ME 232: KDOM

Solution for Quiz 2, 20th Feb 2024

1. [10 points] A slider shown below is pinned to the Link 1 and can slide along the Link 2.
(a) Draw the velocity polygon with all velocity lines shown with angles that they would
make with horizontal or vertical axis. (b) Find the angular velocity ω2 of the Link 2.

B1

30◦
40.9◦ O

49.1◦
B2

(a) Slider (b) Velocity polygon

Figure 1: Slider

Solution: The velocity polygon has been shown in Fig. 1(b) where OB1 = VB1
is the velocity of B1 on Link 1 and perpendicular to O1 B1 of Fig. 1(a). Therefore,
VB1 = 240 ∗ 15ei5π/6 . We also have, the velocity of B2 on Link 2 as OB2 = VB2 =
275ω2 eiθ , which is perpendicular to O2 B2 of Fig. 1(a). If the angle ∠B2 O2 O1 = α,
B O22 +O1 O22 −O1 B12
then cos α = 2 2B 2 O2 O1 O2
. Plugging in all values, we obtain α = 49.1◦ , and
therefore, θ = 270 − α = 220.9◦ . The relative velocity of B1 with respect to B2 is
given by B2 B1 = VB2 B1 = VB2 B1 eiβ , where β = 180 − α = 130.9◦ .
+5 points (For the Fig. 1(b) drawn clearly with angles shown)

From the velocity polygon, we can write

VB 1 = VB 2 + VB 2 B 1 .

1
ME 232 Solution 2, Page 2 of 7 Feb 20, 2024

This is equivalent to

240 ∗ 15ei5π/6 = 275ω2 eiθ + VB2 B1 eiβ .

+2 points
This will give two equations and we have two unknowns, ω2 and VB2 B1 , for given
θ = 220.9◦ and β = 130.9◦ . The two equations can be rearranged in AX = B format
where
     
275 cos θ cos β 240 ∗ 15 cos 5π/6 ω2
A= , B= , X= .
275 sin θ sin β 240 ∗ 15 sin 5π/6 VB2 B1

Solving for X, we obtain ω2 = 4.28 rad/s. +3 points

2. [10 points] Locate all of the instant centers in the mechanisms shown in Fig. 2.

Figure 2: Locate the instant centers

Solution:

(a) Total 6 ICs for 4 links. ICs I12 and I13 are at the joints. Then I14 will be along
the vertical line at infinity and I34 will be perpendicular to the slider 3 shown
ME 232 Solution 2, Page 3 of 7 Feb 20, 2024

in Fig. 2(a). IC I24 must be on the intersection of lines I12 − I14 and I23 − I34 .
Similarly, IC I13 must be on the intersection of lines I12 − I23 and I14 − I34 . But
I14 and I34 , both lie at infinity, therefore, I13 must be on line I12 − I23 going to
infinity.
+5 points

(b) Again for 4 links, total 6 ICs. ICs I12 and I34 are at the joints. Then I14 will
be along the vertical line at infinity and I23 will be perpendicular to the slider
B shown in Fig. 2(b). IC I13 must be on the intersection of lines I12 − I23 and
I14 − I34 . Similarly, IC I24 must be on the intersection of lines I12 − I14 and
I23 − I34 .
+5 points

3. [10 points] Determine the velocity and acceleration of point C on the Link 3. Link 2 is
the driver which rotates with a constant angular velocity of 50 rad/s CCW. Make point
A the origin of your reference coordinate system.

(a) (b)

Figure 3: Find velocity and accn of point C on link 3

Solution: Let us label the point which is perpendicular to AB from C with length d
as D. Now, BCDB can be thought of as an imaginary extension of rigid body 3. This
imaginary extension only slides along the link 2. This means, ∠BDC will remain
the same throughout the motion, i.e. ∠BDC = π/2 always and the length DC = d
remains unchanged.
We also label the point on the vertical line passing from C and meeting at x-axis
as E, therefore, CE = h, where A is the origin. In vector terms, take the position
vector of point E as EA = r1 and that of point D as DA = r2 . The vectors CD = r3
ME 232 Solution 2, Page 4 of 7 Feb 20, 2024

and CE = r4 . Now, taking a vector closure loop for all these four vectors, we can
write,
r2 + r3 = r1 + r4 .
If θi ’s are angle made by these vectors along x-axis, where i = 1, 2, 3, 4, then ri =
ri ejθi , where j is the imaginary complex number. Therefore, from the above equation,
we can write
r2 ejθ2 + r3 ejθ3 = r1 ejθ1 + r4 ejθ4 .
We also have, θ1 = 0, θ2 = φ and θ4 = π/2. Moreover, throughout the motion,
θ3 = 3π/2 + φ and therefore, θ̇3 = ω3 = φ̇ = ω2 . During the motion, both r1 and r2
change, however, r3 = d and r4 = h, always. +2 points

The above vector closure loop equation gives rise to two scalar equations:

r1 = r2 cos φ + r3 sin φ, (1a)

h = r2 sin φ − r3 cos φ. (1b)

For r3 = d = 0.9, r4 = h = 0.8, φ = 60◦ , φ̇ = ω2 = 50 rad/s, from Eq. (1), we obtain

h + d cos φ
r2 = = 1.44, r1 = 1.5.
sin φ

+3 points
Now, the velocity and acceleration analysis can be done with at least two different
methods.
First Method:
Taking time derivative of Eq. (1), we obtain

ṙ1 = ṙ2 cos φ − r2 φ̇ sin φ + dφ̇ cos φ, (2a)

0 = ṙ2 sin φ + r2 φ̇ cos φ + dφ̇ sin φ. (2b)

Plugging in all the known values, we obtain

r2 φ̇ cos φ + dφ̇ sin φ

ṙ2 = − = −86.57, ṙ1 = −83.14.
sin φ

+2 points
Taking time derivative of Eq. (2), we obtain

r̈1 = r̈2 cos φ − 2ṙ2 φ̇ sin φ − r2 (φ̈ sin φ + φ̇2 cos φ) + d(φ̈ cos φ − φ̇2 sin φ), (3a)
2 2
0 = r̈2 sin φ + 2ṙ2 φ̇ cos φ + r2 (φ̈ cos φ − φ̇ sin φ) + d(φ̈ sin φ + φ̇ cos φ). (3b)
ME 232 Solution 2, Page 5 of 7 Feb 20, 2024

Plugging in all the known values, (φ̈ = 0), we obtain

r̈2 = 7299, r̈1 = 7398.

+2 points
Velocity of C is given by ṙ1 = −83.14 in/s along x-axis and acceleration of C is given
by r̈1 = 7398 in/s2 along x-axis.
+1 point

Second Method:
The velocities of points D and C are

VD = ω2 r2 ej(π/2+φ) = jω2 r2 ejφ

and VC = VC ej0 . The velocity of D on link 3 is VD3 = VC + VDC , where VDC =

ω3 r3 ej(π+φ) , and ω3 = ω2 , hence VDC = −ω2 dejφ . This means

VD3 = VC ej0 − ω2 dejφ .

The velocity of D on link 2 is also VD2 = VD3 − VD3/2 , where VD3/2 = VD3/2 ejφ .
This means, we can write

jω2 r2 ejφ = VC ej0 − ω2 dejφ − VD3/2 ejφ .

This gives rise to two equations:

VC = VD3/2 cos φ − r2 ω2 sin φ + dω2 cos φ, (4a)

0 = VD3/2 sin φ + r2 ω2 cos φ + dω2 sin φ. (4b)

Plugging in all the known values, we obtain

VD3/2 = −86.57, VC = −83.14.

+2.5 points
Similarly, the acceleration of point D is aD = anD = −ω22 r2 ejφ + r̈2 ejφ as its tangential
part is zero because α2 = 0. The accn of C is aC = aC ej0 . The acceleration of D on
link 2 is also aD2 = aD3 − aD3/2 , where

aD3/2 = atD3/2 + acD3/2 ; atD3/2 = aD3/2 ejφ , acD3/2 = 2ω2 VD3/2 ej(π/2+φ) .

The acceleration of D on link 3 is aD3 = aC +aDC , where aDC = anDC = ω22 dej(3π/2+φ) ,
since its tangential part is zero. This means, we can write

aD2 = aD3 − aD3/2 , or,

−ω22 r2 ejφ + r̈2 ejφ = aC ej0 + ω22 dej(3π/2+φ) − aD3/2 ejφ − 2ω2 VD3/2 ej(π/2+φ) .
ME 232 Solution 2, Page 6 of 7 Feb 20, 2024

This gives rise to two equations:

aC = aD3/2 cos φ − 2VD3/2 ω2 sin φ − r2 ω22 cos φ − dω22 sin φ, (5a)

0 = aD3/2 sin φ + 2VD3/2 ω2 cos φ − r2 ω22 sin φ + dω22 cos φ. (5b)

Plugging in all the known values, we obtain

aD3/2 = 7299, aC = 7398.

+2.5 points

4. [5 points] Please write down the displacement, velocity and acceleration equations by
taking the sum of the displaced mechanism vector loop in the figure given below for the
four-bar mechanism. Use complex algebraic approach only.

Figure 4: Four-bar mechanism

Solution: The displacement equation in vector form is

W 1 + V1 − U 1 − G 1 = 0

In terms of complex numbers, we have

W1 ei(θ+βj ) + V1 ei(ρ+αj ) − U1 ei(σ+γj ) − G1x − iG1y = 0.

+1.5 points
Taking derivative of this equation with respect to time gives the following velocity
equation:
iβ̇j W1 ei(θ+βj ) + iα̇j V1 ei(ρ+αj ) − iσ̇j U1 ei(σ+γj ) = 0.
ME 232 Solution 2, Page 7 of 7 Feb 20, 2024

+1.5 points
Taking derivative of this equation with respect to time gives the following acceleration
equation:

(−β̇j2 + iβ̈j )W1 ei(θ+βj ) + (−α̇j2 + iα̈j )V1 ei(ρ+αj ) − (−γ̇j2 + iγ̈j )U1 ei(σ+γj ) = 0.

+2 points