
Different motion space in the loops
Compute mobility in each independent
loop (according to the motion space of the
loop)
Sum the mobility of each loop
Remove the degree of freedom of the
common joints
MECHANISMS
55 Lecture 3
DATR
Different motion space in the loops
B
Planar loop I 2 3
DOFI = 3(4-1)-2*4 = 1 A I C
Spatial loops II D
1 4
DOFII = 6(4-1)-5*2-3*2 = 2
II
Common joint: D G E
DOF = DOF I + DOF II – fD = 2 F
6 5
C
B 3
E 5
F
4
2 6
MECHANISMS
A D
G
1 1 1
56 Lecture 3
MECHANISMS DATR
57
Lecture 3
DATR
Planar and spherical mechanisms can be
considered as special cases of spatial
mechanisms.
Four-bar mechanism: perfect parallelism
between the revolute joint axes, no
clearance in the joints, deviation from
parallelism is 0
Try to imagine the influence of small
deviation in the joints for the process of
assembling a four bar mechanism
MECHANISMS
58 Lecture 3
DATR
Step 1: mount the base and the crank
MECHANISMS
59 Lecture 3
DATR
Step 2: the coupler has a small deviation
MECHANISMS
60 Lecture 3
MECHANISMS DATR
61
Lecture 3
DATR
Where to put the base element?
MECHANISMS
62 Lecture 3
MECHANISMS DATR
63
Lecture 3
DATR
The perfect scenario
MECHANISMS
64 Lecture 3
DATR
2D vs. 3D Mechanisms
Some mechanisms are functioning due to
dimensional and structural peculiarities
Real mechanisms have always S = 6
Optimization -> obtaining the maximum
motion space S = 6
MECHANISMS
65 Lecture 3
DATR
Conditions for functioning
B and C collinear B and C perpendicular
(if computed as Spatial mechanism, their
MECHANISMS
mobility is less than 1)
66 Lecture 3
DATR
Structural optimization
Obtain the S=6
Replace joins with higher DOF (a)
Introduce new joints (b)
MECHANISMS
(a) (b)
67 Lecture 3
