ME2012D Kinematics of Mechanisms
Lecture-3 Mobility
Dr. Ashesh Saha
Assistant Professor
Email: [email protected]
Department of Mechanical Engineering
National Institute of Technology Calicut
Degree of Freedom
The number of co-ordinates that are needed to describe the relative
movement permitted in a kinematics pair is called the degree of freedom
(DOF).
In every kinematic pair there is some relative movement. To describe the
relative movement we need some coordinate. The number of such
independent coordinated necessary to completely specify the relative
movement is called DOF.
Pair Variable: The coordinated that are used to describe this relative
movement is called pair variable (s)
Terminology and Definitions
Pair variables: Variable parameter (s) assigned for measuring or calculating
the relative motion permitted in each of the pairs
– A pair variable of a pinned joint is a single angle measured between
reference lines fixed in the adjacent links
Kinematic pairs are divided into:
Higher pairs – Have line or point contact between the elemental surfaces
• Eg: Connection between a cam and its follower
Lower pairs – Have surface contact between the pair elements
• Eg: A pin joint
The Six Lower Pairs
Turning pair or revolute:
Permits only relative rotation
One degree of freedom. Pin joint
Prismatic pair:
Permits only a relative sliding motion
One degree of freedom. Sliding joint
The Six Lower Pairs
Screw Pair or helical pair:
Sliding and rotational motions are
related by the helix angle of the thread
One degree of freedom
Reverts to a revolute if the helix angle is zero
Becomes a prismatic pair if the helix angle is 90º
Cylindrical pair: Permits both angular rotation
and an independent sliding motion
Two degrees of freedom
The Six Lower Pairs
Globular or spheric pair:
Ball-and-socket joint
Three degrees of freedom
Flat pair or planar pair:
Three degrees of freedom
All other joint types are called higher pairs
The Six Lower Pairs
Limit and Disguise of Revolute Pairs
⇒
The curved slider connection between links 1 and 4 is a revolute pair
Limit and Disguise of Revolute Pairs
⇒
The curved slider connection between links 1 and 4 is a revolute pair
The relative movement between 1 and 4 is still an angle
Limit and Disguise of Revolute Pairs
A slider crank mechanism is obtained as the limit of a 4R planar linkage
when one revolute pair moves to infinity.
Equivalent Linkages
Higher-pair
mechanism and
instantaneous
equivalent lower pair
⇒ linkage.
The higher pair allows simultaneous rolling and sliding motion between
links 2 and 3.
The higher pair is replaced by two revolute pairs at A and B.
Mobility (or Degrees of Freedom)
Kutzbach criterion for the mobility m of a planar n-link mechanism:
• m = 3(n – 1) – 2 j – h,
• j denotes the number of simple R (or P) pairs (number of single-
degree-of-freedom pairs)
• h denotes the number of higher pairs (number of two-degree-of-
freedom pairs)
• If m > 0, the mechanism has m degrees of freedom
• If m = 1, the mechanism can be driven by a single input motion
• If m = 2, two separate input motions are necessary to produce constrained
motion
• If m = 0, the mechanism forms a structure
• If m = –1 or less, a statically indeterminate structure results
Lect 2: 04.01.2023
Mobility (or Degrees of Freedom)
Kutzbach criterion for the mobility m of a planar n-link mechanism:
• m = 3(n – 1) – 2 j – h,
• j = j(1) + 2 j(2) + 3 j(3) + … +i j(i)
• j(i) → number of R pairs, each of which connects (i + 1) links
• j(1) → number of simple R pairs
• j(2) → equivalent to two R pairs
• j(i) → i number of simple R pairs
Application of Kutzbach mobility criterion
Application of Kutzbach mobility criterion
Application of Kutzback mobility criterion
Application of Kutzbach mobility criterion
Application of Kutzbach mobility criterion
1 2
Note: if slipping is completely prevented, the joint is counted as one-
degree-of-freedom pair
Application of Kutzbach mobility criterion
If a link can be moved without causing any movement in the rest of the
mechanism, then the link is said to have a redundant degree-of-freedom.
Mobility with redundant degree-of-freedom (Fr)
m = 3(n – 1) – 2 j – h – Fr
Application of Kutzbach mobility criterion
Application of Kutzbach mobility criterion
P pairs are not parallel
Application of Kutzbach mobility criterion
Application of Kutzbach mobility criterion
Application of Kutzbach mobility criterion
A statically indeterminate structure.
Application of Kutzbach mobility criterion
Application of Kutzbach mobility criterion
Application of Kutzbach mobility criterion
Lect 3: 05.01.2023
Application of Kutzback mobility criterion
Application of Kutzbach mobility criterion
Grübler’s criterion
Applies to mechanisms with only single-degree-of-freedom joints where the
overall mobility of the mechanism is unity
Kutzbach Equation: m = 3(n – 1) – 2 j – h
Substituting h = 0 and m = 1, for planar mechanisms: 2 j – 3 n – 4 = 0
Such a mechanism cannot have odd number of links
Simplest possible mechanism of this type with all binary links can have
n=j=4
This is the reason why four-bar linkages and slider-crank mechanisms
are so common in applications
Spatial mechanisms
Each unconnected link has six degrees of freedom
Each revolute pair provides five constraints
3D form of Kutzbach criterion is: m = 6 (n – 1) – 5 j1 – 4 j2 – 3 j3 – 2 j4 – j5
Corresponding Grübler criterion is: 6n – 5 j1 – 7 = 0
Spatial mechanism with all single-degree-of-freedom pairs and mobility 1
Simplest possible mechanism of this type with all binary links can have
n = j1 = 7
Grübler’s criterion
Different Integer Solutions of 2 j – 3 n – 4 = 0 for Mobility of One
With the increase in the number of links, the number of excess turning
pairs goes on increasing.
Grübler’s criterion
Solutions of the planar mobility equation for m = 1 when n = 2 and n = 4.
Getting the required number of turning pairs from the required number of
binary links is not possible for n > 4.
The excess or the additional pairs or joints can be obtained only from the
links having more than two joining points, i.e., ternary or quaternary links.
