Vishwakarma Institute of Technology

D.E.S.H. – Department of Engineering, Sciences and Humanities

FY (AY-20211) – RME – Robot Mechanics and Electronics
Notes 2.3 – Basics of Mechanics of Robots
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MOMENT OF A FORCE & MOMENT OF INERTIA
A) Moment of a Force is the Turning effect produced by the force on the body.
B) It is the measure of its tendency to cause a body to rotate about a specific point or axis.
(also known as Torque) always opposes the motion. This opposition is called as
Friction Force.
C) A moment is due to a force not having an equal and opposite force directly along it's
line of action. Thus ….
Torque = Force x Distance ( )
D) The moment of the force is zero when either …..
1) the force is zero OR 2) when the perpendicular distance is zero
E) Fig . 2.3.1 gives real life pictorial presentation of Moment of Force

Fig . 2.3.1 Pictorial presentation of Moment of Force

F) Couple:- Fig . 2.3.2 gives real life pictorial presentation of Couple

Fig . 2.3.2 Pictorial presentation of Couple

 Vishwakarma Institute of Technology
D.E.S.H. – Department of Engineering, Sciences and Humanities
FY (AY-20211) – RME – Robot Mechanics and Electronics
Notes 2.3 – Basics of Mechanics of Robots
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G) A couple is formed by two forces that are …..
1. equal in magnitude, 2. Opposite in direction and 3. parallel in action
H) The effect of a couple on the body is to produce Rotation.
I) Moment of Arm of Couple - The perpendicular distance between the two lines of action
of forces forming the couple is called the “Moment Arm” of the couple.
J) The magnitude of couple is defined as the product of the magnitude of the force and
the moment arm.
K) The sense of the couple could be CW (–ve) or CCW (+ve). Couple / Torque is
measured in “N-m”. In practice Kg-cm is also used. How many N-m = 1 Kg-cm ?
L) For equivalence …. Couples should have:- 1. Same magnitude 2.Same sense
M) MOMENT OF INERTIA OF A BODY -
M.I. is a quantity which expresses a tendency to resist angular rotation.
N) The amount of torque needed to cause any given angular acceleration (the rate of
change in angular velocity) is proportional to the moment of inertia of the body.
O) Moment of Inertia is also called as Second Moment of Area OR Area Moment of Inertia.
It is a geometrical property of an area which reflects how its points are distributed with
regard to an arbitrary axis.
Area moment of Inertia See Fig . 2.3.3 Moment of Inertia of a body

Fig . 2.3.3 Moment of Inertia of a body

 Vishwakarma Institute of Technology
D.E.S.H. – Department of Engineering, Sciences and Humanities
FY (AY-20211) – RME – Robot Mechanics and Electronics
Notes 2.3 – Basics of Mechanics of Robots
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
P) Moment of Inertia of Different Systems:- See Fig 2.3.4 for Moment of Inertia of Different
Systems and their formulae

Fig 2.3.4 for Moment of Inertia of Different bodies and their formulae
 Vishwakarma Institute of Technology
D.E.S.H. – Department of Engineering, Sciences and Humanities
FY (AY-20211) – RME – Robot Mechanics and Electronics
Notes 2.3 – Basics of Mechanics of Robots
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Q) Parallel Axis Theorem
Statement:- The moment of inertia of a plane area with respect to any reference axis
in its plane is equal to the sum of moment of Inertia with respect to a parallel
centroidal axis and product of total area and the square of the distance between the
two axes.
IAB = IG + Ah2
Parallel axis theorem is used to find M. I. about an axis which is not passing through
C.G. of the section. Fig 2.3.5 Parallel Axis theorem explained

Fig 2.3.5 Parallel Axis theorem

R) Perpendicular Axis Theorem (This theorem is for self study)
Statement:- The moment of inertia of an area with respect to an axis perpendicular to
the x-y plane (z-axis) and passing through origin will be equal to the sum of moment
of inertia of the same area about x-x and y-y axis.

Izz = Ixx + Iyy

 Vishwakarma Institute of Technology
D.E.S.H. – Department of Engineering, Sciences and Humanities
FY (AY-20211) – RME – Robot Mechanics and Electronics
Notes 2.3 – Basics of Mechanics of Robots
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
S) Verignon’s Theorem:- . Fig 2.3.7 explains Verignon’s Theorem

Fig 2.3.7 Verignon’s Theorem

T) Verignon’s Theorem:-
Statement:- The algebraic sum of the moments of all forces about any point in their plane is
equal to the moment of their resultant about the same point.
Moment of Force about any point is equal to the sum of the moments of its components
about the same point.
It is used to determine the position of Resultant of Parallel force system.

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