Linkages how to master what is and is not known about the design

of linkages. Perhaps what is not known is just waiting

Linkages are perhaps the most fundamental class
for someone like you to make the next discovery! In
of machines that humans employ to turn thought into
particular, most of us are confined to using simple four
action. From the first lever and fulcrum, to the most
or six bar linkages that move in a plane, but the world is
complex shutter mechanism, linkages translate one type
of motion into another. It is probably impossible to three dimensional and waiting for you!1
trace the true origin of linkages, for engineers have
always been bad at documentation. Images of levers Fortunately, for us mere mortal linkage designers,
drawn in Egyptian tombs may themselves be document- there is powerful linkage design software that seem-
ing ancient (to them!) history. But given their useful- lessly links to many solid modelling programs. Just
ness, linkages will be with us always. They form a link lkike snowboarding, you have to learn on the bunny
to our past and extend an arm to our future. As long as slope before you ride extreme slopes, and you must
we keep turning the technological crank, they will cou- learn the basics of linkage design before you attempt to
ple our efforts together so all followers of technology zoom from the top! Accordingly, this chapter will focus
can move in sync. on the fundamentals of linkage design: physics, synthe-
sis and robust design & manufacturing.2
As you read this chapter on linkages, it is impor-
tant to realize that history plays a vital role in the devel-
opment of your own personal attitude towards becoming
competent at creating and using linkages. As it was
with many other areas of engineering, applied mathema-
ticians and their curiosity for how their new analysis
tools could be used to understand problems (opportuni-
ties!) catalyzed the discovery of linkages and analysis
methods. The study of linkages is a very mature and 1. An awesome book containing many great mechanism ideas is N. Sclater and N. Chironis, Mecha-
nisms and Mechanical Devices, McGraw-Hill, New York, 2001
rich subject area but it is by no means over. On the con- 2. If the design of machines is of real interest, you should take a course on the design of mechanisms
where the entire focus of the course would be on the details of designing many different types of mecha-
trary, entire courses are dedicated to teaching students nisms from linkages to gear trains. An excellent reference is A. Erdman, G. Sandor, S. Kota, Mechanism
Design, 2001 Prentice Hall Upper Saddle River, NJ USA