MACHINE DESIGN - An Integrated Approach, 4th Ed.

Case Study 5A-1

CASE STUDY 5A

Fourbar Linkage Loading Analysis

Problem: Determine the theoretical rigid-body forces acting in two dimensions on the fourbar
linkage shown in Figure 3-11.
Given: Link dimensions:
Link 2 a  6  in r2CG  3.36 in δ2  26.7 deg
Link 3 b  16 in r3CG  9.17 in δ3  15.5 deg
Link 4 c  12 in r4CG  4.05 in δ4  10.0 deg
Link 1 d  18 in
Angle, link 2 θ2  30 deg
rad
Input velocity ω2  120  rpm ω2  12.57
sec
2
Input acceleration α2  0  rad sec blob  12 slug
Mass, link 2 m2  0.003  blob m2  0.525 kg
Mass, link 3 m3  0.006  blob m3  1.051 kg
Mass, link 4 m4  0.006  blob m4  1.051 kg
2 2
Mass mom, link 2 IG2  0.5 blob in IG2  193 in  lb
2 2
Mass mom, link 3 IG3  0.1 blob in IG3  38.6 in  lb
2 2
Mass mom, link 4 IG4  4.0 blob in IG4  1544 in  lb
Assumptions: The accelerations are significant. A class 4 load model is appropriate and a
dynamic analysis is required. There are no external loads on the system, all
loads are due to the accelerations of the links. The weight forces are
insignificant compared to the inertial forces and will be neglected. The links
are assumed to be ideal rigid bodies. Friction and the effects of clearances
in the pin joints also will be ignored.
Solution: See Figures 3-11 through 3-13, Table 3-6, and Mathcad file CASE5A.
1. Figure 3-11 shows the fourbar linkage demonstrator model. It consists of three moving elements (links 2, 3,
and 4) plus the frame or ground link (1). The motor drives link 2 through a gearbox. The two fixed pivots are
instrumented with piezoelectric force transducers to measure the dynamic forces acting in x and y directions
on the ground plane. A pair of accelerometers is mounted to a point on the floating coupler (link 3) to
measure its accelerations.
2. Figure 3-12 shows a schematic of the linkage. The links are designed with lightening holes to reduce their
masses and mass moments of inertia. The input to link 2 can be an angular acceleration (or a constant angular
velocity) plus a torque. Link 2 rotates fully about its fixed pivot at O2. Even though link 2 may have a zero
angular acceleration 2, if run at constant angular velocity 2, there still will be time-varying angular
accelerations on links 3 and 4 since they oscillate back and forth. In any case, the CGs of the links will
experience time-varying linear accelerations as the linkage moves. These angular and linear accelerations will
generate inertia forces and torques as defined by Newton's second law. Thus, even with no external forces or
torques applied to the links, the inertial forces will create reaction forces at the pins. It is these forces that we
wish to calculate.
3. Figure 3-13 shows the free-body diagrams of the individual links. The local, nonrotating, coordinate system
for each link is set up at its CG. The kinematic equations of motion must be solved to determine the linear
accelerations of the CG of each link and the link's angular acceleration for every position of interest during
the cycle. (See reference 1 for an explanation of this proceedure.) These accelerations, AGn and n, are
shown acting on each of the n links and are given below. The forces at each pin connection are shown as
xy pairs, numbered as before, and are initially assumed to be positive.

CASE5A.xmcd
MACHINE DESIGN - An Integrated Approach, 4th Ed. Case Study 5A-2

From the kinematic analysis the link angles and accelerations are:
Link angles: θ3  34.195471  deg θ4  87.945733  deg
rad rad
Accelerations: α3  56.653182  α4  137.95907 
2 2
sec sec
2 2
AG2x  291.306  in sec AG2y  432.471  in sec
2 2
AG3x  1362.219 in sec AG3y  309.2232 in sec
2 2
AG4x  546.6891 in sec AG4y  115.39814  in sec
Calculating the x and y components of the position vectors:
Link 2: 
R12x  r2CG cos θ2  δ2  R12x  46.856 mm


R12y  r2CG sin θ2  δ2  R12y  71.331 mm

 
R32x  a  cos θ2  R12x R32x  85.126 mm

 
R32y  a  sin θ2  R12y R32y  4.869 mm

Link 3: 
R23x  r3CG cos θ3  δ3  R23x  150.663 mm


R23y  r3CG sin θ3  δ3  R23y  177.627 mm

 
R43x  b  cos θ3  R23x R43x  185.481 mm

 
R43y  b  sin θ3  R23y R43y  50.777 mm

Link 4: 
R14x  r4CG cos θ4  δ4  R14x  21.483 mm


R14y  r4CG sin θ4  δ4  R14y  100.602 mm

 
R34x  c cos θ4  R14x R34x  10.557 mm

 
R34y  c sin θ4  R14y R34y  204.002 mm

4. Equations 3.1 can be written for each moving link in the system. The masses and the mass moments of inertia
of each link about its CG must be calculated for use in these equations.

5. For link 2:
ΣFx = F12x  F32x = m2 AG2x ΣFy = F12y  F32y = m2 AG2y
ΣMz = T2   R12x F12y  R12y F12x  = IG2 α2 (a)
  R32x F32y  R32y F32x

6. For link 3:

ΣFx = F23x  F43x = m3 AG3x ΣFy = F23y  F43y = m3 AG3y

ΣMz =  R23x F23y  R23y F23x  = IG3 α3 (b)

  R43x F43y  R43y F43x

CASE5A.xmcd
MACHINE DESIGN - An Integrated Approach, 4th Ed. Case Study 5A-3

7. For link 4:
ΣFx = F14x  F34x = m4 AG4x ΣFy = F14y  F34y = m4 AG4y

ΣMz =  R14x F14y  R14y F14x  = IG4 α4 (c)

  R34x F34y  R34y F34x

8. There are 13 unkowns in these nine equations: F12x, F12y, F32x, F32y, F23x, F23y, F43x, F43y, F14x, F14y, F34x, F34y,
and T2. Four third-law equations can be written to equate the action-reaction pairs at the joints.
F32x = F23x F32y = F23y
(d)
F34x = F43x F34y = F43y
9. The set of thirteen equations in a through d can be solved simultaneously to determine the forces and driving
torque either by matrix reduction or by iterative root-finding methods. After reducing the number of unknowns
to nine by substitution, we will use a Mathcad solve block.

Guess values for the 9 unknowns in the equilibrium equations:

F12x  100  N F12y  100  N F14x  100  N F14y  100  N
F43x  100  N F43y  100  N F23x  100  N F23y  100  N
T2  10 N  m

Given F12x  F23x = m2 AG2x F12y  F23y = m2 AG2y

T2   R12x F12y  R12y F12x  = IG2 α2
  R32x F23y  R32y F23x

F23x  F43x = m3 AG3x F23y  F43y = m3 AG3y

 R23x F23y  R23y F23x  = IG3 α3

  R43x F43y  R43y F43x

F14x  F43x = m4 AG4x F14y  F43y = m4 AG4y

 R14x F14y  R14y F14x  = IG4 α4

  R34x F43y  R34y F43x

 F12x 
 
 F12y 
 F14x 
 
 F14y 
 F43x   Find  F F F F F F F F T 
  12x 12y 14x 14y 43x 43y 23x 23y 2

 43y 
F
F 
 23x 
 F23y 
 
 T2 
Third-law equations: F32x  F23x F32y  F23y
F34x  F43x F34y  F43y

CASE5A.xmcd
MACHINE DESIGN - An Integrated Approach, 4th Ed. Case Study 5A-4

Forces and torque:

Link 2: F12x  255.8 N F12y  177.9 N

F32x  252.0 N F32y  172.2 N

Link 3: F23x  252.0 N F23y  172.2 N

F43x  215.6 N F43y  163.9 N

Link 4: F34x  215.6 N F34y  163.9 N

F14x  201.0 N F14y  167.0 N

Torque: T2  3.52 N  m

CASE5A.xmcd