DESIGN OF COMPLIANT MECHANISMS

Presented by D Anil kumar

Reg No. : 23MEM4R03

Introduction

Compliant mechanism is a flexible mechanism that can achieve the

transmission force and motion through elastic body deformation.
Rigid body mechanisms are made of rigid members and kinematic
pairs while the compliant mechanisms are made of elastic segments
and elastic pairs

Classification

1. Discrete compliance

2. Distributed compliance
Degree of freedom

DoF =
Linear and non-linear analysis

Sources of the non-linearity in elastic bodies

1. Geometric non linearity

a) Large displacements

b) Large strains -

2. Material non linearity

3. Stress stiffening
Displacements of tip of cantilever beam

(Bending equation)
Locus of a loaded tip of a cantilever beam

If we observe the pattern of the tip, when the load is applied locus of the tip approximates a circular arc.

The locus can be approximated the circular arc for a very large range of motion.

Take 5-6th of the length from the free end and move over the fixed pivot to this point, the locus of the free tip approximates a circular arc about
this new fixed pivot point
Kinematic approximation

Elastic segment will offer some resistance to the deformation.

The resistance that the beam offers can be captured with the
torsional spring.

Torsional spring constant is constant when the beam is

subjected to different forces.

We can approximate the elastic nature of the cantilever beam

now by introducing torsion spring
Pseudo rigid model

A circular arc is taken as approximation to the locus of the

loaded tip of the cantilever beam that was done by Burns and
Crossley as we have discussed already. The resistance that the
beam offers can be capture with the torsional spring as was
done by Howell and Midha.

we can replace that beam with a rigid body torsion spring then
we can go back to the literature of kinematics and do our
analysis and synthesis comfortably and then come back when
you want to have compliant mechanism replace that rigid
body torsion spring, back to in elastic
Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages

No friction and backlash in compliant mechanisms.

Number of parts is less which reduces the cost of the production.

Reduced wear and light weight

Disadvantages

Mechanical efficiency of the compliant mechanisms is low because some part of the applied force is stored as the strain
energy in the elastic segments

Complicated analysis due to non-linear inertial effects, viscoelastic effects

Thank you