İZMİR INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

ME 332 THEORY OF MACHINES II

SPRING 2023-2024
EXAMPLES on FORCE ANALYSIS of MECHANISMS USING VIRTUAL
WORK METHOD

1. For the inverted slider-crank mechanism shown, |A0B0| = a1 = 100 mm, |A0A| = a2 = 20 mm,
|AP| = a3 = 125 mm, |AC| = c3 = 65 mm, |B0B| = a4 = 5 mm, linear spring constant: k = 1 N/mm; free length of
spring: ℓ0 = 35 mm; external force F13 = 100 N;  = 60. Input joint variable is 12 and input torque is T12.
Determine T12 using the virtual work method.
y A
s43
13 3
2
12 C B 14
x
A0 4 B0 13
P
Utotal = T1212 + Fsps34 – F13cosrPx – F13sinrPy = 0
Position analysis: s432  a12 a22 2a1a2 cos12 s43  a12 a22 2a1a2 cos12 and
sin 14  sin 12 a sin 12
 14  sin1 2
a2 s34 s34
Loop closure equation: A0 A  A0 B0  B0 A  a2ei12  a1 s43ei14
Applying virtual displacements ia 2 ei12 12  ei14 s43  is43ei14 14
a 2 sin 1212  cos14s43  s43 sin 1414
Real and imaginary parts:
a 2 cos 12 12  sin 14s43  s43 cos1414
cos14 s43 sin 14 s43  a 2 sin 12 
Writing in matrix form: 
s43 cos14    12
sin 14  14   a2 cos12 
a 2 sin 12 s43 sin 14
a cos12 s43 cos 14
Solving for s13 and 14: s43  2 12  a 2 sin 14 12 12 and
cos14 s43 sin 14
sin 14 s43 cos 14
cos14 a 2 sin 12
sin 14 a 2 cos12 a cos14 12 
14  12  2 12
cos14 s43 sin 14 s43
sin 14 s43 cos14
Position of P and its virtual displacement: rP  a1  a3 s43 ei14 rP  ia3 s43 ei14 14  ei14 s43
a sin 14 cos14 12  
rPx  a3  s43 sin 14 14  cos 14 s43  a 2  3  sin 12  12
 s43 
Re and Im parts:
a cos 14 cos14 12  
rPy  a3  s43 cos 14 14  sin 14s43  a 2  3  cos12  12
 s43 
Spring force: Fsp = k[ℓ0 – (s34 – c3 – a4)] = k(ℓ0 + c3 + a4 – s34)
Utotal  T12 12  Fsp s34  F13 cos rPx  F13 sin rPy
 a cos14 12 sin 14   
 T12  k  0  c3  a 4  s34 a 2 sin 14 12   a 2  3  sin 12 F13  12  0
  s43  
a cos14 12 sin 14  
 T12  k s34  0  c3  a 4 a 2 sin 14 12   a 2  3  sin 12  F13
 s43 
2. Figure shows the schematic diagram of
the trunk lid mechanism of a car. The
weigth W of the lid is to be balanced with a
piston A0B at a desired configuration. Link y G4
lengths are |A0B0| = a1, |B0B| = a4, |B0G4| =
b4. |A0B| = s34 is the input. Gravity acts in – B W
y direction. Using the virtual work method
determine necessary piston force F23 for 
B0
static equilibrium for a given configuration
(s34, 12, 14 known). F23
s34


x
A0

Solution: Total virtual work: U total  F23s34  WyG4  0 .

yG4 = a1 + b4sin14  yG4 = b4cos1414, so 14 needs to be calculated. 12 is not necessary.

Loop closure equation: A0B0  B0B  A0B  ia1  a 4ei14  s34ei12

i i i
Applying virtual displacements: ia 4e 14 14  is34e 12 12  e 12 s 34

a 4 sin 1414  s34 sin 1212  cos 12s34

Real and imaginary parts:
a 4 cos 1414  s34 cos 1212  sin 12s34

 a 4 sin 14 s34 sin 12  14  cos 12 

Writing in matrix form:   s
 a 4 cos 14 s34 cos 12  12   sin 12  34

cos 12 s34 sin 12

sin 12 s34 cos 12 1
Solving for 14: 14  s34  s34
a 4 sin 14 s34 sin 12 a 4 sin  14  12 
a 4 cos 14 s34 cos 12

Alternatively, one can write cosine theorem for triangle A0B0B to solve for 14:

s34 2  a12  a 4 2  2a1a 4 cos  14   2   a12  a 4 2  2a1a 4 sin 14  2s34s34  2a1a 4 cos 1414
s34
 14  s34
a1a 4 cos 14
Although the two alternative expressions for 14 seem different, they are equivalent.

s34 bs
U total  F23s34  WyG4  F23s34  Wb4 cos 14 s34  0  F23  4 34 W
a1a 4 cos 14 a1a 4
3. Figure shows the schematic diagram of a simple lift C
mechanism. The weigth W of the load is to be balanced with
a piston A0B. Link lengths are |A0B0| = a1, |B0B| = a4, |B0C|
= b4. |A0B| = s34 is the input. Gravity acts in –y direction.
Using the virtual work method determine necessary piston
Load
force F23 for static equilibrium for a given configuration (s34,
12, 14 known).
B
W
s34
y F23

 
A0 x
Solution: Total virtual work: U total  F23s34  WyC  0 . B0

yC = b4sin14  yC = b4cos1414, so 14 needs to be calculated. 12 is not necessary.

Loop closure equation: A0 B0  B0 B  A0 B  a1  a 4ei14  s34ei12

i i i
Applying virtual displacements: ia 4e 14 14  is34e 12 12  e 12 s 34

a 4 sin 1414  s34 sin 1212  cos 12s34

Real and imaginary parts:
a 4 cos 1414  s34 cos 1212  sin 12s34

 a 4 sin 14 s34 sin 12  14  cos 12 

Writing in matrix form:   s
 a 4 cos 14 s34 cos 12  12   sin 12  34

cos 12 s34 sin 12

sin 12 s34 cos 12 1
Solving for 14: 14  s34  s34
a 4 sin 14 s34 sin 12 a 4 sin  14  12 
a 4 cos 14 s34 cos 12

Alternatively, one can write cosine theorem for triangle A0B0B to solve for 14:

s34 2  a12  a 4 2  2a1a 4 cos    14   a12  a 4 2  2a1a 4 cos 14  2s34s34  2a1a 4 sin 1414
s34
 14   s34
a1a 4 sin 14
s34 b4s34
U total  F23s34  WyG4  F23s34  Wb4 cos 14 s34  0  F23   W
a1a 4 sin 14 a1a 4 tan 14
4. For the slider-crank mechanism of an internal combustion engine shown, x
|A0A| = r = 70 mm, |AB| = l = 225 mm, |AG3| = c = 60 mm, m3 = 0.6 kg,
m4 = 0.75 kg and k3 = 40 mm (radius of gyration for link 3). Nominal crank speed P14
is 2500 rpm. From the loop closure equation:
r 
rei  s  lei    sin 1  sin   for   900 and s  r cos  l cos  
4 B
l 
sin(   ) r cos 
Velocity and acceleration analysis yield s  r ,   ,
cos  l cos 

s  r
 cos   cos  cos(   )  
r  cos  sin    cos  sin 
,  
 3
l
cos  2
cos 2 

s
l G3

Velocity and acceleration of G3: A0G3  A0 B  BG3  s  (l  c)ei 

vG 3  s  i (l  c)ei  vG 3 x  s  (l  c) sin    , vG 3 y  (l  c) cos    y

A
r
A0
aG 3 x  s  (l  c) sin     (l  c) cos    2
aG 3 i
 s  i (l  c)e   (l  c )e   i 2

aG 3 y  (l  c) cos     (l  c) 2 sin    2

Total power: T1212  P14 s  (m4 s ) s   m3 (aG 3 x vG 3 x  aG 3 y vG 3 y )   ( I 3 )  0

1
 T12   P14 s  m4 ss  m3 (aG 3 x vG 3 x  aG 3 y vG 3 y )  I 3 
12 
For two cylinders and a properly defined combustion force P14, input torque variation in one period:

70
60
50
40
30
T

20
10
0
-10 0 120 240 360 480 600 720
-20
-30


5. Figure shows a walking-beam conveyor mechanism that operates at a constant speed of 12 = 25 rpm. The
boxes each weigh 23 kg. Neglect friction and the masses of the links. Using virtual work method determine
the torque required to drive the mechanism at the crank angle (measured from +x axis) specified for your
name below. All dimensions given in figure are in mm. AP  b3 , PAB  3
Solution:

The general formula for the virtual work method:

 U total   Fj  rj   T j  j   (m j aGj )  rGj   ( I j  j )  j  0

j j j j

Since we only have input torque T12 and mass of boxes, the governing equation becomes;

 U total  T1212  mbox aP x rp  0

x
(1)

Firstly, we need to find the x component of the position vector of point P;

rpx  a2 cos(12 )  b3 cos(13   3 )

Then we can find  rpx as:

 rp  a2 sin 12  12  b3 sin 13  3  13

x

After that, by differentiating the position vector with respect to time, we can determine the velocity and
acceleration of point P in x-direction:

v px  a2 sin 12  12  b3 sin 13  3  13

aPx  a2 sin(12 )12  a2 cos(12 )122  b3 sin(13  3 )13  b3 cos(13  3 )132

Notice that 12 = 0. By solving velocity loop equation and taking the necessary derivatives we can determine:

a2 sin(12  14 )
13  12
a3 sin(14  13 )

a2 sin(12  14 ) a sin(12  13 )

13  12 , 14  2 
a3 sin(14  13 ) a4 sin(14  13 ) 12

a2  (12  14 ) cos(12  14 ) sin(14  13 )  (14  13 ) cos(14  13 ) sin(12  14 ) 
13    12
a3  (sin(14  13 )) 2 

After finding the values above, we can substitute them in equation (1):

 ab sin(12  14 ) 
T12  mbox aPx  a2 sin 12   2 3 sin 13   3   (2)
 a3 sin(14  13 ) 

The box inertias are effective only when link 8 is moving towards –x-direction. Therefore, we should modify
equation (2) as:

  a2b3 sin(12  14 ) 

mbox aPx  a2 sin 12   sin 13   3   if v Px  0
T12    a3 sin(14  13 ) 
 if v Px  0
 0

For the 12 range 0° – 104° vPx > 0, so the required torque is 0.