LECTURE NOTES

MECE 303 Theory of Machines

7 – Velocity and Acceleration Analysis of Mechanisms

1
There are three types of motion for a rigid body in planar motion
(1) Translation
(2) Fixed Axis Rotation
(3) General Plane motion (combination of first two)

2
Translation: During the motion a line on the rigid body always remains parallel to
its original position. All points trace identical shaped paths.

rB  rA  rB / A

Note: position and direction of

point B wrt point A does not change

taking time derivative of position to find velocity yields,

d rB d rA d rB / A VB  V A
 
dt dt dt
Note: second term is zero since
magnitude and direction of rB/A is constant

taking time derivative of velocity to find acceleration yields,

d 2 rB d 2 rA
 2 aB  a A
dt 2 dt
Therefore, the velocity and acceleration of every point on the rigid body will be equal at each
instant, if the rigid body is in a translation.
3
Rotation about a fixed axis: Points on the rigid body move along circular arcs
concentric with the axis of rotation which is perpendicular to the motion.

For small finite rotation ΔØ, displacements of

points A and B are:

ΔrA=rAΔØ ΔrB=rBΔØ

rA  rB 
Time rate of change of displacement yields,  rA  rB
t t t t
d d
Taking the limit when Δt goes to zero V A  rA VB  rB
where dt dt
VA and VB are magnitude of velocity vectors and dØ/dt=ω angular velocity of rigid body

 
In vector notation, VA   x rA where operator (x)
is the vector cross product.

4
 .

In complex numbers

Position vector of point A rA  rA e i


drA
Velocity vector of point A  V A  irA.e i where ω=dθ/dt= 
dt

 dV d
Acceleration vector of point A aA  A  i rA .e i  rA . 2 e i
dt dt

a A  irA .e i  rA . 2 e i where α=dω/dt= d2θ/dt2= 
  
a A  a At  a An
5
Result is explained on the following figure

irAωeiθ irAαeiθ

α
ω -rAω2eiθ
α
ω
ie iθ θ ieiθ θ
eiθ eiθ

-eiθ

(a) Velocity (b) Acceleration

6
Lets determine velocity and acceleration of point B for the below figure.

α, ω

Fig.- Velocity and acceleration as normal and tangential components (n/t)

7
VB  VA  VB / A  VA   x AB

aB  a A  aB / A  a A   x AB   x ( x AB)

where,

 x AB  a ( B / A)t (  to AB and its magnitude is: α r)

 x ( x AB)  a ( B / A) n (from B to A and its magnitude is: ω2r )

One can also determine the same results using complex numbers.

Note: In above case VA=0 and aA=0 since point A is fixed.

8
General Plane motion: can be analyzed by superposition of translation and fixed
axis rotation motions using relative motion concepts.

We have 2 cases:

Case 1: Relative velocity and acceleration between two points belonging to the
same rigid body.

Case 2: Relative velocity and acceleration between two instantly coincident

points belonging to two different rigid bodies.

9
Case 1: Two points belong to same rigid body which is in general plane motion.
A moving reference frame is attached to point A. Consider the motion in two
parts. First body AB translates to A’B” with displacement ΔrA. Then it rotates
about A’ with an angle ΔØ. Then total displacement of point B is,

 rB   rA  rB / A
ΔrB/A
ΔrB/A

where, ΔrB/A=|AB|.ΔØ, ΔØ
ΔrB
ΔrB
and dividing by time interval Δt y
ΔrA ΔrA
ΔrA

and taking the limit as Δt goes

x
to zero yields,

VB  V A  VB / A
VB  VA   x rB / A

10
 ΔrB/A
ΔrB/A

ΔØ
ΔrB
ΔrB ΔrA
ΔrA
ΔrA

11
 ΔrB/A
ΔrB/A

ΔØ
ΔrB
ΔrB ΔrA
ΔrA
ΔrA

12
If we analyze for the below figure where body AB is moving and rotating

α, ω

13
rB  rA  rB / A rB / A  AB  rB  rA

VB  V A  VB / A VB  VA   x rB / A

aB  a A  aB / A  a A   x AB   x ( x AB)

 x AB  a ( B / A)t (  to AB with magnitude α rA)

 x ( x AB)  a ( B / A) n (from B to A with magnitude ω2rA)

In complex numbers

rB  rA  AB  rA  re i
V  V  r.i.e i
B A ( r.i.e i = VB / A )
a B  a A  r.i.e i  r 2 .e i ( r.i.ei = a ( B / A)t ) and ( r 2 .ei = a ( B / A) n )

14
Case 2: Two instantly coincident points belonging to two different rigid bodies.
The path of one point relative to other point on another body is known.
Let, A2 and A3 on links 2 and 3 be
coincident at position 1, then at another
instant they move to A’2 and A’3. Motion
of A3 can be considered superposition of
translation from A3 to A”3 and relative
motion from A”3 to A’3 relative to A2 on
link 2.
Total displacement of A3 is,
 rA3   rA 2   rA3 / 2
Dividing by Δt as it goes to zero yields,
V A3  V A 2  V A3 / 2
the second term is relative velocity and its
direction is always tangent to the relative
path of point A3 wrt link 2.

Note: In mechanisms such relative motion

occurs when we have prismatic, pin-in-a- slot,
cylinder-in-a-slot joints and cam mechanisms.
15
Consider Fig below. Slider 3 is sliding on link 2 and link 2 is rotating about A0
.

16
In complex notation
rB 2  re i
VB 2  ire i
rB 3  re i
dr i
VB 3  ire i  e .
dt

Comparing the first term is VB2 and

second term is the relative velocity of point B3 wrt link2.
Hence V B 3  V B 2  V B 3 / 2 .

Differentiating:

aB 3 
dVB 3
dt
  
 i.r .ei  r 2 .ei  ir.ei  r.ei  ir.ei 
dV
aB 3  B 3  i.r .ei  r 2 .ei  r.ei  2ir.ei
dt
aB 3  (aB 2 )t  (aB 2 ) n  (aB 3 / 2 )t  (aB 3 / 2 ) c 17
Don’t forget! You can always write LCE and differentiating you can get VLE and ALE as
below.

LCE: (Loop closure equation): Contains position variables that are related to joint variables

d
( LCE)  VLE (Velocity loop equation)- relations between joint velocities.
dt

d
(VLE)  ALE (Acceleration loop equation)- relations between joint accelerations.
dt

Note
VLCE: Velocity Loop Closure Equation (same as VLE)
ALCE: Acceleration Loop Closure Equation (same as ALE)
18
Ex: Point P is on the link, on point B is on the slider and moving with the slider.

.
ei(θ+β)

19
In complex numbers:
(LCE) rB  rA  ae i  se i (   )
d
( LCE)  VLE  VB  V A  a.i.e i  s.i.e i (   )  se i (   )
dt
 i
  
a .i.e  VC / A  xAC
s.i.e i (   ) = V P / C  xCP

se i (   ) = V B / P  V rel

We can find the velocity of point P as

V P / A   x( AC  CP)   x AP

20
(ALE) a B  a A  a.i.e i  a 2 .e i  s.i.e i (   )  s 2 e i (   )  2s.i.e i (   )  se i (   )

And in terms of n/t components

aB  a A  (a C / A )t  (a C / A ) n  (a P / C )t  (a P / C ) n  (a B / P ) c  (a B / P )t

or

a B  a A  a P / A  (a B / P ) c  (a B / P ) t

21
Ex: Offset Slider Crank Mechanism

θ13

θ12

Input is crank.  12 , 12 , 12 are given. Find 13 , 13 and s14 , s14
Note that s14 and θ13 must have been determined previously.

22
LCE PB 2  PB 3
   
r2  s14  r1  r3

In complex numbers:

r2 e i12  ir1  s14  r3 e i13

Differentiating,

VLE r212 .i.e i12  s14  r313 .i.e i13

V B 2  VC  V B 3 / C
Component equations
 r212 . sin 12  s14  r313 . sin 13 (a)
r  . cos   r  . cos 
2 12 12 3 13 13 (b)

23
Write equations in matrix form
13 
 
A X  B where X   
  

 s14 
 r3 sin 13 1 13   r212 . sin 12 
 r cos     =  
 3 13 0 s r 
  14   2 12 . cos  12 

Solution can be obtained as

 
X  A B 
1

24
Instead of inverting [A] we can find  13 from (b)

 r212 . cos 12

13  .
r3 cos 13

Then from (a)

s14  r313 . sin 13  r212 . sin 12
If we want to find the relation between s14 and θ12

r212 . cos12

13  . =  3212 (c)
r3 cos13
Substituting (c) in (a)
s14  r313 . sin 13  r212 . sin 12

25
 r2 . cos 12
s14  r3 . sin 13 .12  r2 . sin 12 .12
r3 cos 13
r . cos 12 . sin 13  r2 . sin 12 . cos 13 
s14  2 .12
cos 13
r .sin(13  12 ) 
s14  2 .12 =  4212 (d)
cos13

26
To find ALE differentiate VLE wrt time

ALE: r212 .i.ei12  r2122 .ei12  s14  r313 .i.ei13  r3132 .ei13 ( aB 2  aB 3 )

And s14 can be found as

*1-writing component equations of ALE and using matrix algebra

*2-Or from (c) differentiating wrt time as

27
13  3212   3212

r .  cos  . sin    . sin  . cos   r2 . cos 12 

13  2 13 12 12 13 12 13 
.  12
cos 13 r3 cos 13
2 12
r3

r .(cos  
.   . sin  . 2  . tan  . cos    )
13  2 12 12 12 12 13 12 13 12
.
r3 cos 13

Rearranging and substituting

r .(cos  .  . sin  . 2 )  .r sin  . 2 )

13  2 12 12 12 12 3 13 13
.
r3 cos 13

28
From (d) differentiating wrt time as
 r2 . sin(13  12 )  
 .  
cos 13
12

s14   
 (13  12 ). cos(13  12 ). cos 13  13 . sin(13  12 ). sin 13 
 
r212 
 cos 13
2


29
 13 
 
A X  B where X   
  

 s14 
 r3 sin 13 1 13   r212 . sin 12 
 r cos     =  
 3 13 0   s14   r212 . cos 12 

Singular positions det[A]=0 r3 cos 13 =0

Cosθ13=0 θ13=±π/2

Those are limiting positions of the input link. Depends on link lengths.

30
Ex. In the above offset slider crank if the input is slider ( s14 , s14 , s14 )

We could write linear equation system where 12 , 13 12 , 13 are the unknowns
and s14 , s14 are known.

 r2 sin 12 r3 sin 13  12   s14 

 r cos    = 
 2 12  r3 cos 13  13   0 

Again we can find the solution by

A X   B and inverting the matrix

X   A1 B

31
However we could also use the previous results .
When  12 is input: from (c) and (d)

13 =  3212
s14 =  4212

1 cos 13
12  s14 = s14
 42 r2 . sin(13  12 )

13   3212   32 24 s14

r2 cos 12 . cos 13 . cos 12

13  .s14 =  .s14
r3 cos 13 r2 sin(13  12 ) r3 sin(13  12 )

Acceleration analysis can be performed similarly as in the previous example.

32
EX: Four bar linkage

θ13

θ12 θ14

33
Link 2 is input. Make velocity and acceleration analysis (i.e. inputs are: 12 , 12 , 12 )

Assume that θ13 and θ14 are known in terms of θ12.(Solved previously) Find 13 ,13 ,14 ,14

LCE PB 3  PB 4  A0 A  AB3  AB0  B0 B4 :

V B3  V B 4

 12 x A0 A   13 x AB3   14 x B0 B4
The above equation as velocities

V A  VB 3 / A  VB 4

34
LCE in complex numbers: r2 e i12  r3 e i13  r1  r4 e i14
VLE in complex numbers: r212 .i.e i12  r313 .i.e i13  r414 .i.e i14
VA+VB/A=VB

Scalar components of VLE

Re: r212 . sin 12  r313 . sin 13  r414 . sin 14
Im: r212 . cos 12  r313 . cos 13  r414 . cos 14

VLE component equations are always linear in joint velocities

35
Rearrange equations
 r313 . sin 13  r414 . sin 14  r212 . sin 12
 r313 . cos 13  r414 . cos 14  r212 . cos 12

  r3 sin 13 r4 sin 14  13   r212 . sin 12 

 r cos    =  
 3 13 r4 cos 14   
 14   2 12
r . cos  12 

13  13 
 
or A X  B  where X     and X   
   
14  
14 

36
  a12 
X   A B where A = aa
1 a12 
11
 and  A1
=
1  a 22
A  a 21 a11 
 21 a 22 
A =-r3r4sinθ13cosθ14+ r3r4cosθ13sinθ14
A = r3r4sin(θ14 -θ13)

r4 cos 14  r4 sin 14   r212 . sin 12 

 

X 
1
r3 r4 sin(14  13 )  r3 cos 13  r3 sin 13 
 
 

 2 12
r . cos 12 

13   r2 r4 . sin(12  14 ).12 

 

X   =
1
  
14  r3r4 sin(14  13 )
    
23
r r . cos( 12 13 ). 12 

37
 From here
r . sin(12  14 ). 
13  2 12 ,
r3 sin(14  13 )
r . sin(12  13 ). 
14  2 12
r4 sin(14  13 )

*Singular positions
A =0  sin(θ14-θ13)=0 (θ14-θ13)=0, π
*Singular positions show limits of input link.

38
Acceleration Analysis:
LCE PB 3  PB 4 12  12 k̂  12  12 k̂
VCE V B 3  V B 4 13  13 k̂  13  13 k̂
ALE a B 3  a B 4 14  14 k̂  14  14 k̂
From velocity loop equation

V A  VB 3 / A  VB 4

 ALE: a A  a B 3 / A  a B 4

39
 12 x A0 A  12 x(12 x A0 A)   13 x AB  13 x(13 x AB)   14 x B0 B  14 x(14 x B0 B)

Tangential and normal components are:

(a A ) t  (a A ) n  (a B 3 / A ) t  (a B 3 / A ) n  (a B 4 ) t  (a B 4 ) n

Or
a A  aB / A  aB

VLE in complex numbers:

r212 .i.e i12  r313 .i.e i13  r414 .i.e i14

ALE in complex numbers:

r212 .i.e i12  r2122 .e i12  r313 .i.e i13  r3132 .e i13  r414 .i.e i14  r4142 .e i14
40
Tangential and normal components are:
(a A ) t  (a A ) n  (a B 3 / A ) t  (a B 3 / A ) n  (a B 4 ) t  (a B 4 ) n

Component equations:
Re:  r212 . sin 12  r2122 . cos 12  r313 . sin 13  r3132 . cos 13  r414 . sin 14  r4142 . cos 14
Im: r  . cos   r  2 . sin   r  . cos   r  2 . sin   r  . cos   r  2 . sin 
2 12 12 2 12 12 3 13 13 3 13 13 4 14 14 4 14 14

Note that acceleration components equations are always linear in joint acceleration variables.

Given 12 unknowns 13 , 14

13  13  13 
  
X     and X     and X    
  
14  14  14 

41
  
Recall the matrix equation of velocities A X  B  (*)

Differentiating wrt time yields

A X + A  X   B  

Rearrange

A X = B' Matrix equation for acceleration, where B'= B  - A X 
So coefficient matrix of acceleration depends on positions, velocities acceleration of input

One can solve the linear equation system above to find 13 and 14 using matrix operations.
But one can find these more easily by differentiating the expressions obtained for  and 
13 14

42
 Take derivative with respect to time to get:

 r2 (12  14 ). cos(12  14 ) sin(14  13 )  .(14  13 ) cos(14  13 ) sin(12  14 ) 
13  12 
r3 sin 2 (14  13 )
r . sin(12  14 ). 
 2 12
r3 sin(14  13 )

 r2 (12  13 ). cos(12  13 ) sin(14  13 )  .(14  13 ) cos(14  13 ) sin(12  13 ) 
14  12
r4 sin (14  13 )
2

r2 . sin(12  13 ). 
 12
r4 sin(14  13 )

Finally
 r2 sin(12  13 )12  r2 (12  13 ). cos(12  13 )12  .r4 (14  13 ) cos(14  13 )14
14 
r4 sin(14  13 ) 43
Ex:Velocity and acceleration of a coupler point

β
θ13

θ14
θ12

44
  
rc  r2  r5


rc  r2 e i12  r5 e i (13   )

xc  r2 cos12  r5 cos(13   )
yc  r2 sin 12  r5 sin(13   )
   
Vc  rc  x c  y c  r212 .i.e i12  r513 .ie i (13   )
  
Vc  VA  VC / A

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The components are:

Re: x c  r212 sin 12  r513 sin(13   )

Im: y c  r212 cos 12  r513 cos(13   )

   
ac  rc  xc  yc


ac  r212 .i.e i12  r2122 e i12  r513 .ie i (13   )  r5122 e i (13   )

    
ac  a At  a An  aCt / A  aCn / A

Writing the components equations we can determine accelerations also.

46
Ex: Inverted Slider Crank Mechanism.
Link 2 is input

θ12 θ14

47
LCE: PA 2  PA 3  A0 A  A0 B0  B0 B  BA3

VLE: V A 2  V A 3 

V A 2   12 x A0 A

V A3  V B  V A3 / B   14 x B0 B   14 x BA3  V rel

V A3 / B  V A4 / B  V A3 / A4

We can also write

V A4  V A3  V A4 / A3  V A2  V A4 / A3

It is better to write the relative velocity as V A3/A4

Magnitude of Vrel is s 43
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ALE: a A 2  a A3
a A 2   12 x A0 A   12 x 12 x A0 A
a A 3  a B  a A 3 / B  a B  a A 4 / B  a A 3 / A4
a A 3   14 x B0 B  14 x(14 x B0 B)   14 x BA4  14 x(14 x BA4 )  214 xV rel  a rel

49
The acceleration components of a A3 is shown in the figure

θ12
θ14

50
 ac=2ωVrel
ω

ac=2ωVrel

Fig- Direction of Coriolis acceleration

51
In complex numbers

LCE: r2 e i12  r1  r4 e i14  s 43 .ie i14

VLE: r212 .i.e i12  r414 .i.e i14  s 4314 .e i14  s43 .i.e i14
(V A2  V B  V A4 / B  V rel ..and ..V rel  V A3 / A4 )

ALE: r212 .i.e i12  r2122 .e i12  r414 .i.e i14  r4142 .e i14  s 4314 .i.e i14  s 43142 .i.e i14 
 2s  e i14  s .i.e i14
43 14 43

Tangential and normal components of RHS of equation are:

(a B ) t  (a B ) n  (a A 4 / B ) t  (a A 4 / B ) n  (a A3 / A 4 ) n  (a A3 / A 4 ) c and (a A3 / A 4 ) t  a rel

52
Component equations of VLE:
Re:  r212 . sin 12  r414 . sin 14  s 4314 . cos 14  s43 sin 14
Im: r  . cos   r  . cos   s  . sin   s cos 
2 12 12 4 14 14 43 14 14 43 14

14 
   
A X  B where and X    = A1 B
 
 s43 
Arrange equations and write in matrix form
 r4 sin 14  s 43 cos 14  sin 14  14   r212 . sin 12 
 r cos   s sin     =  
 4 14 43 14 cos 14   s 43   r212 . cos 12 

14 
 
X    = A B 
 1

 s43 
53
Lets solve by Cramer’s Rule
 
14  1 and s43  2
 
where
  det(A)
  r212 . sin 12  . sin 14  
 1  det    
 r  . cos  . cos 14  
  2 12 12

  r4 sin 14  s 43 cos 14  r212 . sin 12  

 2  det   
 r cos   s sin  r212 . cos 12  
 4 14 43 14

The result is
   s 43
  r  sin(   )
1 2 . 12 14 12

 2  r2.12 r4 sin(12  14 )  s43 cos(12  14 )

54
The result is
 r2 sin(14  12 ) 
14  12
s43
 r r sin(12  14 )  r2 s43 cos(12  14 ) 
s43  2 4 12
s43

Note det (A)=0 gives singular points i.e. s43=0

14 and s43 can be determined by differentiating 14 and s43 wrt time
Or writing ALE in matrix form and solving for 14 and s43

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Multi -Loop Mechanisms

θ16

θ15
θ13
θ12

56
Ex: See figure above
If input is θ12 then the mechanism can be solved loop by loop: simple mechanism
If input is θ16 then the mechanism can not be solved loop by loop: complex mechanism

Disconnect at A and D. (disconnection from proper joints)

AB=r3 and BC=b3
Joint variables according to disconnecting at A and D : θ12, s14, θ13, θ15, θ16

LCE (1): r2 e i12  s14  r3 e i13

LCE (2): s14  b3 e i13  r5 e i15  b1  ir1  r6 e i16

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Case1: Input is  12 , ( 12 , 12 )

From LCE (1) obtaining VLE (1)

VLE (1): r212 .i.e i12  s14  r313 .i.e i13

Using component equations and expressing in matrix form

r212 .i(cos 12  i sin 12 )  s14  r313 .i.(cos 13  i sin 13 )

Re:  r3 sin 1313  s14  r2 sin 1212 . (a)

Im: r3 cos 1313  r2 . cos 1212 (b)

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From (b)
r . cos 12 
13  2 .12
r3 cos 13
From (a) with  substituted
13

r2 . sin(13  12 ) 
s14  .12
cos 13
 r3 sin 13 1 13   r2 . sin 1212 
 r cos    =  
 3 13 0 
  14   2
s r . cos  
12 12 

VLE (2) s14  b313 .i.e i13  r515 .i.e i15  r616 .i.e i16

 r5 sin 15 r6 sin 16  15   s14  b313 . sin 13 

 r cos    = 
 5 15  r6 cos 16  
 16    b  . cos 
3 13 13 

59
Solving for 15 and 16
Use Cramer’s rule
det (A)=r5r6sin(θ15- θ16)
Result is
 s14 cos 16 .  b3 sin(16  13 )13 .
 15 
r5 sin(15  16 )
And for θ16
b sin(   ) .  s cos 
 16  3 15 13 13 14 15

r6 sin(15  16 )

Singular positions  det[A]=0

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Case 2: Input is  16 , ( 16 , 16 )
We see that we can not solve 16 from the
single loop equations. So we use 2 loop equations.

We have 4 scalar equations from 2 VLE

In matrix form

 r2 cos 12 0  r3 cos 13 0  12   0 

 r sin      
 2 12  1 r3 sin 13 0  
s
 =
14
0 
 0 1  b3 sin 13  r5 sin 15  13   r616 sin 16 
      
 0 0 b3 sin 13 r5 cos 15  16   r616 cos 16 

We can solve the matrix equation to obtain

 
A X  B
   
X  A 1 B 
det[A]=0  singular

61