Mechanisms of Machinery

(MEng 3071)
Chapter 3: velocity
analysis of linkages

By Haile S.
March 2013 E.c
1 01/27/2024
 Velocity Analysis of Linkages
Velocities and accelerations in mechanisms are determined
by different methods.
i. Velocity and acceleration analysis using vector
mathematics
 velocity and acceleration of a point are expressed
relative to fixed or moving coordinates.
ii. Velocity and acceleration analysis using equations of
relative motion
 Can be solved graphically by velocity and
acceleration polygons or by using trigonometric
relations.
iii. Velocity and acceleration analysis by using complex
numbers.
iv. Vectors velocity analysis using the instant center
2 method. 01/27/2024
3.1. Velocity Analysis by Vector Mathematics
 Consider the motion of point P moving with respect to
the x- y- z coordinate system, which in turn, moves

relative to the X-Y-Z coordinate system as shown.

 Rp is the position vector of P relative
to the X-Y-Z system.
 R. is the position vector of P
relative to the x-y-z system
 Ro is the position vector of the

origin of the moving coordinate

system x-y-z relative to the

3
fixed coordinate system X-Y-Z .
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 The position vector of P relative to the X-Y-Z system Rp is
expressed as:
  
R p = Ro + R (4. 1)

 Introducing unit vectors i, j, and k along the x, y, and z axes

respectively,

R = xi + yj + zk (4.2).

 Velocity of P relative to the X-Y-Z coordinate system is

   
V p  R p  Ro  R (4.3)


 
 Ro  Vo is the velocity of the origin of x-y-z system relative
to the fixed system
R  d xi  yj  zk 
dt
 ( x i  y j  z k )  ( xi  yj  zk )
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(4.4)
 Let
x i  y j  z k  V (4.5)

note that i    i
j    j
k    k (4.6)

Where ω is the angular velocity vector of x-y-z system relative to X-

Y-Z.
xi  yj  zk  x(  i )  y (  j )  z (  k )
   ( xi  yj  zk )
 (4.7)
R
- Thus the velocity of P relative to the moving coordinate system is
  
R V  R (4.8)
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 Therefore the velocity of point P relative to the fixed system is:
   
V p = Vo +V + ω  R ( 4.9 )


Vo = velocity of the origin of the x-y-z system relative to
the X-Y- Z system

V = velocity of point p relative to x-y-z system

ω = angular velocity of the x-y-z system relative to X-Y-Z

system

R = position vector of P with respect to the origin of the x-y-z
system

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 Example 3.1

The mechanism shown in Fig. 3.2 has the following

dimensions:

Link 2 rotates at a constant angular velocity of 4π rad/s

in the clockwise direction.

For the phase shown, determine the velocity of point B

and the angular velocity of link 3 .

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 Fig 3.2

Solution:
The coordinate systems X-Y and x-y are selected as shown
in the Fig·. 3.2, where the x-y system is moving relative to
the fixed X-Y system.

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 From the geometry of the mechanism

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 Example 3.2
In the slider crank mechanism show in fig 3.14 below, the
crank rotates at a constant angular velocity of 10π rad/s
clockwise. Determine the velocity of the slider B and
angular velocity of the connecting rod ω 3 for the phase
angle when .

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3.2. Velocity analysis by using equation of relative motion
3.2.1. Velocity of points on a common link
 A and B are two points on a common rigid link AB as shown.

 The points are moving with velocities VA and VB respectively.

 Using the equation of relative motion, velocity of one point can be

determined relative to the other.

VA = VB + VA/B (4.10)  Where VA/B = velocity of A relative to B

 All absolute velocity vectors originate from

the same point O2.

 Note that the velocity of A relative to B

and the velocity of B relative to A are

equal in magnitude, collinear and opposite in
direction, i.e.

13 VA/B=-VB/A (3.11) 01/27/2024

 Example 3.3
Link 2 of the four bar linkage shown in Fig 3.4 is the diver link having
a constant angular velocity ω 2= 10 rad/s in the clockwise direction.
For the phase shown, determine the velocity of point B and angular
velocity of links 3 and 4.

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Fig 3.4 01/27/2024
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 3.2.2. Velocity of a block sliding on a rotating link
 As shown in the figure block A slides on the rotating link O2B.
 The angular velocity  of the link and the velocity of the block are
assumed to be known.

Let A’ be a point on the link coincident with the block A for the instant
represented.
The velocity of A’ relative to O2 is perpendicular to O2B at A’.

The velocity of A relative to A’ is along the link parallel to O2A’

VA = VA’ + VA/A’ (4.12)

Relative velocity of coincident particles on separate links is effected by
17 01/27/2024
physical constraints such as guides.
 3.2.3 . Relative velocity of crank and connecting rod
 Let 2 be the angular velocity of the crank O2A.
 Velocity of B can be determined using the velocity of point A as the
reference which can easily be determined.

VB = VA + VB/A (4.13)
Where
VA is known both in magnitude and direction;
VB is known in direction, magnitude is unknown;
VB/A is known in direction, magnitude is unknown.

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 Example 3.4
A crank-shaper mechanism is shown in Fig. 3. 7. The
dimensions of the various links are;

For the phase shown, the crank O2A makes an angle of 30

with the horizontal and rotates at a constant angular
velocity of 60 rpm in the counter clockwise direction.
Determine the angular velocity of link 04B and velocity of C.

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 Example3.4
In the slider-crank mechanism of Fig. ( a), the crank rotates
at a constant angular velocity of 10π rad/s clockwise.
Determine the velocity of the slider B and the angular
velocity of the connecting rod ω3 for the phase when

23 θ= 60 degree. 01/27/2024
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25 01/27/2024
 3.3. Velocity Analysis by Complex Numbers
 Most of the systems of analysis using complex polar notation are based on the
following fundamental law:
 If the elements of a mechanism are replaced by position vectors such that their
sum is zero, then their time derivatives are also equal to zero.
 This law means that if one takes any linkage or mechanism and replaces the
members of the mechanism by vectors such that their sum is zero, then the sum of
the velocity vectors is zero, so also the sum of the acceleration vectors.
Considering the slider crank shown:
 Link 2 is the driver (crank) and has
a constant angular velocity 2 & for
the instant under consideration an
angular position of 2.
 Dimensions of linkages are assumed
to be known, so the angular position
of the follower, link 4, can be obtained.

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  Replacing each link by a vector such that the position polygon closes as shown in
figure (b), a mathematical expression for the summation law can be written as:

Where
 R4for
R1 +RR=2 vector = the
0 ground link ( 4.14 )
1

R2 = vector for the crank

R4 = vector to determine the position of link 3. Note that the
magnitude of R4 is variable.
 The position of a particle on a link represented by a vector Rp as shown below may be
expressed in any of the following equivalent forms:

R p = a + ib
R p = rp cosθ2 + isinθ2  ( 4.26 )
iθ2
R p = rp e
 Using this complex representation, equation (4.25) is transformed into
iθ1 iθ 2 iθ 4
r1e + r2 e  r4 e =0 ( 4.15 )
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  Differentiating the above equation we obtain

 iθ 2  iθ 4

iθ 4
ir2 θ2 e  ir4 θ4 e  r4 e = 0 ( 4.16 )
 Note that r1 and 1 are constants and r4 is variable.
 Let
i  i
iθ 2 iθ 4 iθ 4
ir2 ω2 e  ir4 ω4 e  r4 e =0 ( 4.17 )
 Separating equation (3.29) into real and imaginary terms:

r2 ω2 cos θ2  r4sin θ4  r4 ω4 cos θ4 = 0

 r2 ω2sin θ2  r4 cos θ4 + r4 ω4sin θ4 = 0 ( 4.18 )
 The unknown quantities in the above pair of equations are 4 and r4
solving for these unknown variables:

r4 = r2 ω2sin(θ4  θ2 )
r2 ω2
ω4 = cos(θ4  θ2 ) ( 4.19 )
28 r4 01/27/2024
 Example 3.5
Solve the problem of Example 3.4 by using complex
numbers.
Solution
Replacing the members of the mechanism by vectors as
shown in Fig. above the summation law can be written.

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Example for quiz

In a pin jointed four bar mechanism shown,

AB = 300 mm, BC = CD = 360 mm, and

AD = 600 mm.

The angle BAD = 60°.

The crank AB rotates uniformly at 100

r.p.m.
 find the angular velocity of the link BC,

velocity of c, velocity of c relative to B.

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 4.4 Velocity Analysis by Instant-center
Method
Sometimes, a body has simultaneously a motion of

rotation as well as translation, such as wheel of car.

Such motion will have the combined effect of rotation

and translation.

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 Thus, this combined motion of rotation and translation

of the link AB may be assumed to be a motion of pure

rotation about some centre I, known as the

instantaneous centre of rotation (also called centre or

virtual centre).

Instantaneous centre is Common point to two bodies in

plane motion, having the same linear velocity in both

magnitude and direction.

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 Instantaneous location of a pair of coincident points
of two different rigid bodies for which the absolute
velocities of the two points are equal.
Consider two points A and B on a rigid link.
Let vA and vB be the velocities of points A and B, whose
directions are given by angles α and β as shown in Fig.
If vA is known in magnitude and direction and vB in
direction only,
Then the magnitude of vB may be determined by the
instantaneous centre method as discussed below :
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  Draw AI and BI perpendiculars to the

directions vA and vB respectively.

 Let these lines intersect at I, which is

known as instantaneous centre or

virtual centre of the link.
 The complete rigid link is to rotate or

turn about the centre I.

 Since A and B are the points on a rigid

link, therefore there cannot be any

relative motion between them along
the line AB.

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37 01/27/2024
 Number of Instantaneous Centre's in
a Mechanism
 The number of instantaneous centers in a constrained

kinematic chain is equal to the number of possible

combinations of two links.
 Mathematically, number of instantaneous centers,

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 Types of Instantaneous Centre

 The instantaneous centers for a mechanism are of the

following three types :

1. Fixed instantaneous centers,
2. Permanent instantaneous centre, and
3. Neither fixed nor permanent instantaneous centre.
 The first two types i.e. fixed and permanent
instantaneous centre are together known as primary
instantaneous centre and the third type is known as
secondary instantaneous centre.
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 Types of Instantaneous Centre

 Consider a four bar

mechanism ABCD.

 The number of

instantaneous

centre (N) in a four

bar mechanism is

given by

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 Types of Instantaneous Centre.

 The instantaneous centers I12 and I14 are called the

fixed instantaneous centers as they remain in the same

place for all configurations of the mechanism.

 The instantaneous centres I23 and I34 are the

permanent instantaneous centres as they move when
the mechanism moves, but the joints are of permanent
nature.

 The instantaneous centres I13 and I24 are neither fixed

nor permanent instantaneous centres as they vary with

41
the configuration of the mechanism. 01/27/2024
 Location of Instantaneous Centres
 The following rules may be used in locating

the instantaneous centres in a mechanism :

1. When the two links are connected by a pin joint

(or pivot joint), the instantaneous centre lies on

the centre of the pin.

2. When the two links have a pure rolling contact

(i.e. link 2 rolls without slipping upon the fixed

link 1 which may be straight or curved), the
instantaneous centre lies on their point of
contact.

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 Location of Instantaneous Centres

3. When the two links have a sliding contact, the

instantaneous centre lies on the common normal at the
point of contact. We shall consider the following three
cases :
3.1 When the link 2 (slider) moves
on fixed link 1 having straight
surface, the instantaneous
centre lies at infinity and each
point on the slider have the

43
same velocity. 01/27/2024
 Location of Instantaneous Centres

3.2 When the link 2 (slider) moves on fixed link 1

having curved surface, the instantaneous
centre lies on the centre of curvature of the
curvilinear path in the configuration at that
instant.
3.3 When the link 2 (slider) moves on fixed link 1
having constant radius of curvature, the
instantaneous centre lies at the centre of
curvature i.e. the centre of the circle, for all
configuration of the links.

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 Aronhold Kennedy (or Three Centres in
Line) Theorem
 The Arnhold- Kennedy theorem

states that:
 When three bodies move

relative to one another they

have three instantaneous
centers, all of which lie on the
same straight line.
 For the four-bar linkage shown in

Fig., centers 12, 23, 34 and 14

are located by inspection.

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 Method of Locating Instantaneous Centres
in a Mechanism
 Consider a pin jointed four bar mechanism shown.

The following procedure is adopted for locating

instantaneous centre's.

1. First of all, determine the number of instantaneous

centres (N) by using the relation

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 Method of Locating Instantaneous Centres in a
Mechanism

2. Make a list of all the instantaneous centres in a

mechanism. Since for a four bar mechanism, there are
six instantaneous centres, therefore these centres
are listed as shown in the following table (known as
book-keeping table).

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 Method of Locating Instantaneous Centres in a
Mechanism
3. Locate the fixed and permanent instantaneous centres by
inspection. I12 and I14 are fixed instantaneous centres and

I23 and I34 are permanent instantaneous centres.

4. Locate the remaining neither fixed nor permanent

instantaneous centers (or secondary centers) by Kennedy’s
theorem. This is done by circle diagram as shown in Fig. (b).
Mark points on a circle equal to the number of links in a
mechanism. In the present case, mark 1, 2, 3, and 4 on the
circle.
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 Method of Locating Instantaneous Centres in a
Mechanism

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 Method of Locating Instantaneous Centres in a
Mechanism

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 VELOCITY ANALYSIS WITH INSTANT
CENTERS

Example 3.7

In a pin jointed four bar mechanism shown,

AB = 300 mm, BC = CD = 360 mm, and

AD = 600 mm.

The angle BAD = 60°.

The crank AB rotates uniformly at 100

r.p.m.
 Locate all the instantaneous centres and

find the angular velocity of the link BC.

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 VELOCITY ANALYSIS WITH INSTANT CENTERS
Example 4.7
 Solution. Given : NAB = 100 r.p.m

or ωAB = 2 × 100/60 = 10.47 rad/s

Since the length of crank AB = 300 mm = 0.3 m, therefore

velocity of point B on link AB,

vB = ωAB × AB = 10.47 × 0.3 = 3.141 m/s

 Location of instantaneous centres
The instantaneous centres are located as discussed below:

Since the mechanism consists of four links (i.e. n = 4 ),

therefore number of instantaneous centres,
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 VELOCITY ANALYSIS WITH INSTANT CENTERS
Example 4.7
1. For a four bar mechanism, the book keeping table may be
drawn.

2. Locate the fixed and permanent instantaneous centres by

inspection. These centres are I12, I23, I34 and I14, as shown
in Fig. below.

3. Locate the remaining neither fixed nor permanent

instantaneous centres by Aronhold Kennedy’s theorem.
This is done by circle diagram as shown in Fig. below. Mark
four points (equal to the number of links in a mechanism) 1,

53 2, 3, and 4 on the circle. 01/27/2024

 VELOCITY ANALYSIS WITH INSTANT CENTERS

Example 3.7

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 VELOCITY ANALYSIS WITH INSTANT CENTERS
Example 4.7
Angular velocity of the link BC
Let ωBC = Angular velocity of the link BC.
Since B is also a point on link BC, therefore velocity of
point B on link BC,

By measurement, we find that I13B = 500 mm = 0.5 m

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 VELOCITY ANALYSIS WITH INSTANT CENTERS

Example 4.8.
Locate all the instantaneous centres of the slider crank
mechanism as shown in Fig. below. The lengths of crank OB and
connecting rod AB are 100 mm and 400 mm respectively. If the
crank rotates clockwise with an angular velocity of 10 rad/s,

find: 1. Velocity of the slider A, and

2. Angular velocity of the connecting rod AB.

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 VELOCITY ANALYSIS WITH INSTANT CENTERS

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 VELOCITY ANALYSIS WITH INSTANT CENTERS

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 VELOCITY ANALYSIS WITH INSTANT CENTERS

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 VELOCITY ANALYSIS WITH INSTANT CENTERS

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 VELOCITY ANALYSIS WITH INSTANT CENTERS

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 Example 4.9

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 Example 4.9

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 Example 4.9

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 Example 4.9

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 Example 4.9

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 Example 4.9

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 Example 4.9

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