MECH 321

Chapter 4
Position Analysis

All figures taken from Design of Machinery, 3rd ed. Robert Norton 2003

1
 Coordinate Systems
• Cartesian (Rx, Ry)
• Polar (RA, q)
• Converting between the two
R A  Rx 2  R y 2 Rx  RA cos q
q  arctan R y Rx  R y  RA sin q
• Position Difference, Relative position
– Difference (one point, two times) Y
RBA B
– relative (two points, same time) A

RBA=RB-RA RA
RB
2
X
 4.3 Translation, Rotation, and
Complex motion
• Translation: keeps the same angle
• Rotation: one point does not move
• Complex motion: a combination of rotation
and translation

3
 Graphical Position Analysis of
Linkages
Given the length of the links (a,b,c,d), the ground
position, and q2. Find q3 and q4
b
B
c
b
A q3
c
a
q2 q4
d
O2 O4
4
 Graphical Linkage Analysis
b
• Draw an arc of radius b, c
centered at A
• Draw an arc of radius c,
B1
centered at O4
b
• The intersections are the A q3
two possible positions for c
the linkage, open and a
crossed q2 d q4

O2 O4
B2 5
 Algebraic Position Analysis
Obtain coordinates of point A:
Ax  a cos q 2
Ay  a sin q 2

Obtain coordinates of point B:

b 2  Bx  Ax   B y  Ay 
2 2

c 2  B x  d   B y
2 2

These are 2 equations in 2 unknowns: Bx and By

See solution in textbook pages 177 and 178 (Sec. 4.5).

6
 Complex Numbers as Vectors
• We can plot complex numbers on the real-
imaginary plane
• Euler identity e±iq=cos q ± i sin q
• Cartesian form: RAcos q + i RAsin q
• Polar form: RAeiq Imaginary

• Multiplying by eiq
corresponds to rotating
by q
Real
7
 Analytical Position Analysis
• Given: link lengths a,b,c and d, q1, q2 (the motor
position)
• Find: the unknown angles q3 and q4

8
 Loop closure equation
The vector position of any point on the
mechanism, say point B is expressed by
B D2  D3  D1  D4 (1)
Di is a vector representing link i
Di  di Ui (2)
Ui is the associated unit vector
Ui  cosqi i  sin qi j

Ui  e jqi  cosqi  j sin qi (3) Known and unknown parameters:

di magitude of vector Di D2  D3  D1  D4
qi is angular position of vector Di M    
Ui unit vector along vector Di D  ?  ?
9
D3  D1  D4  D2

D3  D3   D1  D4  D2    D1  D4  D2 

Recall: Di  D j  di d j cos qi  q j 

d32  d12  d 22  d 42  2d1d 4 cos q1  q4   2d1d 2 cos q1  q2 
 2d 2 d 4 cos q 2  q 4 

Applying the trigonometric relation

cos(a  b)  cos a cos b  sin a sin b

And collecting terms yields

c1 cosq 4  c2 sin q 4  c3  0 (4)
c1  2d1d 4 cos q1  2d 2 d 4 cos q 2
c2  2d1d 4 sin q1  2d 2 d 4 sin q 2
c3  d12  d 22  d32  d 42  2d1d 2 cos q1  q 2 
10
Applying the half-angle relations
Define t  tan q 4 2 
1 t2 2t
 cosq 4  , sin q 4  (5)
1 t 2
1 t2

 c3  c1  t 2  2c2t   c3  c1   0 (6)
tn ( i ) c2 c12  c22  c32
t  (7)
td ( i ) c3  c1
q 4(i ) =2atan2  tn ( i ) , td ( i )  ; i  1, 2

11
The angular position of the coupler link
is determined as follows. From Eq. (1):
D3  D1  D4  D2

d3 sin q3(i )  d1 sin q1  d 4 sin q4( i )  d 2 sin q2  zn

d3 cosq3(i )  d1 cosq1  d4 cosq4( i )  d 2 cosq2  zd

Dividing the two equations leads to

q3(i )  atan2  zin , zid  ; i  1, 2 (8)
zin  d1 sin q1  d 4 sin q 4i  d 2 sin q 2
zid  d1 cosq1  d 4 cosq 4i  d 2 cosq 2

12
Branches of the 4R mechanism
Case-I: When c12+c22-c22>0, two
values of θ4 exist and the
mechanism posses two branches or
geometric inversions. when the (–)
sign before the square root is
taken, θ4(1) and θ3(1) forms GINV-
I and when the (+) sign before
the square root is used, θ4(2) and
θ3(2) form GINV-II. In this case
links 3 and 4 may be connected at
two points, B1 and B2 in figure 2,
which are the intersection of two
arcs, arc A (center A, radius d3)
and arc B0 (center B0, radius d4).

13
Case-II: When c12+c22-c22=0, only one inversion exists and the
mechanism acquires its dead center position. In this case the arc of center
A and radius d3 becomes tangent to the arc of center B0 and radius d4.

Case-III: When c12+c22-c22<0, the mechanism cannot be formed at the

corresponding input link position for the given link dimensions. In this
case the arc of center A and radius d3 does not intersect the arc of center
B0 and radius d4.

14
Loop Closure, offset slider-crank

15
Loop Closure, offset slider-crank

16
 4.8 Linkages of More than Four Bars
• Geared fivebar linkage
• vector loop equation
    
R2  R3  R4  R5  R1  0

iq 2 iq 3 iq 4
ae  be  ce
iq 5
 de  f 0
• Separate unknowns (q3, q4) and knowns (q5=lq2f,
where l=d2/d5 and f initial angle of R5 w.r.t. R2)
iq3 iq 4 iq 2 iq5
be  ce  ae  de  f  Z (same eqn.
as 4bar) 17
 Sixbar Linkages
• Watt’s sixbar can be solved as 2 fourbar linkages
• R1R2R3R4, then R5R6R7R8
• R4 and R5 have a constant angle between them

18
 Sixbar Linkages
• Stephenson’s sixbar can sometimes be solved as a
fourbar and then a fivebar linkage
• R1R2R3R4, then R4R5R6R7R8
• R3 and R5 have a constant angle between them
• If motor is at O6 you have to solve eqns. simultaneously

19
 Position of any Point on a Linkage
• Once the unknown angles have been found it is
easy to find any position on the linkage
• For point S
Rs=sei(q +d )
2 2

• For point P
RP=aei q +pei (q +d )
2 3 3

• For point U
RU=d +uei (q +d )
4 4

20
Transmission Angle (Grashof Crank-
Rocker)
• Extreme value of transmission angle when links 1
and 2 are aligned
 b  c  d  a       arccos
2 2 2  b 2
 c 2
 d  a 2

1  arccos   2  
 2bc   2bc 

Extended
Overlapped

21
 Toggle Position
• Caused by the colinearity of links 3 and 4 (  0
or 180).
 a 2
 d 2
 b 2
 c 2
bc 
q2  cos 
1
  0  q 2toggle  
 2ad ad 
toggle

Prove!
3 3

4 Overlapped
2
2 4
q2
Extended
q2
22