Velocities and Accelerations

CHAPTER 2
Analysis of Linkages
Velocity Analysis of Linkages
 Velocities in mechanisms are determined by different methods.
I. Velocity analysis using vector mathematics
II. Velocity analysis by using complex numbers.
III. Velocity analysis using equations of relative motions
IV. Vectors velocity analysis using the instant center method.
I. Velocity Analysis by Vector Mathematics

 Consider the motion of point

P moving with respect to the
x-y-z coordinate system,
which in turn, moves relative
to the X-Y-Z coordinate
system as shown.
 • 𝑅𝑃 - is the position vector of P relative to the X-Y-Z system.

• 𝑅 - is the position vector of P relative to the x-y-z system

• 𝑅𝑂 - is the position vector of the origin of the moving

coordinate system x-y-z relative to the fixed coordinate
system X-Y-Z.
 The position vector of P relative to the X-Y-Z system Rp is
𝑹 𝑷 = 𝑹𝑶 + 𝑹 (1)
 Introducing unit vectors i, j, and k along the x, y, and z axes
respectively,
𝑅 = 𝑥𝑖 + 𝑦𝑗 + 𝑧𝑘 (2)
 Velocity of P relative to the X-Y-Z coordinate system is

𝑉𝑃 = 𝑅𝑃 = 𝑅𝑂 + 𝑅 (3)

 𝑅𝑂 = 𝑉𝑂 - is the velocity of the origin of x-y-z system relative to

the fixed system.
(4)

(5)

(6)
 Where ω is the angular velocity vector of x-y-z system relative to X-Y-Z.

(7)

 Thus the velocity of P relative to the moving coordinate system is

(8)
 The velocity of point P relative to the fixed system is:

𝑽𝑷 = 𝑽𝑶 + 𝑽 + 𝝎 × 𝑹 (9)

 𝑽𝑶 is velocity of the origin of the x-y-z system relative to the XYZ system

 𝑽 is velocity of point P relative to x-y-z system

 𝝎 is angular velocity of the x-y-z system relative to XYZ system
 𝑹 is position vector of P with respect to the origin of the x-y-z system
 II. Velocity Analysis by Equation of Relative Motion
A. Velocity of points on a common link
 A and B are two points on a common rigid link AB as shown.
A b
VA
VB VA/B
VB

O2 a
VA
B
 The points are moving with velocities VA and VB respectively.
 Using the equation of relative motion, velocity of one point can be
determined
 VA = VB + VA/B (10)

 Where VA/B = velocity of A relative to B

 All absolute velocity vectors originate from the same point O2.

 Note that the velocity of A relative to B and the velocity of B relative to

A are equal in magnitude, collinear and opposite in direction, i.e.

VA/B = -VB/A (11)

 B. Velocity of a block sliding on a rotating link
 As shown in the figure block A slides on the rotating link O2B.
 The angular velocity ω of the link and the velocity of the block are
assumed to be known.
 Let A’ be a point on the link coincident with the block A for the instant
represented.
 The velocity of A’ relative to O2 is perpendicular to O2B at A’.
 The velocity of A relative to A’ is along the link parallel to O2A’
VA = VA’ + VA/A’ (12)
 Relative velocity of coincident particles on separate links is effected by
physical constraints such as guides.
C. Relative Velocity of Coincident Particles at the Point of Rolling Element

 Rolling contact exists when there is no sliding at the contact point b/n
two links.

 The velocity component along the tangential direction must be zero.

 For pure rolling contact of links 2 and 3, the point P2 on link 2 and P3
on link 3 have the same velocities i.e. VP2 = VP3
 Let a point P be common to the links 2 & 3, which have relative motion to
each other.
 The relative velocity equation may be written:
VP3 = VP2 + VP3/P2 (13)
 The condition for pure rolling is that:
VP3/P2 = 0 (14)
 This condition is met when the point of contact lies on the line of center
O2O3.
 If VP3/P2 ≠ 0, its direction would be along the tangent t - t. Link 3 would
slide relative to link 2 along the t – t direction.
 Rolling of circles or cylinders is a special case of rolling motion. For pure
rolling:

𝝎𝟐 𝒓𝟑
= (15)
𝝎𝟑 𝒓𝟐
 D. Relative velocity of crank and connecting rod
 Let ω2 be the angular velocity of the crank O2A.
 Velocity of B can be determined using the velocity of point A as the
reference which can easily be determined.
 VB = VA + VB/A (16)
 Where VA is known both in magnitude and direction;
VB is known in direction, magnitude is unknown;
VB/A is known in direction, magnitude is unknown.
Algebraic solution of the slider-Crank mechanism
 Taking the origin of the coordinate system at the crank center, the
position of the slider is defined by x.
𝑟 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜙 = 𝑙 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜙 (17)
 𝑥 = 𝑟 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 + 𝑙 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜙 (18)
 Where r is the crank radius and l is length of connecting rod
 From the position of the mechanism it can be noted that

(19)

 Substituting Equation (19) into Equation (18), the position of the slider is

(20)
 Alternatively, Equation (20) can be obtained from the law of cosines:

 And by solving quadratic equation for x.

 Differentiating Equation (17)

(21)
 Differentiating equation (18) with respect to time:

(22)
𝒅𝝓
 Substituting for from Equation (21), the velocity of the slider is:
𝒅𝒕

(23)
 For small values of r/l, which usually is the case in slider crank
mechanism,
𝒓
𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝜽 ≈𝟎
𝒍
 And the velocity slider crank mechanism is

(24)
 III. Velocity Analysis by Complex Numbers
 Most of the systems of analysis using complex polar notation are based
on the following fundamental law:
 If the elements of a mechanism are replaced by position vectors such
that their sum is 0, then their time derivatives are also equal to 0.
 This law means that if one takes any linkage or mechanism and replaces
the members of the mechanism by vectors such that their sum is zero,
then the sum of the velocity vectors is zero, so also the sum of the
acceleration vectors.
 Considering the slider crank shown in bellow Figure:

 Link 2 is the driver (crank) and has a constant angular velocity ω2 & for
the instant under consideration an angular position of θ2.
 Dimensions of linkages are assumed to be known, so the angular
position of the follower, link 4, can be obtained.
 Replacing each link by a vector such that the position polygon closes, a
mathematical expression for the summation law can be written as:
R1 + R2 - R4 = 0 (25)
 Where R1 = vector for the ground link
R2 = vector for the crank link
R4 = vector to determine the position of link 3. Note that the
magnitude of R4 is variable.
 The position of a particle on a link represented by a vector Rp as shown
below may be expressed in any of the following equivalent forms:

(26)

 Using this complex representation, Equation (25) is transformed into

(27)
 Differentiating the above equation we obtain
(28)

 Let 𝜽𝒊 = 𝝎𝒊
(29)
 Separating equation (29) into real and imaginary terms:

(30)
 The unknown quantities in the above pair of equations are ω4 and 𝒓𝟒
solving for these unknown variables:

(31)
 IV. Analysis of velocity vectors by instant-center method

 Consider bodies 2 and 3 which move relative to each other.

 Point A on a body 2 has a velocity VA2/A3 relative to point A on body 3

and point B on 3 has velocity VB3/B2 relative to point B on body 2.
 Perpendiculars to both velocities intersect at point P which is the
instantaneous center of rotation of body 2 relative to 3 or vise versa.
 Point P may be considered as a point on body 2 about which body 3 is
instantaneously rotating or vise versa.
VP2/P3 = VP3/P2 = 0
 An instantaneous center of rotation is defined as a point common to two
links which has the same velocity in each link;
 It is a point at which the two bodies have no relative velocity.
 It is a point at which the two bodies have no relative velocity.
 It is also a point on one link about which another link is instantaneously
rotating.
 Types of Instantaneous centers
The instantaneous centers of a mechanism are of three types:
a) Fixed instantaneous centers: these instantaneous centers (I.C.)
remain fixed for all configurations of the mechanism.
b) Permanent instantaneous centers: these instantaneous centers move
with the mechanism but joints are of permanent nature.
c) Neither fixed nor permanent instantaneous centers: these
instantaneous centers vary with the configuration of the mechanism
  In the four bar linkage shown, points
O2, O4, A and B are the obvious I.C.
 O2 and O4 are fixed I. C;
 A and B are Permanent I. C.

 In general for n links in a mechanism:

𝒏 𝒏−𝟏
𝑵𝒖𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝑰. 𝑪. =
𝟐
 The Arnhold- Kennedy Theorem of Three Centers
 Since an instantaneous center is a point common to two links, it is
usually denoted by the number of links.

 For the four-bar linkage shown centers 12,

23, 34, and 14 are located by inspection
 The instantaneous center of the
perpendiculars to the velocities of points A
and B yield the instantaneous center 13
 To locate the center 24, the Arnhold–Kennedy theorem is applied.
 The theorem states that:
“When three bodies move to one another they have three
three instantaneous centers, all of which lie on the same
straight line”
 For links 1, 2, and 4 the instantaneous centers 12, 24, and 14
should lie on a straight line. Similarly, for links 2, 3, and 4 centers
23, 34, and 24 should lie on another straight line, where 24,
common to both lines, is located at the intersection of these lines.
 In general, to determine the instantaneous centers for the four bar
linkage we could proceed as follows.
• For each combination of 3 links the known and unknown
instantaneous centers should lie on a straight line.
• Intersection of such line that contain instantaneous centers give the
unknown instantaneous center.
1. In the slider-crank mechanism of shown in bellow Figure, the crank rotates at
a constant angular velocity of 10π rad/s clockwise. Determine the velocity of
the slider B and the angular velocity of the connecting rod ω3 for the phase
when θ = 600. O2A = 150 mm and AB = 600 mm.
a) By using equation of relative velocity
b) By using Complex number notation
Acceleration Analysis of Linkages
 I. Acceleration Analysis by Vector Mathematics
 The acceleration of a point P moving in the x-y-z system relative to the
X-Y-Z system, is obtained by differentiating the velocity equation

Differentiating equation (1) yields

the acceleration Equation is
 Each term on the right hand side of the acceleration equation is
evaluated as follows:

 Substituting for
 Notice that:

 The acceleration component can be written as:

 The last term on the right hand side of the acceleration equation is
 Substituting the corresponding values in the acceleration equation:

 The different acceleration components are:

is Coriolis’ component of acceleration, sense normal to;
is acceleration of the origin of x-y-z system relative to X-Y-Z
system;
is acceleration of P relative to x-y-z system;
is the tangential acceleration of a point fixed on the x-y-z
system coincident with P as the system rotates about O;
is the normal component of acceleration of the point
coincident with P
is angular velocity of x-y-z system related to X-Y-Z system
is velocity of P relative to x-y-z system; and
is position vector of P.
 II. Acceleration Analysis Using Equations of Relative Motion

A. Acceleration of points on a common link

 Consider a link AB rotating with an angular velocity ω and angular
acceleration α as shown.
 The relative acceleration equation is:

Where acceleration of point A

acceleration of point B
 The acceleration term has two components:

→ along the link from A to B

→in the direction perpendicular to AB

 B. Acceleration analysis of a block sliding on a rotating link
 Block A slides on the rotating link O2B as shown.
 At time t angular position of link 2 is θ and at t+dt, θ+dθ.
 The acceleration of the block is found by considering the radial and
tangential components of the change in velocity of the block.
 The rotating coordinate system r - θ is attached to link O2B.
 The radial component of the velocity is V at time t, and V+dV at time t+dt.
 The components of dV in the radial and tangential directions are:
(dV)r in the radial direction,
Vdθ in the tangential (transverse) direction
 Similarly the change in the transverse component of the velocity in time
dt is dV as shown.
 The components of dVθ are:
-ωrdθ in the radial direction, and
ωdr + rdω in the transverse direction, neglecting higher order
differentials
 Thus the total change of velocity is
dV - ωrdθ in the radial direction, and
Vdθ + ωdr + rdω in the tangential direction.
 The radial component of acceleration of block A is

 or, in vector notation,

The tangential component of the acceleration is

 Vectorially, the tangential acceleration is written as

 The acceleration of the block sliding on the rotating link is given by:

 Where is the sliding velocity of the block along link O2B, and
is the sliding acceleration of the block along the link O2B.
 If a point A2 fixed on link O2B is coincident with A for the position shown,
the acceleration equation can be written as:

 The term is the relative acceleration b/n two moving points,

 If the link were a curved link:

 In general the relative velocity equation is

 Where

And is the coriolis’ component of acceleration

 C. Relative Acceleration of Coincident Points at the Point of Contact
of Rolling Elements.
 Link 2 and 3 roll on each other at the point of contact P.
 Considering P2 on link 2 and P3 on link 3, for pure rolling contact, VP2=VP3
 The relative acceleration aP2/P3 or aP3/P2 has two components
 Normal :- toward center of rotation
 Tangential:- along the tangent.
 For no sliding

 That is

 From which it can be deduced that

 And
 II. Acceleration Analysis by Complex Numbers
 Consider the mechanism shown below.
 Replace the elements of the mechanism by position vector such that
their sum is zero yields the acceleration equation on two successive
differentiations with respect to time.

 Differentiating the vector sum with respect to time, and introducing the
complex notation yield the equation
 Again differentiating equation (26) yield the acceleration equation

 Separating the real and imaginary parts of the equation (27) yield
 Solving equations (28) simultaneously, the required accelerations are
obtained to be:
1. For the mechanism shown in bellow Figure, link 2 rotates at a constant
angular velocity ω2 = 2 rad/s in the clockwise direction and slider D
moves to the right at a constant linear velocity of150 mm/s. By using
vector algebra determine
a) The velocity of point C
b) The acceleration of point C. Given are: O2A = 150mm, AB =
175mm, AC = 100 mm, BC =BD = 200 mm
2. In the Whitworth mechanism shown in Fig. 4.3, the crank O2A rotates at
a constant angular velocity of 30 rpm in the clockwise direction.
Determine the angular acceleration of the slotted link AB and the
acceleration of the slider D for the phase when the crank O2A makes an
angle θ = 45° with the vertical. The dimensions of the various links are:
O2A = 150 mm, O2O4 = 100 mm, O4C = 125/mm, CD = 500 mm.