THREE-DIMENSIONAL

KINEMATICS OF RIGID
BODIES
GENERAL MOTION

The kinematic analysis of a rigid body which has general three-dimensional

motion is best accomplish with the aid of principles of relative motion.

  
vA  vB  vA / B
  
aA  aB  aA/B

   
v A  v B    rA / B
      
a A  a B    rA / B       rA / B 
 Rotating Reference Axes

A more general formulation of the motion of a rigid body in space calls for the use
of reference axes which rotate as well as translate. Reference axes whose origin
is attached to the reference point B rotate with an absolute angular velocity 
which may be different from the absolute angular velocity  of the body.

        
i   i j   j k   k
The expressions for the velocity and acceleration of point A become
    
v A  v B    rA / B  v rel
 
         
a A  a B    rA / B      rA / B  2  v rel  a rel
Where, vrel and arel are the velocity and acceleration of point A measured
relative to x-y-z by an observer attached to x-y-z.

   
v rel  x i  y j  z k
   
a rel  x i  y j  zk
We again note that  is the angular velocity of the axes
and may be different from the angular velocity  of the
body. We observe that, if x-y-z are rigidly to the body,
=  and vrel and arel are both zero.
Example 1

The motor housing and its bracket rotate about the Z-axis at the
constant rate =3 rad/s. The motor shaft and disk have constant
angular velocity of spin p=8 rad/s with respect to the motor housing in
the direction shown. If  is constant at 30o, determine the velocity and
acceleration of Point A at the top of the disk and the angular
acceleration  of the disk.
Example 2

The circular disk is spinning about its own axis (y-axis) at the constant
rate p=10 rad/s. Simultaneously, the frame is rotating about Z-axis at
the constant rate =4 rad/s. Calculate the angular acceleration  of the
disk and acceleration of Point A at the top of the disk. Axes x-y-z are
attached to the frame, which has the momentary orientation shown with
respect to the fixed axes X-Y-Z.