ME 321 Kinematics and Dynamics of Machines

1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Definitions
Kinematics is the study of motion, without regard to forces. This is usually the first step
in the analysis or design of a mechanism.
Kinetics is the study of forces on systems in motion. Dynamics is the combination of
kinematics and kinetics.
A Mechanism is a combination of rigid or resilient bodies joined together to provide a
specific absolute motion.
A machine is a mechanism capable of performing useful work or capable of transmitting
significant forces.
An engine is a machine which converts energy from one form to another.
Links are rigid or flexible members have at least two nodes (points of attachment).
Example links are:
Binary link: Ternary link: Quaternary link:
(2 nodes) (3 nodes) (4 nodes)
Figure 1.1: Example link configurations.
All Text References in these notes are for:
Mechanism Design: Analysis and Synthesis, Volume 1, Fourth Edition, Erdman,
Sandor and Kota, Prentice-Hall, 2001.
Students should review the introductory chapter of the text.
ME 321 Kinematics and Dynamics of Machines S. Lambert Winter 2002
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The degrees of freedom (dof) of a system are the number of independent coordinates
which are required to uniquely define its position. For example, if each of the above
links are restricted to move in a plane (as part of a planar mechanism), then they would
each have 3 dof (translation in x and y, and rotation q).
A joint is a connection between two or more links (at their nodes), which allows some
motion between the links, i.e., permits a particular dof. Conversely, a joint may be
considered to restrict motion of links, i.e., reduce the number of degrees of freedom of a
system of links.
Example joints for planar mechanisms are illustrated in Figure 1.2.
Pin (or revolute) joint:
This joint permits relative rotation (q)
between two links.
Sliding (or prismatic) joint:
This joint permits a relative translation (x)
between two links.
Rolling (with or without sliding) joint:
With sliding, this is refered to as a 2 dof
joint since it permits two independent
motions (q
1
and q
2
). Without sliding, it is
referred to as a 1 dof joint, since only one
rotation is independent (q
1
or q
2
).
Figure 1.2: Example joints for planar mechanisms.
Links are combined using joints to form kinematic chains, or just linkages. A linkage
with at least one link fixed is a mechanism.
We will deal almost exclusively with planar motion. Such motion can be further
classified into the following cases:
Rectilinear translation: points in the body move in parallel straight lines (ex., piston
in Figure 1.3).
q - 1 dof
x 1 dof
q
1
q
2
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Curvilinear translation: points in the body move along identical curves, and so the
link does not rotate with respect to the ground (ex., link connecting two disks in
Figure 1.3).
Rotation: points in the body rotate about a single point, which is usually fixed to the
ground (ex., disks in Figure 1.3).
General planar motion: a general combination of rotation and translation (ex.,
connecting rod joining piston and disk in Figure 1.3).
Figure 1.3: Example mechanism showing different types of planar motion.
We classify linkages in terms of the number of links. A dyad, Figure 1.4, is two links
with one joint, usually a pin joint. By itself, it does not usually constitute a useful
linkage, but the term is sometimes used to indicate parts of a more complex linkage. In
addition, a dyad may be added to an existing linkage to transmit motion from a motor
(rotation) to the linkage.
Figure 1.4: Example dyad.
Similarly, three links (a triad), Figure 1.6, can not usually be used alone to form a useful
mechanism. It either represents a part of a more complex mechanism, or a structure.
Figure 1.5: Example traids.
The most useful mechanism has four links the four-bar mechanism. There are two
basic configurations. In one case, the four links are joined by 4 pin-joints. In the other
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case, a slider joint replaces one of the pin joints. Schematic and simplified (skeleton)
diagrams of each are shown in Figure 1.6.
An mechanism inversion is said to occur when the fixed link is allowed to move, and an
alternative link is fixed. The relative motion between the links remains unchanged, but
the absolute motion, and the function of the mechanism is changed. This is most
dramatically seen in the various inversions of the slider-crank mechanism, Figure 1.7.
Figure 1.6: Example four-bar linkage and slider crank.
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Figure 1.7: Various inversions of the slider-crack mechanism, from top to bottom:
conventional engine, rotary engine, quick-return mechanism, and pump.
1.2 Degrees of Freedom
Text Reference: Degrees of freedom and Grueblers equation are covered in section
1.7 of the text, pages 21-30.
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Each of the above four-bar mechanisms (or slider cranks) has 1 degree of freedom (dof),
or a mobility of 1. That is, 1 input is required to define the position at any point in time.
The number of dofs for a system can usually be determined from inspection. To do this,
try to visualize how the mechanism might move. If it cannot move, then it has 0 dof. If
it can move, restrain one dof and determine whether any part of the mechanism can still
move. If not, the mechanism had 1 dof. Keep restraining individual dofs until no
motion is possible. The number of dofs which you had to restrain is the number of dofs
of the system.
A more systematic approach to determine the number of degrees of freedom is provided
by Grueblers equation. For a planar mechanism, the mobility, M, (or degrees of
freedom) is given by:
( )
2 1
2 1 3 f f n M - - - =
where, M is the mobility, n is the number of links (including the fixed link), f
1
is the
number of 1-dof joints (ex., pins and sliders), and f
2
is the number of 2-dof joints (ex.,
rollers with sliding). Note that each link in a planar mechanism has 3 dof: translation in x
and y, and rotation about z. One is subtracted from the number of links to account for the
fixed link. Each 1-dof joint restrains 2 dof. Each 2-dof joint restrains 1 dof.
Example 1: Calculation of mobility.
2 M = 3(2-1) 2(1) = 1 dof
1
2
3 M = 3(3-1) 2(2) = 2 dof
1
2 3 4 M = 3(4-1) 2(4) = 1 dof
1 1
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1.3 Simple Mechanisms
Example 1: Calculation of mobility (continued).
roll-sliding contact
3 M = 3(3-1) 2(2) 1 = 1 dof
2 Note that if links 2 and 3 do not contact,
1 1 f
2
= 0 and M = 2.
5 M = 3(5-1) 2(6) = 0
Note that this linkage has
2 3 4 0 dof. However, if links 2, 3,
and 4 are exactly the same
length (and are at the same
angle), then this mechanism can
1 1 1 move with 1 dof it is a special
case because of the geometry.
M = 3(4-1) 2(5) = -1
1
A 4 Note that we had to count the pin at A
twice once for joining links 2 and 3,
2 3 and once for joining links 3 and 4
(dont count it a third time!).
A mobility less than zero indicates a
1 1 statically indeterminate structure.
Further examples from the text: Problem 1.36 has 10 sub-problems (Figures P.148
to P1.57).
Solutions to recommended problems will be provided in files corresponding to each
(sub-)section.
Text Reference: Four-bar linkages are introduced in section 1.3. Six-bar mechanisms
are discussed in section 1.6
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By working with Grueblers equation, we can examine the possible combinations of links
and joints which we can use to form a mechanism with a specified number of degrees of
freedom. Generally, we are after 1 dof.
Consider a mechanism with 2 links. Since 1 link is assumed fixed, we start out with 3
dof, and reduce this to 1 by adding a single pin or slider joint, Figure 1.8. This is not a
particularly useful mechanism, since we get out pretty much what we put in: a rotation in
the first case and a translation in the second case. Note that we could also use two roll-
slider joints to constrain the second link, as shown at right in Figure 1.8. This is not
particularly useful either.
Figure 1.8: Example 2-bar mechanisms
Now consider a mechanism with 3 links. In this case, we start out with 6 dof, and must
add joints to constrain 5 dof to be left with 1 dof. This is possible with two pins and a
roll-slider joint, since the latter only constrains 1 dof. This is an example of a cam-
follower mechanism. Replacing one of the pins with a slider results in the more
conventional cam-follower mechanism shown at right in Figure 1.9.
Figure 1.9: Example 3-bar mechanisms.
With four bars, and four pins, we get the standard 4-bar mechanism, Figure 1.10.
Replacing one pin with a slider gives the slider-crank mechanism, Figure 1.10, and its
various inversions, Figure 1.7.
1
2
1
2
1 1
2
3
1
1
2
3
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Figure 1.10: Four-bar and slider-crank mechanisms.
Note that, if we assume link 2 in the four-bar linkage is the input, we may either take the
output from link 4, or the coupler (link 3). Often, the coupler is larger than is required
simply to connect links 2 and 4, and the output is the path traced by a point on this
enlarged coupler, Figure 1.11.
Figure 1.11: Four-bar linkage used to generate path (coupler curve).
It is not possible to generate a 1-dof mechanism with 5 links and just pin or slider joints.
Five links gives 12 dof, which is an even number.
Several six-bar linkages, however, are possible. Six links gives 15 dof, which can be
reduced to 1 dof through the addition of 7 pin or slider joints. This cannot be
accomplished, however, with only binary links, since connecting 6 binary links together
would require only 6 pin joints. It turns out that we must use 2 ternary links and 4 binary
links. If we place the ternary links adjacent to one another, we get a Watt linkage, Figure
1.12. If we separate the two ternary links, we get a Stephenson linkage, Figure 1.13.
1 1
2
3
4
1 1
2
3
4
1 1
2 4
3
Coupler curve
(artists impression)
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Figure 1.12: Watt six-bar mechanisms (note that the ground is a ternary member for the
Watt II mechanism.
Figure 1.13: Stephenson six-bar mechanisms.

1 1
Watt I
2
3
5
6
4
1 1 1
Watt II
2
3
4
5
6
1 1
Stephenson I
2
3
4
5
6
1 1
Stephenson II
2
3 4
6
5
1 2 3
Stephenson III
2
3
4
5
6